Anorexia Nervosa Sources for your Essay

Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa.


Both diseases clearly suffer from commonalities, but how the patients deal with their weight is very different, and it is clear that some familial characteristics are present in both diseases. For example, reports and studies indicate "eating-disordered families to be enmeshed, intrusive, hostile, and negating of the patient's emotional needs or overly concerned with parenting (Polivy and Herman)

Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa.


Bulimia can also involve purging by taking laxatives, enemas, diuretics, and other medications to reduce weight. Binging involves also involves a feeling of lack of control during the eating episodes, and often includes fasting or excessive exercise after the event (Smolak, Levine, and Striegel-Moore xvi)

Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia in Adolescents


The prevalence of all types of eating disorders among the adolescent population has been increasing in recent years (Lopez-Guimera, Sanchez-Carracedo, Fauquet & Portell, 2011). Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia among adolescents can result in a wide array of health issues, including obesity, hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Cariun, Taut & Baban, 2012) as well as bone loss, amenorrhea, hypokalemia and even death (Lock & Fitzpatrick, 2009)

Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia in Adolescents


288). Achieving this goal requires a sound therapeutic relationship, but clinicians using this intervention may also be required to exert their authority to stress the need for healthy eating behaviors and to ensure adolescents comply with medical recommendations for gaining weight gain (Levenkron, 2001)

Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia in Adolescents


The prevalence of all types of eating disorders among the adolescent population has been increasing in recent years (Lopez-Guimera, Sanchez-Carracedo, Fauquet & Portell, 2011). Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia among adolescents can result in a wide array of health issues, including obesity, hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Cariun, Taut & Baban, 2012) as well as bone loss, amenorrhea, hypokalemia and even death (Lock & Fitzpatrick, 2009)

Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia in Adolescents


Although more adolescent females suffer from eating disorders than males, an adolescent male was the first modern individual diagnosed with an eating disorder and about 10% to 15% of the eating disorder population is male adolescents (Ray, 2009). The prevalence of all types of eating disorders among the adolescent population has been increasing in recent years (Lopez-Guimera, Sanchez-Carracedo, Fauquet & Portell, 2011)

Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia in Adolescents


Finally, a summary of the research and important findings about adolescent eating disorders are provided in the conclusion. Background and Overview Professional and public awareness of eating disorders has increased significantly in recent years, but eating disorders have been known for centuries (Ray, 2009)

Anorexia Nervosa (An) Is Blamed


Anorexia nervosa (an) is blamed on many factors, including media images of ultra-thin models and actresses, family conflicts, and genetics. The first case was recorded in 1689, suggesting that genetics and family issues are involved (DeAngelis, 2002)

Anorexia Nervosa (An) Is Blamed


The first case was recorded in 1689, suggesting that genetics and family issues are involved (DeAngelis, 2002). Symptoms can include distorted body image, very low body weight, obsession with losing weight, fear of food and gaining weight, excessive exercise, purging, and amenorrhea (Hatch & al, 2010)

Anorexia Nervosa (An) Is Blamed


As Kanarek et al. found in a 2009 study on rats, food restriction leads to the need for increased exercise in order for the brain to produce sufficient endogenous opioids for feelings of well-being; in turn, the increased exercise becomes an addiction leading to severe withdrawal upon discontinuation (Kanarek & al, 2009)

Anorexia Nervosa (An) Is Blamed


However, as Lock and Fitzpatrick (2009) have noted, until recently most of the research among psychologists has focused on adult patients rather than children or adolescents, and this is a problem because eating disorders most often develop during childhood and adolescence. Therefore, finding the best treatment for anorexia will likely require more intensive research on children and adolescents (Lock & Fitzpatrick, 2009)

Anorexia Nervosa (An) Is Blamed


found in a 2009 study on rats, food restriction leads to the need for increased exercise in order for the brain to produce sufficient endogenous opioids for feelings of well-being; in turn, the increased exercise becomes an addiction leading to severe withdrawal upon discontinuation (Kanarek & al, 2009). In addition, self-starvation can lead to addictive feelings of euphoria as the body "gives up" on receiving adequate nutrition and hunger decreases as a result of the release of internal opiates (Lucas, 2004)

Anorexia Nervosa (An) Is Blamed


Symptoms can include distorted body image, very low body weight, obsession with losing weight, fear of food and gaining weight, excessive exercise, purging, and amenorrhea (Hatch & al, 2010). Of course anorexia is just one form of eating disorder; experts from the National Association of Eating Disorders claim that as many as 10 million Americans are suffering from some form of eating disorder "at any given time" (Novotney, 2009), and today it is estimated that up to 13% of patients are male

Anorexia Nervosa (An) Is Blamed


However, regardless of the degree of genetic basis, the fact that an so often begins in childhood or adolescence lends credence to therapeutic approaches focusing on issues involved within families and during the difficult stages of "growing up." Researchers already know that family dynamics associated with an include "enmeshment, rigidity, and lack of conflict resolution" (Rhodes & al, 2009)

Anorexia Nervosa (An) Is Blamed


In addition, self-starvation can lead to addictive feelings of euphoria as the body "gives up" on receiving adequate nutrition and hunger decreases as a result of the release of internal opiates (Lucas, 2004). In another study on over 2,100 female twins that hypothesized a link between an, heredity, and a predisposition for depression, researchers did find a 58% heritability estimate for comorbid depression with an (Wade & al, 2000)

Family Therapy and Anorexia Nervosa


Prevalence for this disorder is approximately 5.1% among young women in the generalized population (Oltmanns, & Emery, 2010), which adds to the alarming fact that anorexia nervosa has severe negative consequences like interfering with puberty, breast development, cerebral abnormalities, severe depression (Hodes, Eisler, & Dare, 1991), with a mortality rate of 6-10% for adolescents (Lock, & Grange, 2001)

Family Therapy and Anorexia Nervosa


The premise for most of the research conducted using family based therapy is a theory by Salvador Minuchin and Mara Selvini from the 1970s that states in order for a sufferer of anorexia nervosa to recover the "family's structure or style of management [of problems] needs to be corrected." (Lock, & Grange, 2001) A compilation of peer reviewed journal studies as well as other reviews of anorexia nervosa family therapy treatment will be used to illustrate the effectiveness of family therapy for persons under the age of 19 suffering from anorexia nervosa

Family Therapy and Anorexia Nervosa


The fourth step is teaching parents and the patient to handle relapses, and the fifth step is supporting the patient is developing on their own, and (sixth step) the parents supporting their daughter in her development. All these changes to the Maudsley Model is in an effort to be culturally sensitive to the needs of Chinese families who have a child with an eating disorder (Ma, & Lai, 2006)

Family Therapy and Anorexia Nervosa


According to Rhodes (2003), whose article outlines the Maudsley Model, those sufferers over the age of 18 or 19 are better off being treated with an individual program, but recovery statistics over a protracted period are still low. Family therapy seems to work so well with young adults because of its premise that the anorexic is not just by themselves with their disorder, but an individual who is part of a cohesive group as well (Nichols, & Shwartz, 2001)

Family Therapy and Anorexia Nervosa


Introduction Anorexia nervosa is a variation of eating disorders that can plague both men and women. Anorexia is defined as "extreme emaciation" and the refusal to maintain a healthy body weight (Oltmanns, & Emery, 2010)