Eating Disorders

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that, since about 85% of women with eating disorders had an onset of the illness by the age of 20, families and community groups must be prepared to impact the health and well being of their young people. The author describes anorexia nervosa, characterized by a strong desire to be thin at all costs, bulimia nervosa characterized by the victim binging on food and then purging the food from their body and compulsive eating characterized by uncontrollable eating and consequent weight gain. The paper relates that, in addition to the media, the home is another place in which an eating disorder can be cultivated especially abusive homes whose families are not able to support or create a safe environment for development; even having a good home life sometimes isn't enough to avoid the effects of eating disorders because the complex American culture has created a toxic environment for developing personalities.

Table of Contents
Types of Eating Disorders
1. Anorexia Nervosa
2. Bulimia Nervosa
3. Compulsive Eating
4. Binge Eating
Causes and Contributing Factors
1. Media
2. Advertising
3. Television and Movies
4. Family
5. Social
6. School
7. Work
Risks by Groups
1. Men
2. Women
3. Athletes
4. Children
Effects on Health
1. Oral
2. Cardiovascular
3. Slow Heart Rate
4. Low Blood Pressure
5. Kidney Failure
6. Osteoporosis
7. Muscle Loss
Getting Help
1. Admitting the Problem
2. Asking for Help
3. Approaching Someone
4. Recovery
Relapse
1. Signs
Prevention
1. Plan
2. Spiritual
3. Alternative
Therapy
1. Individual
2. Group
3. Family
4. Nutritional

From the Paper:

"Compulsive eaters use food as a way to cope with the stresses of day-to-day life. They usually realize that their behavior is abnormal but feel out of control. Compulsive eating usually starts in early childhood when a child can't develop the skills needed to deal with stressful situations. Some compulsive eaters have been sexually abused and eat as a way to defend themselves by putting the fat in-between themselves and others. By gaining weight, they may also feel less at risk for sexual assault because they are seen as unattractive. Men are likely to be compulsive eaters."

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