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Society's attitude toward thinness is having dramatic and negative effects upon young women in the United States. Television and movies depict women wearing the perfect size three, while fashion magazines feature pictures of ultra-thin models. According to the American Anorexia Bulimia Association, Inc. (AABA), 50 percent of 9-year-old girls and 80 percent of 10-year-old girls have dieted. In a society where thin is in, an estimated 5 million Americans suffer from anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating.
Anorexia nervosa is an eating condition that commonly attacks young women in their teens. However, women as young as 5 and as old as 60 have been clinically diagnosed. "People with anorexia, (anorectics) are obsessed with the fear of being fat or becoming fat," explains insert name here, D.O., an osteopathic insert specialty area from insert practice in insert town. "Because of this fear, they intentionally lose a great deal of body weight in a short period of time."
Many anorectics feel drawn to this behavior due to a very traumatic emotional event in their lives. However, these patients are actually battling poor self-esteem and are seeking to improve their feelings and to take control of their lives. To shed pounds, anorectics may exercise excessively, simply stop eating, or do both. As the pounds begin to fall away, most people feel elated. "The problem is that anorectics continue to slim down despite health risks, always thinking that they are too fat no matter how thin they become," says Dr. insert last name. Unlike people who lose weight in healthy ways, people with anorexia suffer from constant physical pain associated with not eating.
Some of the general signs and symptoms of anorexia nervosa include:
Some the effects of starvation are:
In addition, after the loss of the body's normal fat padding, anorectics may find it difficult and painful to sit or lie down, making sleep difficult. This only worsens their depression and feelings of physical weakness.
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder in which an individual binges on food and then purges that food after eating. The "binge" part involves a rapid consumption of large amounts of food. Following a binge, the individual will "purge" be either vomiting, taking laxatives, exercising compulsively, or fasting. Some people with bulimia nervosa (bulimics) may binge and purge more than 20 times a day.
While a young woman suffering from anorexia may be easily identified because of her rapid weight loss, the signs and symptoms of bulimia are often difficult to recognize. "Bulimics often maintain normal body weight, giving them a healthy appearance even though their bulimia is causing unseen damage to their bodies," says Dr. insert last name.
"For most healthy young women, the average caloric intake falls between 2,000 and 3,000 calories a day," he/she adds. People with bulimia often average an intake of 3,400 calories in just 1 1/4 hours. Some people with bulimia have been known to consume nearly 20,000 calories in an eight-hour period and spend as much as $50 a day on food.
Behind the mask, bulimics often suffer from the same psychological problems as anorectics. This can include low self-esteem, poor body image, depression, and an obsessive need to take control over their lives. In addition, many people with bulimia suffer from other compulsive disorders, such as shoplifting, smoking, drinking, and drug abuse.
The symptoms of bulimia nervosa can include:
Medical consequences of bulimia can include:
"We need to recognize the seriousness of these disorders, they can be life-threatening," stresses Dr. insert last name. "An individual battling either one of these disorders must seek immediate help."
When treating patients who are suffering from eating disorders, Dr. insert last name incorporates the osteopathic philosophy. "I treat the whole patient," he/she explains. "I look at helping these patients to improve all aspects of their lives. This includes school, family, and broken relationships."
When battling an eating disorder, the love and support of family and friends is crucial. Patients may seek professional assistance in psychotherapy, nutrition counseling and behavior modification. There are currently no specific medications prescribed to cure eating disorders. However, anti-depressants have proved to be successful because patients who are less depressed are more satisfied with their self-image. While medication can help, patients must be ready and willing to get to the root of the eating problem which for some, can be a life long struggle.
Stress is an inevitable part of living.People not only cope with it at their jobs, but also within their homes. There are approximately 20 million families with either a single working parent, or two working parents according to "Investing in Child Care," a 1998 United States Treasury Report. Parents endure demanding schedules where they strive to balance the responsibilities of their jobs and their homes. Like their parents, children also experience stress. Children may feel stress from schoolwork, athletics, and their social lives. In addition, events that directly affect the entire family such as the arrival of a new baby, or fights between siblings or parents inflict stress upon all family members.It is important to realize and examine how these stressful situations affect the family as a whole, not just the individual.
"The key to maintaining a healthy and productive family is learning, as a unit, how to manage stress," says insert name here, D.O., an osteopathic insert specialty area from insert practice in insert town."The first step that families need to take is to learn about the different things that are happening in each other’s lives."Knowing what family members do throughout the day provides a better understanding of the way they feel and behave.
In addition to understanding the potentially stressful events that each member experiences, it is important to discuss events that affect the entire family. Find out how each member views an issue that is occurring within the home. Does everyone view it as important, or do they agree that it is insignificant? Or is everyone in complete disagreement? Learning each family member’s view will provide a better understanding of the level of stress they are experiencing.
Once family members have discussed their points of view concerning an issue, they may then examine the different options, resources, and limitations that are available to them.According to Dr. insert last name, these include the family’s communication patterns, their ability to solve problems, their goals, money, relatives and friends, and services in the community. After looking at these factors together, families should then decide on a plan of action using their resources. Talking about each family member’s concerns, then looking at the options available, will allow families to work through their problems together to effectively manage their stress.
"While it is important for family members to interact when managing stressful situations, it is also important for them to regularly participate in activities that promote interaction," explains Dr. insert last name. "Going on a weekend trip, playing a game of basketball, or seeing a movie are all relatively simple and enjoyable activities that promote family interaction." A family who engages in these activities will feel more comfortable communicating their concerns when a stressful event or situation arises.
Dr. insert last name emphasizes that behaviors that attempt to mask or ignore problems only increase levels of stress among family members. Open lines of communication along with behavior that promotes love and support will enable a family to successfully manage their lives and their stress.
