...Eating Disorders in Adolescents and Young Adults Eating disorders are a prevalent problem in today's society. Many people have either experienced the effects of these disorders themselves, or witnessed family or friends who are suffering. Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia are among the most prevalent eating disorders in society today and mostly begin in adolescence and teenage years. These disorders are frequently misunderstood and notoriously difficult to treat by medical professionals. By examining these horrible diseases, hopefully awareness can help to generate and implement everlasting changes within society. Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia are two of the most common eating disorders in society today. Although these...
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...Abstract Could you imagine being so afraid of food and the possibility of gaining weight that you would actually starve yourself? Food and eating are pleasures of everyday life we take for granted. Having the life of an Anorexic person fills you with the constant fear of one thing “becoming fat”. Many teen girls suffer with anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder in which girls use starvation diets to try to lose weight. They starve themselves down to skeletal thinness yet still think that they are overweight. Bulimia, meanwhile, is a disorder in which young women binge on food and then force themselves to vomit. They also often use laxatives to get food out of their system. All of these young women who suffer from this problem are considered to suffer from a psychiatric disorder. While the causes are debatable, one thing that is clear is that these young women have a distorted body image. (Wolf, 1991, p. 214-216) Eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa are slowly gripping a part of the female adolescent to young adult population. Although, Anorexia Nervosa has only been public since the 1970’s, records of the disorder go back as far as 1689. Thomas Morton, an English physician, studied subjects with a disorder he called the “wasting” disease. He had two cases, which were very similar. One was an eight-teen yr. old girl and the other was a six-teen yr. old boy. Both subjects had similar symptoms. They both had a strong lack of appetite, sensitivity to coldness, and extreme...
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...Obesity in Adolescents i Why is the Obesity Rate in Adolescents so High? Kristin Fitts English 090 Mrs. Bell April 20, 2010 Fitts 1 Kristin Fitts Mrs. Bell English 090 19 April 2010 The Rise of Obesity in Adolescents Obesity in adolescents has become a nationwide death threat among adolescents in the U.S. Obesity is an abnormal increase of fat in the subcutaneous connective tissue that is stored under your skin. The "Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation" proves that two- thirds of adolescents in the U.S. are obese, not including the adolescents that are border line too chunky. (Frank 1-17). In 2005, obesity had the highest death rate. Obesity increases your risks of getting multiple diseases. Diseases include: type two diabetes, gall bladder diseases, chronic illnesses, sleeping disorders, strokes, arthritis and heart failure. Doctors are now describing the planet as a globesity. Globesity is describing the globe as being obese because obesity is increasing tremendously. (Kelly, Evelyn B. (pg.441)). Obesity has even raised more deaths than smoking cigarettes. Determining if you’re obese is very simple. Calculating your BMI (body mass index) helps you to determine if you’re overweight, obese, or morbidly obese. You calculate your weight into pounds and the multiply by 703, then put your height in inches and multiply that number times itself. Then last of all, you divide your total weight in...
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...Running Head: ANOREXIA NERVOSA Introduction Anorexia nervosa is a psychological illness whereby the victims are afraid of their weight gain, causing them to rapid to extreme weight loss. Victims with anorexia prohibit or limit themselves from taking food, as well as their behaviors in life spheres beyond food and eating. Some anorexia victims will slowly grow anxiety or hatred towards food in a period of time. Some anorexia victims will not reject the intake of food but they would dig their throat so that they would vomit the food out in order to keep their body in their ideal shape. There are a lot of factors that contributes towards anorexia nervosa. In physical aspect, they are too sensitive about their weight so they limit their intake of food daily. On behavioral aspect, they cannot accept the fact that people are thinner than them so they rely on diet pills to control their weight, do excessive exercise or diuretic abuse. According to medicinenet.com, approximately 95% of those affected by anorexia are female, during their adolescent stage. Male do develop anorexia nervosa at some point of their lives but it is significantly lower percentage compare to females. There are two types of anorexia nervosa. Restrictive types, whereby they limit the food intake, have intense weight control. Purging type is depending on medications such as laxatives to make sure that the weight is the ideal ones. There are a lot of differences if an individual is trying to diet and anorexia...
