A discussion on the diagnosis, symptoms, causes and treatment of Anorexia Nervosa
An examination of the psychological and social causes of Anorexia, focusing specifically on psychological risk factors, family factors and the influence of the media. Case studies and displayed behavior patterns are examined with the purpose of gathering more information on the disorder in order to provide help and support for the many people, especially adolescent girls afflicted with this condition.
“Anorexia nervosa is defined in the Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine as “an eating disorder characterized by unrealistic fear of weight gain, self-starvation, and conspicuous distortion of body image. The fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-IV (1994), defines two subtypes of anorexia nervosa–a restricting type, characterized by strict dieting and exercise without binge eating–and a binge-eating/purging type, marked by episodes of compulsive eating with or without self-induced vomiting and the use of laxatives or enemas. DSM-IV defines a binge as a time-limited (usually under two hours) episode of compulsive eating in which the individual consumes a significantly larger amount of food than most people would eat in similar circumstances”.”