Brenton
About Anorexia
December 31st 2008 05:20
1. What is it?
What is usually referred to as anorexia; a mental condition categorised predominately by not eating, is actually a type of Anorexia called Anorexia Nervosa. Anorexia itself means only the symptom of decreased appetite and can, as well as indicating Anorexia Nervosa, be an indication of various diseases including cancer, depression and AIDS, as well as use of certain drugs.
If we limit ourselves specifically to those forms of Anorexia we find in the Media, we’d have three to focus on. Anorexia Nervosa, Anorexia Bulimia and EDNOS.
Anorexia Nervosa is the best known, and is the form categorised by a simple lack of eating.
Bulimia Nervosta is not a form of anorexia, but is a related eating disorder. It is categorised by the eating of food, followed by the regurgitation.
EDNOS is not strictly a form of Anorexia. It stands for Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. This category is lent to eating disorders where the definition is not so easily categorised.
2. Numbers and Figures
85% to 95% of sufferers of Anorexia Nervosa and Anorexia Bulimia are female
0.5 percent to 3.7 of Females will suffer from Anorexia Nervosa in their lifetime. 1.1 percent to 4.2 percent will suffer from Bulimia
Annual mortality rate of sufferers of Anorexia is 0.56 percent.
(Results specific to America)
3. Diagnosis
Anorexia Nervosa; (Conditions of DSMIV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)
1. Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height (e.g., 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).
2. Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming obese
3. Disturbance in the way in which 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.
4. The absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles (amenorrhea) in women who have had their first menstrual period but have not yet gone through menopause (postmenarcheal, premenopausal females).
Bulimia Nervosa. (Conditions of DSMIV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
• Recurrent episodes of binge eating. An episode of binge eating is characterized by both of the following:
o Eating, in a fixed period of time, an amount of food that is definitely larger than most people would eat under similar circumstances.
o A lack of control over eating during the episode: a feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating.
• Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behavior to prevent weight gain, such as: self-induced vomiting; misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or other medications; fasting; excessive exercise.
• Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight.
• These symptoms occur at least twice a week on average and persist for at least 3 months.
• The disturbance does not occur exclusively during episodes of Anorexia Nervosa.
4. Treatment.
Treatment of anorexia nervosa and many other eating disorders is difficult. There is little agreement on the best means to treat eating disorders. Anti-depressants are often prescribed but are not consistently agreed to be effective. Zinc is also regularly prescribed, and is regarded as effective for physical symptoms. Especially in serious cases, treatment of Anorexia Nervosa usually is categorized by focusing on fast weight gain.
Video of one girls experience.
What is usually referred to as anorexia; a mental condition categorised predominately by not eating, is actually a type of Anorexia called Anorexia Nervosa. Anorexia itself means only the symptom of decreased appetite and can, as well as indicating Anorexia Nervosa, be an indication of various diseases including cancer, depression and AIDS, as well as use of certain drugs.
If we limit ourselves specifically to those forms of Anorexia we find in the Media, we’d have three to focus on. Anorexia Nervosa, Anorexia Bulimia and EDNOS.
Anorexia Nervosa is the best known, and is the form categorised by a simple lack of eating.
EDNOS is not strictly a form of Anorexia. It stands for Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. This category is lent to eating disorders where the definition is not so easily categorised.
2. Numbers and Figures
85% to 95% of sufferers of Anorexia Nervosa and Anorexia Bulimia are female
0.5 percent to 3.7 of Females will suffer from Anorexia Nervosa in their lifetime. 1.1 percent to 4.2 percent will suffer from Bulimia
Annual mortality rate of sufferers of Anorexia is 0.56 percent.
(Results specific to America)
3. Diagnosis
Anorexia Nervosa; (Conditions of DSMIV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)
1. Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height (e.g., 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).
2. Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming obese
3. Disturbance in the way in which 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.
4. The absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles (amenorrhea) in women who have had their first menstrual period but have not yet gone through menopause (postmenarcheal, premenopausal females).
Bulimia Nervosa. (Conditions of DSMIV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
• Recurrent episodes of binge eating. An episode of binge eating is characterized by both of the following:
o Eating, in a fixed period of time, an amount of food that is definitely larger than most people would eat under similar circumstances.
o A lack of control over eating during the episode: a feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating.
• Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behavior to prevent weight gain, such as: self-induced vomiting; misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or other medications; fasting; excessive exercise.
• Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight.
• These symptoms occur at least twice a week on average and persist for at least 3 months.
• The disturbance does not occur exclusively during episodes of Anorexia Nervosa.
4. Treatment.
Treatment of anorexia nervosa and many other eating disorders is difficult. There is little agreement on the best means to treat eating disorders. Anti-depressants are often prescribed but are not consistently agreed to be effective. Zinc is also regularly prescribed, and is regarded as effective for physical symptoms. Especially in serious cases, treatment of Anorexia Nervosa usually is categorized by focusing on fast weight gain.
Video of one girls experience.
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