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...Kenetta Cannon General Psychology Mr. T. Rykala 10/23/13 Embracing Natural Beauty Eating disorders has been a part of society for a great deal of time. Eating is a part of society because we eat when we are hungry, we eat when we see others eat, and we eat and share food to show we care. There are many contributors that lead to eating disorders. The media is one but, whether there are televisions, radios, or magazines some people will still find ways to consider themselves being not beautiful enough. People cannot handle the pressure of certain circumstances in life especially those from childhood, so they find other addictive ways to deal with the pressure. Even in adulthood factors such as abusive marriages and careers can cause eating disorders. People who suffer from eating disorders are no different from people who suffer from drug, alcohol or sex addictions. Not all people who are anorexic or bulimic have had traumatic experiences in their youth, but at some point in life situations became too stressful, whether it is a career, an event such as divorce or bullying from love ones or associates. People find unhappiness within themselves when they are repeatedly told they have physical flaws. Everyday both boys and girls suffering from eating disorders are slowly killing themselves because they are constantly told you are ugly, you are weird, or fat, too thin too tall; the list could on. This type of slow suicide is the last resort of escaping...
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...Kenetta Cannon General Psychology Mr. T. Rykala 10/23/13 Embracing Natural Beauty Eating disorders has been a part of society for a great deal of time. Eating is a part of society because we eat when we are hungry, we eat when we see others eat, and we eat and share food to show we care. There are many contributors that lead to eating disorders. The media is one but, whether there are televisions, radios, or magazines some people will still find ways to consider themselves being not beautiful enough. People cannot handle the pressure of certain circumstances in life especially those from childhood, so they find other addictive ways to deal with the pressure. Even in adulthood factors such as abusive marriages and careers can cause eating disorders. People who suffer from eating disorders are no different from people who suffer from drug, alcohol or sex addictions. Not all people who are anorexic or bulimic have had traumatic experiences in their youth, but at some point in life situations became too stressful, whether it is a career, an event such as divorce or bullying from love ones or associates. People find unhappiness within themselves when they are repeatedly told they have physical flaws. Everyday both boys and girls suffering from eating disorders are slowly killing themselves because they are constantly told you are ugly, you are weird, or fat, too thin too tall; the list could on. This type of slow suicide is the last resort of escaping...
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...General Psychology 10/23/13 Embracing Natural Beauty Eating disorders has been a part of society for a great deal of time. Eating is a part of society because we eat when we are hungry, we eat when we see others eat, and we eat and share food to show we care. There are many contributors that lead to eating disorders. The media is one but, whether there are televisions, radios, or magazines some people will still find ways to consider themselves being not beautiful enough. People cannot handle the pressure of certain circumstances in life especially those from childhood, so they find other addictive ways to deal with the pressure. Even in adulthood factors such as abusive marriages and careers can cause eating disorders. People who suffer from eating disorders are no different from people who suffer from drug, alcohol or sex addictions. Not all people who are anorexic or bulimic have had traumatic experiences in their youth, but at some point in life situations became too stressful, whether it is a career, an event such as divorce or bullying from love ones or associates. People find unhappiness within themselves when they are repeatedly told they have physical flaws. Everyday both boys and girls suffering from eating disorders are slowly killing themselves because they are constantly told you are ugly, you are weird, or fat, too thin too tall; the list could on. This type of slow suicide is the last resort of escaping the reality that, people...
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...HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY Health psychology is defined as the application of psychology to the relevant areas of health, disease and the health care system. Medicine and health psychology have many common themes and interests but they differ in their approaches. The primary focus of medicine is the diagnosis, treatment and cure of illness. The focus of health psychology goes beyond that of medicine to stress the prevention and enhancement of health. It expands the biological framework of medicine to also include psychological and social factors. The scope of health psychology is very broad because many theories and methods of psychology can be applied to health-related issues. Maes & van Elderen (1998) (cited in Gross, 2009) defines health psychology as “…a sub-discipline of psychology which addresses the relationship between psychological processes and behaviour on the one hand and health and illness on the other...”. Health psychology aims to understand, explain, develop and test theories by evaluating the role of psychology and its perspectives as factors affecting illness, predicting unhealthy behaviours and understanding and evaluating the role of psychology in the experience and treatment of illness. It also aims to put theory into practice by promoting healthy behaviour, preventing illness and thereby improving the health care system and health policy. For example, from programmes developed to help people reduce risk factors to their health, such as obesity and smoking...
