Free Essays on Eating Disorders

Eating Disorders On their website, The Eating Disorders Association, a British organization dedicated to providing information on the diseases, defines eating disorders as â€Å"complex illnesses where both the disturbed eating pattern as well as the psychological aspects need to be treated.† l "FNote1" Eating disorders can affect people of any age, male or female, with no regard to race or ethnicity. They often are the signal of deeply ingrained self-esteem problems which cause the person to perceive a negative image of themselves which is often far worse than the reality. Eating disorders generally result when people have negative self-images of themselves. A girl, for example, may feel that she is too heavy, and so may develop an eating disorder as a result of this image, regardless of whether or not she is actually overweight. Eating disorders can be life threatening for males and females and usually â€Å"include extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues.† l "FNote2" There are many different kinds of eating disorders. Each has its own symptoms and is a sign of a different psychological perception of the person’s self. It is important to distinguish between eating disorders and what the Harvard Eating Disorders Center calls â€Å"disordered eating†. Whereas eating disorders are an illness which results from constant worrying about image and diet, disordered eating is merely a bad habit which is the result of not knowing the proper foods and eating habits. Eating disorders often lead to drastic loss of weight or change in physical appearance, but disordered eating more often results in short term, less substantial changes in weight. Finally, while eating disorders often require specific medical treatment by professionals with an understanding of the specific disease, disordered eating can usually be treated simply by educating the person and making them more conscious of the requirements for ... Free Essays on Eating Disorders Free Essays on Eating Disorders Eating Disorders For reasons that are unclear, some people, mainly young women, develop potentially life-threatening eating disorders. Eating disorders are emotional illnesses that cause a person to adopt harmful eating habits. They often get worse the longer they go untreated. The lack of nutrition associated with eating disorders can harm the body's organs and, in severe cases, lead to death. The two most common types of eating disorders are bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. Bulimics indulge in bingeing, which is eating large amounts of food and purging. Anorectics, severely limit their food intake. About half of them also have bulimia symptoms. The causes of bulimia and anorexia have many theories. One is that some teenagers feel abnormally pressured to be as thin as the "ideal" portrayed by magazines, movies and television. Another is that defects in key chemical messengers in the brain may contribute to the disorders development or persistence. They are most common among teenage girls and women, and frequently occur along with other psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders. Bulimia is caused once people begin bingeing and purging, usually in conjunction with a diet. While cases tend to develop during the teens or early 20s, many bulimics successfully hide their symptoms, thereby delaying help until they reach their 30s or 40s. Many people with bulimia maintain a nearly normal weight. Though they appear healthy and "perfectionists" at whatever they do but they have low self-esteem and are often depressed. While normal food intake for women and teenagers is 2,000 to 3,000 calories in a day, bulimic binges average about 3,400 calories in 1 1/4 hours. Some bulimics consume up to 20,000 calories in binges lasting as long as eight hours. Some spend $50 or more a day on food and may resort to stealing food or money to support their obsession. To lose the weight gained during a binge, bulimics begin purgi... Free Essays on Eating Disorders Eating Disorders On their website, The Eating Disorders Association, a British organization dedicated to providing information on the diseases, defines eating disorders as â€Å"complex illnesses where both the disturbed eating pattern as well as the psychological aspects need to be treated.† l "FNote1" Eating disorders can affect people of any age, male or female, with no regard to race or ethnicity. They often are the signal of deeply ingrained self-esteem problems which cause the person to perceive a negative image of themselves which is often far worse than the reality. Eating disorders generally result when people have negative self-images of themselves. A girl, for example, may feel that she is too heavy, and so may develop an eating disorder as a result of this image, regardless of whether or not she is actually overweight. Eating disorders can be life threatening for males and females and usually â€Å"include extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues.† l "FNote2" There are many different kinds of eating disorders. Each has its own symptoms and is a sign of a different psychological perception of the person’s self. It is important to distinguish between eating disorders and what the Harvard Eating Disorders Center calls â€Å"disordered eating†. Whereas eating disorders are an illness which results from constant worrying about image and diet, disordered eating is merely a bad habit which is the result of not knowing the proper foods and eating habits. Eating disorders often lead to drastic loss of weight or change in physical appearance, but disordered eating more often results in short term, less substantial changes in weight. Finally, while eating disorders often require specific medical treatment by professionals with an understanding of the specific disease, disordered eating can usually be treated simply by educating the person and making them more conscious of the requirements for ...