In a society that is becoming more commercialist and consumer-driven, it is inevitable that standards of beauty become the focus of many, especially women who are the general targets of many advertisements and products. It is because of the prevalence of the idea that "thin is in" that many become anorexics and/or bulimics. Anorexia Nervosa is considered a serious mental illness, and is classified as an eating disorder under the American Psychiatric Society's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) and the World Health Organization's International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. It is generally characterized by very low body weight and the individual's idea that such body image should be maintained (Wikipedia 2008). As it is a disorder, society generally considers those with anorexia to be not normal, and should be admitted for treatment and/or rehabilitation.
[...] Although anorexia nervosa is usually associated with Western cultures, exposure to Western media is thought to have led to an increase in cases in non-Western countries. Although other cultures may not be as “fat-phobic” as that in those in Western countries, certain societies still promote the idea of a certain ideal body shape through other means, such as the prevalence of weight loss pills and teas in Asian countries. An online search will reveal that many herbal weight loss remedies, as well as a host of other weight control products, are mainly produced in China, Thailand, and other South East Asian countries. [...]
[...] REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE From the DSM-IV-TR, a person is clinically diagnosed to have Anorexia Nervosa if the person displays (American Psychiatric Association 1994): 1. Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height, usually 15% less than the normal or expected body weight for that person's height and/or age Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming obese Negative ideas or perceptions on the ideas of one's body weight or shape, undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight The absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles (amenorrhea), in women who have had their first menstrual period but have not yet gone through menopause Other eating related disorders. [...]
[...] The author's approach is simple and easy to understand, as its most likely targets are readers who might be suffering from anorexia themselves mostly teenagers, or family and friends of anorexics. It provides a clearer picture of how the anorexic thinks. It has been found out from the article that anorexics most likely have common concerns, and that by being bonded together they may be able to find other solutions apart from those being offered by the people around them who are opposed to their having the illness. [...]
[...] American Psychiatric Association Attia, Evelyn, and Timothy Walsh. "Anorexia Nervosa." The American Journal of Pscychiatry, 2007: 1805-1810. Brown, Janelle. "The Winner Dies." Salon.com. July http://archive.salon.com/mwt/feature/2001/07/23/pro_ana/index_np.html (accessed April 2008). Eddy, Kamryn, David Dorer, Debra Franko, Kavita Tahilani, and Thompson Heather. "Diagnostic Crossover in Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa: Implications for DSM-V." The American Journal of Psychiatry, 2008: 245-251. Rusca, Roberto. "An Existentialist Approach to Anorexia Nervosa." American Journal of Psychotherapy, 2003: 491-499. Schwirzer, Jennifer. "Drop Dead Beautiful." Vibrant Life, September/October 2005: 10-12. Södersten, C Bergh, and M [...]
[...] For one, the anorexic usually disregards his/her own nutritional needs, and this is why anorexia is often a cause for alarm. However, with the prevalence of quick weight loss schemes, health and nutrition issues are being put aside in favor of simply achieving the desired look. To many of the members of the pro-ana groups, the look is all that matters. And this is what is being propagated even by the consumerist society, not only in the United States, but also in many cosmopolitan areas of the world. [...]
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