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Anorexia Disorder

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Submitted By caytebear1
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Anorexia Disorder
Josephine Ingraham
PSYCH/575 - PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY
August 20, 2011
Nicole Jung

Anorexia Disorder
Anorexia is a serious disease that is defined as not having an appetite for fear of gaining weight. Most cases involving anorexia, start at the adolescent age of women and if not treated can advance to adulthood and even death. There is no cure for this disorder but there are many different treatments to help those learn to deal with this disorder and eventually find a way to live a normal lifestyle. This paper will discuss the disorder, and comparing the contrast and comparison of three therapeutic treatments for this disorder.
Understanding Anorexia
Anorexia is a serious psychological disorder that affects most young girls from the ages of 13 to 21 years old. “Approximately 95% of those affected by anorexia are female and most are teenage girls, however, males can develop this disorder as well.” (Gentile, 2010). There is no cause for anorexia, however many studies have been done to find the main cause of this disorder. Studies suggest that a genetic component may play a more significant role in determining a person’s chances of getting this disorder. One evidence that researchers are implying that there is a dysfunction in the part of the brain the hypothalamus which is a contributing factor in the development of anorexia (Gentile, 2010). Another theory is that under feeding an infant, and maternal depressive symptoms tend to be risk factors for developing anorexia as well.
Though these are just hypothetical assumptions on why a person develops this disorder, most professionals still believe that the high demands on how a person perceives themselves in society is the main cause of men and women developing this disorder. The media and sports play a significant role in those dealing with this disorder. Young women see models and

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