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...reproduced by permission of the American Academy of Pediatrics Silber TJ. Treatment of anorexia nervosa against the patient's will: ethical considerations. Adolesc Med State Art Rev. 2011;22(2):283-8, x. Adolesc Med 022 (2011) 283–288 Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa against the Patient’s Will: Ethical Considerations Tomas J. Silber, MD, MASS* Director, Pediatric Ethics Program, Division of Adolescent Medicine, Children’s National Medical Center, Professor of Pediatrics, George Washington University, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20010 INTRODUCTION Practitioners of adolescent medicine are frequently the medical consultants responsible for determining the hospitalization of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), deciding whether they may require nasogastric tube feeding, and potentially recommending measures that may restrict their freedom. Thus the treatment of adolescents with AN can include ethically concerning practices such as privation of liberty, nonacceptance of treatment refusal, and limits on privacy and confidentiality, to name a few. Treating professionals are thus often caught between the conflicting values of respect for patients and their duty to prevent nutritional injury and even death. Therefore there is always a potential tension between obtaining the patient’s trust (fiduciary fidelity) and having to make recommendations that threaten this working relationship (fiduciary protection). In many, if not most, instances of treatment for AN, patients...
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...An Overview of Bulimia Nervosa Bulimia Nervosa (BN) is one of the leading eating disorders worldwide alongside anorexia nervosa and continues to pose a major health threat as sufferers experience psychological and medical symptoms that most often lead to complications (Le Grange & Lock, 2007, p. 4). One of these complications is the tendency of bulimic patients to commit suicide because of aggravating sense of despair and loss of hope. According to Pompili, Girardi, Ruberto & Tatarelli (2006), “suicide in anoxeria nervosa and bulimia nervosa is a major cause of death” (p. 1). Aside from suicide, one of the disturbing realities about bulimia nervosa is how it tends to affect women and adolescents. The usual onset or starting point of bulimia is set at adolescence (Le Grange & Lock, 2007, p. 3) when young adults are starting to form their own self-identity, a process tied to the notion of body image. The seriousness of bulimia nervosa compels one to understand the ‘entire story’ of this eating disorder that includes knowing its history and nature, the etiology, symptoms and prognosis as well as the innovative treatments that have emerged in the recent years that can solve the case and problem that is bulimia nervosa. Bulimia Nervosa: At a Glance Characteristics and symptoms often associated to BN are known to have existed and observed in the ancient times. Emperors Claudius and Vitellius of ancient Rome are found to have exhibited the typical features of bulimia...
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...Neurodevelopmental and Neurocognitive Disorders Paper Photographic memories stick in people’s minds. Emotions and reactions that cannot be erased and are burned into the memory in one’s mind can have detrimental effects as well as saving someone’s sanity. Neurodevelopmental disorders are biological brain disorders that are responsible for early onset brain dysfunctions. The disorders can be genetic or acquired from trauma, heredity, the environment, or illness. This paper will discuss the behavioral criteria for two different disorders, along with the incidence rates, causes, and two treatment options for each disorder. The two different disorders that will be talked about in this paper will be autism and eating disorders. Autism What is autism? Autism is not considered by many a “serious” disorder; this disorder starts in infancy, and may be characterized by different factors: impaired language and communication, repetitive disorder and abnormal social development. The diagnosis of autism is based on “observed behavior” and educational and psychological testing. When trying to determine whether a child is autistic or not there are a number of signs that parents and observers can watch for. Children that have poor eye contact, little interest in other people, and do not respond to their name are considered to be autistic. Other signs involve the child having trouble with their speech. Autism begins in early brain development and obvious sign may occur between 2 and 3 years...
