Katerina+D.

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 * Anorexia **

Around walks the inhuman bodies whose facial features resemble a skeleton. The ribs are sharply poking through her thin skin, she then looks in the mirror and examines every inch of her body. She is disgusted by her eighty eight pound reflection. Looking back all is seen is a ugly, fat person she doesn't seem to recognize. The question now is, when is thin too thin? Every year millions of people in the United States end up developing eating disorders, and the majority more than ninety percent of them are young adult women (Hoffman). Anorexia is now becoming a social problem, because teens are using this as more of a tool, rather than a disorder.

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Anorexia Nervosa is a disorder when people who purposely starve themselves to get the ideal body they imagine themselves having. It is very common for this disorder to kick in young people around the time of puberty. This disorder includes extreme weight loss, and at least fifteen percent below the normal body weight (Hoffman). The mind here convinces itself they are overweight, and in some cases the patient needs to be hospitalized to in order to stop starvation (Hoffman).
 * What is Anorexia Nervosa? **



Exactly thirty years ago no cases of anorexia along with bulimia were ever to be found (Eguia). At that time being thin had not taken its toll on how people visualize thinness as an icon. Then in 1960 a model named Twiggy changed everything (Eguia). She didn't run down the catwalk like every other model did, Twiggy was different. She walked with passion as her skeletal figure awed the crowd (Eguia). From then on the fashion industry exchanged the flab for a body that was seen as the new Barbie.
 * When it all began **



Today anorexia plays a very scary part in many teenage girls. High school alone can make people make decisions they never thought they would, but when beauty and popularity kick in much more gets involved. Puberty plays a role in anorexia because it can be considered a catalyst, or sped up action where eating disorders can be discovered (Eller). In 1996 researchers in New London asked kids from first grade up to fifth graders questions concerning their bodies, and ways of eating (Eller). The feedback was shocking, especially because these kids were interviewed at such a young age. The first graders answered that forty percent of them had been on a diet, and then fifty percent of third graders, and finally a whopping sixty six percent of fifth graders had all participated in a diet some time in their lives (Eller). Most girls who tend to mature earlier seem to be most self conscious and the ones who are at higher risks for developing eating disorders. According to Columbia University researchers discovered that 3.5 percent of teenage girls who developed early ended up having eating disorders, compared to the 0.8 percent of average developers (Eller). Weight problems can also be a way of focusing and coping with things rather than dealing with relationships, friendships, social, or academic pressures which teens deal with every day. Teens then tend to focus and block everything out of their lives and put it towards things they can control such as what they put in their mouths, so they can become that person whose status is successful, powerful, and finally beautiful.
 * Anorexia Today **


 * Kellie's Story**
 * Kellie is an average teenage girl living her life just like any other middle schooler, but she has one secret. Kellie is suffering from anorexia, it all begane when she was just thirteen years old. She always wanted to be the popular girl, and being a little overweight was not the way she thought she would end up the way she dreamed to be. Throughout her life she was picked on, and bullied enough times to have her stay home from school just to feel comfortable for once in her life. Kellie then came to a conclusion, being thin was the key to living the life she dreamed of. That summer Kellie began to diet over the three month period, but not everything was going as she had planned. Over that three month period Kellie dropped almost forty pounds, and developed anorexia nervosa. Instead of all the friends Kellie dreamed of gaining the only thing she gained was the bracelet on her frail wrist that admitted her into the hospital. What she needed now was time, time to recuperate and gain weight in order to go back to the life she once lived. Four years later Kellie finally got her body to a normal, healthy weight but that didn't mean everything in her mind was healed. She then went through therapy to help her learn to love herself again, and gain some well needed confidence. **


 * Warning signs needed to be seen in order to help Kellie:**

-working out more than usual -bingeing -irritability -amenorrhea -hair loss -depression -withdrawl from friends -refusing to keep normal weight -dry skin -counting calories ritually -hiding food -wearing loose clothes -controlling portions -fear of becoming obese -hypothermia -hypertension (Eugia) **
 * -personality changes

The one very important thing needed to know when getting help about anorexia nervosa is time. Time is the most important because the sooner the patient knows they need help the better (Heitger). The longer the body has had unhealthy eating habits then harder it is to revise the body (Heitger). Another important thing that can benefit the patients that are suffering are families and friends, because of all of their encouragement throughout the program. The emotion and physical problems that are dealt with anorexia are not going to go away if experts along with approaches (Heitger). Usually, the staff that help with patients include the following an internist, nutritionist,an individual psychotherapist, a group and family psychotherapist, and finally a psychopharmacologist (Heitger). The psychiatrist is needed, so the patient can provide emotional support so in the end the patient starts to understand and cope with the disorder (Heitger). One very affective way of treatment had been group therapy, were a number of patients with the same disorder get together and talk about topics concerning their disorder. The treatment options are a way of saving lives, and it is never too late to get help. Friends, families, and teachers may be needed in order to help convince the person suffering to finally admit to what is really going on. Friends and families have many options to get the ball rolling for the patient by contacting local hospitals, medical centers, and even clinics (Heitger). College students may possibly even have treatment options available in school (Heitger). Reading books, and articles is recommended for the patients families and friends, because then they can learn and inform the patient suffering on how it is impacting their life (Heitger). Some specific local organizations even give books on eating disorders as well as treatment programs (Heitger). Lots of people are trying to advance treatments for eating disorders in order for the patients to gain a better understanding along with a better program overall.
 * Treatment**



Looking from now on anorexia seems like it is never going to go away, because of the impact it has put on so many peoples lives. Even though it might not disappear in the air we need to cope, and try to come up with a lot of better ways to help treat these amaciatted patients suffering from their own self. So now when everyone especially teens looks in the mirror the reaction should be positive and reasurring, not scared and hopeless.

[] [] [] general info [] parents [|http://www.centerfordiscovery.com] centers
 * For more helpful information on anoexia try:**

Eller, Daryn. "Preteens Are at Risk of Eating Disorders." //Opposing Viewpoints: Eating Disorders//. . San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2001. //Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center//. Web. 29 Jan. 2010. . Eguia, Roberto, and Alicia Bello. "The Signs of Anorexia." //At Issue: Anorexia//. Ed. Karen F. Balkin. San Diego: Greenhaven Press,  2005. // Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center //. Web. 29 Jan. 2010 . Heitger-Casbon, Christy. "Experiences of a Female Anorexic." //At Issue: Anorexia//. Ed. Karen F. Balkin. San Diego: Greenhaven Press,  2005. // Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center //. Web. 27 Jan. 2010. Hoffman, Lee. "The ABCs of Eating Disorders." Contemporary Issues Companion: Eating Disorders. Ed. Myra H. Immell. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Web. 27 Jan. 2010 .
 * Works Cited:**