Learning About Anorexia Essay - 499 Words

Learning About Anorexia Anorexia. What is it? The dictionary describes anorexia nervosa as a mental illness in which a person has an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of their weight and body shape. In simple terms, this means that people with this illness believe themselves to be fat even when their weight is so low that their health is in danger. Also, a person with anorexia nervosa strictly controls what he/she eats and usually becomes extremely thin. Anorexia is said to be a mental illness but it is also an eating disorder, which mostly affects women and teenagers. Another eating disorder that is common in teenagers is Bulimia nervosa. Bulimia is a pattern of eating†¦show more content†¦Ã‚ · A family history of depression or an eating disorder.  · Severe family problems.  · A history of sexual abuse.  · Extreme social pressures.  · Fear of change. There are many more factors that cause anorexia and some believe that it is only a more severe form of the normal insecurities and fears of becoming fat teenagers have. But the most important question we have to ask is, what drives teenagers to these extremes? Only then we will be able to move forward and find a cure. The reason why I gave in to Anorexia is because I wanted to be accepted, and fix my imperfections, said a recovering anorexic. Our culture is preoccupied with appearance. Everywhere you look and especially in the media, there is something that relates to being thin; adverts for diet pills, healthy diets or exercise machines featuring extremely thin models. With all these pressures and ideas set, many teenagers are turning to anorexia to become thin. Nowadays, this disorder is becoming an enormous problem amongst teenagers. Anorexics suffer from many problems other than starvation such as irregular blood pressure, anaemia, insomnia, and feeling depressed or anxious. Also, some teens turn to anorexia to be seen as normal. Watching adults always exercising and worrying abouttheir weight is also usually another for anorexia. Children pick up on seeing adults always worryingShow MoreRelatedAnorexia Nervos A Type Of Eating Disorder1677 Words   |  7 PagesAnorexia Nervosa, a type of eating disorder, is occurring to many individuals in today’s time. To be diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa a person must meet the following criteria: going more than eight waking hours without eating, skipping meals, limiting the amount of calories being taken in, and eating as little as possible when meals are consumed (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Behaviors can be expressed to certain degrees and can ultimately be learned and acquired by other individuals.Read MoreWe ve Only Just Begun1406 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"We’ve only just begun† opens an incredible career to Karen Carpenter. 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