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...asked to leave to continue to interview. As a child she had normal childhood illnesses without complications. All of her immunizations are up to date. She had no injuries or illnesses requiring hospitalization. She started menstruating at the age of 12. She is still menstruating and has normal 3-5 day periods while on Nuva-ring and her cycle is every 28 days. She has started dating and has been sexually active off and on since the age of 16. Both her parents and one sister are alive. There is a history of alcoholism and depression on both sides of her parent’s family. Her parents are divorced. She lives with her mother and sister and states they all get along very well except for the occasional disagreement. She does not see or communicate with her father. She denies any drug or alcohol use. She states that she is usually happy but she is concerned about the depression and alcoholism that runs in her family. She has no suicidal ideation and has never been physically or sexually abused by anyone. She participates in the cheerleading program of her high school. She has a small group of friends that she socializes with a great deal. She also has a growing concern for her future and college preparation. She is interested in working with children but not sure of which direction to take – law or education. Her interest in personal appearance is also very...
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...MEDIA INFLUENCES ON EATING DISORDER ABSTRACT: The media as well as the eating disorders are commonly at odds because much frequently than never, we view various photographs of anorexic masses that are somehow galmourised as well as depicted the ideal beauty. The question now arises that whether does the media have an influence over eating disorders? What is it the most about the media is that it makes female fatally overwhelmed to the unrealistic and serious pressure towards slenderness? The affect of the media on the development of the eating disorders like Anorexia, Bulimia or Compulsive Overeating can’t be disproved.Since from the very early age the people are pelted with the images along with the messages that reinforce the idea to be pleased and successful that the individual must be lean. Now, as seen in daily day to day life that it is notified as a message that fat is bad, whether it is a television, a magazine, or a newspaper, or listening to the radio, or whether shopping in the mall. The most fearsome part is that the destructive message it conveys is somehow reaching towards children. Adolescents sometimes really feel like fatally blemished if their hips, weight etc. doesn’t match up I comparison to those of famous models and actors. Today even the children of the elementary school aged are also obsessed in respect to their weight. Even if the contention is also made that the media’s depiction of women is just only a mirror of the society and not as an...
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...Student Well-Being in Adolescent Years Emmeka Lenson 17422604 McDougall, B. (2013, August 9). Tragedy of Tormented Teenagers – mental illness hits one in four. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved from http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au ‘Tragedy of tormented teenagers – mental illness hits one in four’, is an article about the growing number of adolescents being diagnosed with mental health disorders. As many as one in four teenagers are reported to have established psychological problems and research shows that the majority of them are not receiving any treatment. 80% of young adults with mental health issues did not identify their problem at its first signs, and thus missed out on prompt treatment. Numerous adolescents are either too embarrassed to seek help from others or do not know how, so instead they suffer in silence. Mental health is extremely important to adolescent well-being and to normal development and functioning. Out of the thousands of young people diagnosed with mind diseases, 14% are now affected by developmental disorders due to late identification and treatment. It has been discovered that people who have a mental illnesses, have a life expectancy 15-20 years lower than an average healthy person. Statistics also reveal that for every Australian Year 12 class, at least one or more students have attempted to commit suicide and many more have experienced suicidal thoughts. Mental health problems are one of the main causes of adolescent morbidity and mortality...
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...man. Adolescents whom are idolizing models in magazines, movies, and televisions that give them the false realization that every person, should look like they look, or should fit in clothing like they do. Seeing these unrealistic, usually photo shopped, beauties give an average person, or even overweight person, a notion that in some way they are less than beautiful or glamorous than they are. While most people can shrug off these kinds of stereotypes or feelings of looking like these models, others are haunted by the thought and are constantly obsessed with looking like and compromising their own view for society’s view of being “perfect”. This way of thinking not only affects how they feel about their looks, but also affects their outlook on the every aspect of their lives; whether it is academics, sports, or comparing to others in their family. High energy and fast paced lifestyles have made family interaction a minimal experience and leading kids towards the road of self destruction. Rumney (2009) states that, Anorexia Nervosa, is psychological disorder in which an individual deliberately and willfully starves themselves, engaging in “relentless pursuit of thinness” that can be fatal (p. 16). While according to Snyder (2009), Anorexia nervosa is the most common psychiatric diagnoses in young women today (p. 1). She also states that 1% of Voss 2 adolescent females, which translates to 7 million, in the United States suffer from this sometimes deadly disorder (p.1)...
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