Development of Anorexia and Bulimia Essay -- Papers Research Health We

Development of Anorexia and Bulimia Anorexia and Bulimia are two very complex conditions that have been around for quite a while, however both anorexia and bulimia amongst other eating disorders are becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society. There has been extensive press and media coverage on conditions related to eating disorders. Anorexia and bulimia are two of the most common eating disorders or two of the most prevalent eating disorders around. Conditions relating to eating disorders more than fifty or so years ago were virtually unheard of, this could be due to a number of reasons. The bulimic sufferer will binge grotesque amounts of food, literally assault themselves with more food than a body can tolerate. Bulimics have no limit at all. The compulsive overeater will at last have to stop eating if only because of the pain of their distended stomach. The Anorexic sufferer deliberately aims to lose weight and sustains this weight loss. Anorexics have an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though they are severely underweight. This intense fear is powerful enough to make an individual diet to the point of starvation. An individual who suffers from anorexia is hungry, however, refuses to eat because of the fear of gaining weight. There are thought to be various potential causes of eating disorders. According to the eating disorders research unit, institute of psychiatry (2002), some of the potential causes of eating disorders may be resulted due to the disorder having genetic links, biological factors such as chemical imbalance or malfunction, psychological cause; interpersonal fact... ...titute of Psychiatry, London, from http//:www.eatingresearch.com Accessed on April 28th 2004 Erichsen, A. (1985), Anorexia nervosa: The Broken Circle, London, Faber and Faber Fairbairn, W.R.D, (1952), Psychoanalytic Studies of personality, London, Routledge and Paul. Logue, A.W (1986), The Psychology of Eating and Drinking, New York, WH Freeman and company. MacLeod, S. (1989), The Art of Starvation, London, Virago LTD. National Eating Disorders organisation, Eating Disorders Information, United States, http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/p.asp Accessed on 19th April 2004 Sacker, I.M. and Zimmer, M.A. (1987) Dying to be Thin, United States of America, Warner Books. Watson, C. (2004) Research Methods, from http://www.colinwastonleeds.co.uk Accessed 28th April 17th, 20th, 23rd May 2004.