Wednesday, December 6, 2006

Teen eating disorders 2

I have done some more research on the internet and found some more important information on my topic. Eating disorders are commonly related to depression. the web site http://www.something-fishy.org/whatarethey/anorexia.php elaborates on how depression can cause the eating disorder, or the other way around. This information whichI read makes sence. "All in all, eating disorders are very complex emotional issues -- Though they may seem to be nothing more than a dangerously obsessive weight concern on the surface, for most men and women suffering with an eating disorder there are deeper emotional conflicts to be solved." The web site also includes a list of simptoms which people with the disorders may deny and reject. They think other people can have these simptoms while not being anorexic or bulemic, so that doesnt mean i'm anorexic/bulemic. Here is the list of symptoms:

Anorexia/Bulimia
-Dramatic weight loss in a relatively short period of time.
-Wearing big or baggy clothes or dressing in layers to hide body shape and/or weight loss.
-Obsession with weight and complaining of weight problems (even if "average" weight or thin).
-Obsession with calories and fat content of foods.
-Obsession with continuous exercise.
-Frequent trips to the bathroom immediately following meals (sometimes accompanied with water running in the bathroom for a long period of time to hide the sound of vomiting).
-Visible food restriction and self-starvation.
-Visible bingeing and/or purging.
-Use or hiding use of diet pills, laxatives, ipecac syrup (can cause immediate death!) or enemas.
-Isolation. Fear of eating around and with others.
-Unusual Food rituals such as shifting the food around on the plate to look eaten; cutting food into tiny pieces; making sure the fork avoids contact with the lips (using teeth to scrap food off the fork or spoon); chewing food and spitting it out, but not swallowing; dropping food into napkin on lap to later throw away.
-Hiding food in strange places (closets, cabinets, suitcases, under the bed) to avoid eating (Anorexia) or to eat at a later time (Bulimia).
-Flushing uneaten food down the toilet (can cause sewage problems).
-Vague or secretive eating patterns.
-Keeping a "food diary" or lists that consists of food and/or behaviors (ie., purging, restricting, calories consumed, exercise, etc.)
-Pre-occupied thoughts of food, weight and cooking.
-Visiting websites that promote unhealthy ways to lose weight.
-Reading books about weight loss and eating disorders.
-Self-defeating statements after food consumption.
-Hair loss. Pale or "grey" appearance to the skin.
-Dizziness and headaches.
-Frequent soar throats and/or swollen glands.
-Low self-esteem. Feeling worthless. Often putting themself down and complaining of being "too stupid" or "too fat" and saying they don't matter. Need for acceptance and approval from others.
-Complaints of often feeling cold.
-Low blood pressure.
-Loss of menstrual cycle.
-Constipation or incontinence.
-Bruised or calluses knuckles; bloodshot or bleeding in the eyes; light bruising under the eyes and on the cheeks.
-Perfectionistic personality.
-Loss of sexual desire or promiscuous relations.
-Mood swings. Depression. Fatigue.
-nsomnia. Poor sleeping habits

A person with an eating disorder "They may be afraid of losing control over the amount of food they eat, accompanied by the desire to control their emotions and reactions to their emotions". Those who are anorexic or bulemic may feel like they cannot loose control over themselves, or feel like they need to be in total control of their body or their weight. "The Eating Disorder, Anorexia, is a unique reaction to a variety of external and internal conflicts, such as stress, anxiety, unhappiness and feeling like life is out of control."

Recently i have found out a lot more information on my topic, but i still need plently of information. i would like to find somehow how a specific person feels, acts, and does. i want to find a possiable interview with a person with an eating disorder and find out what triggered it, causes, reasons, feelings, habbits during the time of the eating disorder, habbits after, etc.

1 comment:

William Tell said...

xoxodumblonde, make sure to start each discussion of a source with that sources COMPLETE MLA bibliographical information. Also, when dealing with long lists as you do with this post, you don't need to include all of it. The highlights work well too. And be careful with how to quote. Ask about this next time.