There are many diseases, disorders, and problem conditions involving food, eating, and weight, but in everyday conversation, the term "eating disorders" has come to mean primarily anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder (Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, Inc., 2002). .
Anorexia nervosa : a relentless pursuit of "thinness-.
Symptoms often include:.
Refusing to maintain normal body weight for their age and height.
Weighing 85% or less than weight expected for their age and height.
Existing in a state of denial regarding the dangers of low weight.
Reporting "feeling fat- even when extremely thin ( NEDA, 2002).
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In addition, anorexia nervosa often includes depression, irritability, withdrawal, and compulsive rituals associated with abnormal eating habits. These individuals may have low tolerance for change and new situations. They may fear growing up and assuming adult responsibilities, or be overly engaged with or dependent on parents or family. Dieting may represent avoidance of, or ineffective attempts to cope with, the demands of a new life stage such as adolescence (ANRED, 2002).
Bulimia nervosa: the binge-purge disorder.
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Symptoms often include:.
Binge eating.
Vomiting, misusing laxatives, exercising to the extreme, or fasting to rid themselves of the consumed calories from binge eating.
May also abuse drugs and alcohol (Boskind-White, p.21).
Bulimics also suffer from depression, guilt, self-doubt, anger and anxiety. (Boskind-White, p. 21).
LESSER KNOWN EATING DISORDERS AND RELATED PROBLEMS.
Many diseases, disorders, and problem conditions exist involving food, eating, and weight (NEDA, 2002). The following are brief descriptions of problems other than anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge-purge eating disorder.
Anorexia athletica (compulsive exercising) (Costin, pp. 30-31).
Anorexia athletica is not a formal diagnosis. The behavior patterns are usually a part of anorexia nervosa, bulimia or obsessive-compulsive disorder.
