For two years I lived with a roommate battling anorexia since early adolescence. Therefore, I have witnessed the self-torment that accompanies this disease despite medical intervention and counseling. My former roommate still eats quickly and secretively before others notice, obsessives over portion size by purchasing 100 calorie snacks, and stares uncomfortably at the food others eat at mealtimes. Similar to the movie’s depiction of an anorexic typically having an obsessively perfectionistic personality, this description exactly matches her personality and lifestyle. The approval of others is her entire self-esteem. The development of an irrational fear of becoming fat also results from this obsessively perfectionistic trait. The anorexic’s
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Although, I knew eating disorders were considered a form of mental illnesses, I learned the medical cause of this condition. The most common cause is the production of abnormally high levels of serotonin associated with high anxiety people . The Starvation process depletes the body of serotonin, which relieves anxiety and provides the person with a sense of control. However, this positive effect is only temporary. The brain counteracts this decrease in serotonin by developing more serotonin receptors (up regulation), resulting in the anorexic wanting to repeat the starvation process. Because the quantity of serotonin produced has a genetic component, eating disorders often affect several family …show more content…
My former roommate has medical consultations with both a psychiatrist and physician. However, unlike the movie, I do not believe a nutritionist or family psychologist were components of her outpatient treatment . I also thought the necessity of patients remaining hospitalized until they reached normal weight to prevent a future relapse was interesting. This rationale was hypothesized to be the requirement of a normal weight for Serotonin medications such as Prozac or Praxil to be effective. I also learned how untreated eating disorders can cause premature death from kidney or heart failure. Finally, the effects of an eating disorder are long lasting. The 54-year-old woman needing a walker because of bone frailty caused by anorexia 30 year prior was heartbreaking. I wondered how often eating disorders cause these life-long health ailments? The 36.6% yearly increase in anorexia since 1950’s (Mayo Clinic) means many of my future patients will suffer from an eating disorder. Therefore, I must be knowledgeable and recognize the signs and
Although, I knew eating disorders were considered a form of mental illnesses, I learned the medical cause of this condition. The most common cause is the production of abnormally high levels of serotonin associated with high anxiety people . The Starvation process depletes the body of serotonin, which relieves anxiety and provides the person with a sense of control. However, this positive effect is only temporary. The brain counteracts this decrease in serotonin by developing more serotonin receptors (up regulation), resulting in the anorexic wanting to repeat the starvation process. Because the quantity of serotonin produced has a genetic component, eating disorders often affect several family …show more content…
My former roommate has medical consultations with both a psychiatrist and physician. However, unlike the movie, I do not believe a nutritionist or family psychologist were components of her outpatient treatment . I also thought the necessity of patients remaining hospitalized until they reached normal weight to prevent a future relapse was interesting. This rationale was hypothesized to be the requirement of a normal weight for Serotonin medications such as Prozac or Praxil to be effective. I also learned how untreated eating disorders can cause premature death from kidney or heart failure. Finally, the effects of an eating disorder are long lasting. The 54-year-old woman needing a walker because of bone frailty caused by anorexia 30 year prior was heartbreaking. I wondered how often eating disorders cause these life-long health ailments? The 36.6% yearly increase in anorexia since 1950’s (Mayo Clinic) means many of my future patients will suffer from an eating disorder. Therefore, I must be knowledgeable and recognize the signs and