Eating Disorders What do you imagine when you think of a celebrity? What comes to mind when you imagine a magazine cover or a television commercial? The media is plagued by images of glamorous, beautiful, happy people who have perfect bodies. Anorexia is the third most common mental health disorder affecting teenagers, and close to half of the American population personally knows someone who is battling an eating disorder. Cases of eating disorders are on the rise and many blame the media for the increase. With eating disorders becoming so prevalent it is important to know the classifications, signs, and symptoms associated with this mental health disorder. Eating disorders can be classified into four categories Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified (ED-NOS). Eating disorders are a serious issue that one should be knowledgeable about.
Anorexia Nervosa is what many people think of when they hear about eating disorders. According to the DSM IV-TR anorexia nervosa is classified as “Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height, for example, weight loss leading to maintenance of body weight less than 85% of that expected or failure to make expected weight gain during period of growth, leading to body weight less than 85% of that expected, intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though underweight, and disturbance in the way one's body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight.” Those who suffer from Anorexia Nervosa are often perfectionists. Those who suffer from this disease have an extreme fear of gaining weight. They see themselves as “disgusting” and try to reach an unattainable goal weight that they think will make them feel better about themselves. In the