We live in a shallow world where physical appearances are used to measure each and every one of us. In such a world, media and society both have a huge influence on the need for thinness. Some people are able to cope with such pressure, and this leads them to push their bodies to transform. Unfortunately, these individuals are constantly searching for acceptance from society, and this can cause them to develop serious eating disorders. Anorexia and bulimia are the two most common eating disorders. They have both differences and similarities, yet we fail to see that bulimia is more dangerous than anorexia on the basis of causes, symptoms and long term effects.
As they try living up to the high standards set by society, people with anorexia and bulimia spend hours worrying about the way they look. The causes of these eating disorders are manifold, and include factors such as: biological imbalances, history of depression, personality disorders, and socio cultural views. Although anorexia and bulimia are different diseases, they share some of the same causes. A major cause of both anorexia and bulimia is the emphasis society places on having a perfect body.
Magazines, TV shows and public opinion are what encourage women to diet and be thin in order to feel good about themselves. Anorexia is a response to the social attitudes which encourage beauty with being skinny. Females in professions such as dancing and modeling are more likely to engage in anorexic habits. In their minds, the only way to achieve perfection is by starving themselves. Bulimia is, however, caused by social, psychological and biological factors that lead to extreme feeling of guilt and hopelessness. When a person is incapable to deal with their emotions, they attempt to find comfort with food. After they have ingested the food, they begin to feel guilt and then set about removing all nutrients from inside their bodies.
Anorexia and bulimia also share some similar symptoms. Some symptoms of anorexia are: excessive exercising, depression, weakness, exhaustion, constipation, and loss of menstrual periods in women. Bulimics suffer from those symptoms as well. Bulimics practice binging, which means eating large amounts of food at one time, and purging, inducing vomiting. Alternatively, bulimics may defecate in an attempt to prevent weight gain. Anorexics, however, restrict their diets and starve themselves in attempt to stay thin and to continuously lose more weight.
Bulimia is harder to diagnose because sufferers may not be obviously underweight, and may even be overweight. Bulimics tend to regularly use of one or more of the following methods to prevent weight gain: self-induced vomiting, use of laxatives, strict dieting, fasting and vigorous exercise. Persistent concern with body shape and weight is what causes bulimics to act in the way they do.
Anorexia and bulimia are both serious disorders that require treatment. Both disorders are treatable and sufferers are able to recover from them. Recovery may be as short as a few months, or it can take several years. The starving, stuffing, and purging associated with these disorders can lead to irreversible physical damage. Individuals who are suffering particularly acutely from either eating disorder may be hospitalized to prevent death and to control their food intake. Hospitalization is recommended for anorexics that show signs of severe depression, are a high risk of suicide, and are severely underweight. A drug called cyproheptadine can be used for anorexics as a way to stimulate their appetite. However, this is usually ineffective in since anorexics already feel hunger, but they choose not to eat. Bulimics, on the other hand, are difficult to treat since they often deny their condition. Treating them can be difficult, and sometimes only begins with encouragement from their families. Treatment of bulimia is usually done on an outpatient basis, but inpatient treatment may be necessary to make sure a person eats enough. Since bulimics may have psychological disorders, a combination of drugs and behavioral therapies is commonly used in their treatment. Antidepressants called Norpamin, Tofranil, and Prozac are commonly used in the treatment of bulimia. These medications are beneficial because they treat the psychological symptoms of the disorder.
Past research has shown that the most frequent cause of death in anorexics is starvation, electrolyte imbalance, heart failure, and accidental suicide. Conversely, bulimia can be chronic and lead to serious health problems including seizures, irregular heartbeat, and thin bones. Unlike anorexia, people die as a result of bulimia in rare cases. Early detection and treatment can effectively manage the disorder and help bulimics look forward to a normal life.
Anorexia and bulimia are both serious eating disorders that require attention. Unfortunately, more emphasis is given to the disadvantages of being overweight than to being underweight. As long as society continues to embrace the idea of being thin and of using models as an example of perfection, the number of people who truly suffer from these very serious eating disorders may never be known.
Works Cited
American Anorexia Bulimia Association, Inc. (AABA) Web Site. Anorexia Nervosa. 1
July 2011
American Anorexia Bulimia Association, Inc. (AABA) Web Site. Bulimia Nervosa. 2 July 2011
“Anorexia Nervosa.” The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Ed. D. Olendorf, C. Jeryan, and K. Boyden. 1999. 1 July. 2011
Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, Inc. (ANRED) Web Site. Medical and Psychological complications. 1998. 2 July. 2011
