Essay on Anorexia Nervosa - 1763 Words

Davis 1 Anorexia nervosa is defined as a refusal to maintain a minimally normal body weight, in addition to a disturbance in perception of body shape and weight( DSM-IV-TR, 2000). In this paper we will examine Carolyn Costin’s battle with anorexia nervosa from a biopsychosocial perspective and what reinforced her disorder. This will be followed by diagnostically using the DSM-IV-TR in Carolyn’s case and conceptually using the sociocultural dimension. The implications for both Carolyn, her social and cultural context, as well as society at large will be addressed. The paper will then conclude with the successful treatments of anorexia nervosa and why we should care about the disorder. The biological dimension of†¦show more content†¦The psychological dimension of Carolyn’s anorexia nervosa has to do with her being a perfectionist and model student in school. An example of this is seen when Carolyn insists her mother drives her to school, so she could study longer in the car (Sattler et al., 1998). Davis 2 Carolyn’s need for control moved from her academics to dieting, which she associated with her improved self-esteem, self-control, and thinner body figure (Sue et al., 2010). When Carolyn entered college her obsession with controlling her weight, her shape, and food worsened. Her labeling of â€Å"allowable† food, her obsession with exercising, and distortions of seeing herself as fat, shows how her irrational thoughts tie into the psychological dimension of her eating disorder (Sue et al., 2010). As Carolyn continued to starve herself, her mood swings, depression, distorted view and perception of her body as being â€Å"fine† only increased her obsession with food. Carolyn’s experiences of denying herself the right to eat because she felt if she lost control she would end up fat and unattractive, shows the control anorexia nervosa has over the mind (Sattler et al., 1998). The social dimension of Carolyn’s disorder began with her and her friends always being on diets in high school and the positive comments Carolyn would receive from her mother and friends about her weight loss (Sattler et al., 1998). Perhaps Carolyn was uncomfortable with her body developing, soShow MoreRelatedAnorexia Nervosa1947 Words   |  8 Pagespeople who do. If we were to look the world as a whole, we would realize that from every 100 teenage girls, 1 to 5 suffers from Anorexia(EDV). As defined by the National Eating Disorders Association, â€Å"Anorexia Nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss.† (NEDA). The term â€Å"Anorexia Nervosa† literally means â€Å"neurotic loss of appetite†, and could be more generally defined as the result of a prolonged self-starvationRead MoreUnderstanding Anorexia Nervosa1008 Words   |  5 PagesAnorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder, with more than 10% of those that suffer from it will die. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that is categorized by severe food restriction, excessive exercise and body dysmorphia, which leads those that suffer from it to believe that they are overweight. Anorexia nervosa is commonly misunderstood by the general public. Research has disproved many of the previous thoughts about anorexia nervosa. According to the scientificRead MoreAnorexia Nervosa Essay1392 Words   |  6 PagesAnorexia Nervosa I have chosen to study about Anorexia Nervosa because I would like to know more about this topic and why people do it to themselves. 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Anorexia produces a multitude of symptoms, and if not treated, anorexia can lead to permanent physical damage or deathRead MoreAnorexia Nervosa Essay2312 Words   |  10 PagesAnorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder that is most prevalent in adolescent girls and young women. It is distinguished by the loss of at least 15% of the expected body weight (Long). The disease is characterized by the obsessive fear of gaining weight; through this fear, the person engages in dangerous dieting habits that prevent weight gain. According to statistics in 2011 anorexia is categorized as the third most common chronic disease among adolescents, in addition, eating disorders also haveRead MoreAnorexia Nervosa Essay1758 Words   |  8 Pagesare either overweight or just not good enough. With implying that it might result in some type of eating disorder, such as anorexia nervosa. 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The mental disorder, called: anorexia nervosa, is a disorder characterized byRead MoreBackground History of Anorexia Nervosa1452 Words   |  6 PagesHISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF ANOREXIA NERVOSA Anorexia nervosa’s (AN) first descriptions began during the twelfth and thirteenth century with the historical Saint Catherine of Siena (Deans, 2011). It is related to participating in religious functions and medieval practices of self-starvation (Deans, 2011). Furthermore, the death of popular singer, Karen Carpenter in 1983 created the societal awareness about the effect of anorexia nervosa and become widely known at the end of the twentieth century (RaderRead More Anorexia Nervosa Essay examples657 Words   |  3 Pages Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by a refusal to maintain a minimal normal body weight. A disturbance in perception of body shape and weight is an essential feature of anorexia nervosa. It appears to be far more present in industrialized societies, in which there is an abundance amount of food and in which being considered attractive is linked to being thin. The disorder is most common in countries like the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and Japa n. More than 95% of cases of anorexia nervosaRead MoreThe Eating Disorder And Anorexia Nervosa1555 Words   |  7 PagesThe eating disorder anorexia nervosa is one of complex nature that is caused and sustained by many interconnected factors of life. Characterized by strict dieting, an unrealistic perception of body image, excessive exercise, depression, and OCD, this disorder has the ability to boycott the lives of many individuals (Pinel, 2014). In order to understand the effects that this disorder has, it is essential to look at the socio-cultural, psychological, and physiological factors this disorder can entail