Eating disorders can affect people of any age, gender or background and can be greatly influenced by the media. It is important for people to educate themselves about the different types of eating disorders, so that they can help others who they think may be suffering from an eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are two of the most common eating disorders. Although anorexia and bulimia are both eating disorders, they are very different from each other. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get an original essay The media has a very big effect on the way body images are perceived today, which in many ways respects, promotes unhealthy weight loss. and eating disorders in people of all ages. Over time, models and actresses have lost weight, which partly explains why young people's perception of "beauty" has changed dramatically. “A number of studies have documented the trend toward increasing thinness among Playboy centerfolds, Miss America contestants, and models between the 1950s and 1990s” (Spettigue). This just proves that the standard of “beauty” is declining. This leads young girls to want to be slimmer by taking whatever steps are necessary, whether it's healthy weight loss or eating disorders. The media not only emphasizes being thin and "beautiful", but also the importance of a person's appearance in general. “The multi-billion dollar beauty industry depends on emphasizing the beauty and appearance of women because this supports a consumer-based culture in which the answer to any problem can be obtained by purchasing products advertised to improve appearance. » (Spettigue). That's absolutely true. If people didn't feel good about themselves and didn't feel like they had to look a certain way, sales in the beauty industry would see a huge decline. If everyone felt good about themselves, fewer people would buy makeup, diet pills, etc. because they wouldn't feel the need to change their appearance. Therefore, the media has a huge impact on what people perceive as beauty and the development of eating disorders. Anorexia is a very serious eating disorder that affects nearly 3 million people worldwide. Anorexia is defined as “an eating disorder that causes people to lose more weight than is considered healthy for their age and size” (Www.mentalhealth.gov.). It mainly affects women, 85 to 95% of anorexics being women, but it also affects men. People with anorexia nervosa have a strong fear of gaining weight, limit the foods they eat even though they are often too thin, and think about food more than average. No one is 100% sure of the exact cause of anorexia, although there are many different situations and factors that can lead to it. These things include trying to fit into a certain model or ideal of beauty (culture), having a family member with anorexia, having parents or family who criticize their children's bodies/eating habits, encourage look a certain way or are on a diet themselves, experience stressful events. or life changes occur (things like rape, starting a new job, moving, etc.), having certain personality traits (like not liking yourself or not likingappearance, feeling hopeless, wanting to be “perfect”). , etc.) and biology (genes, hormones and chemicals in the brain can cause anorexia). Many people believe that anorexia is a way for someone to relieve anger, anxiety, or tension and have complete control over certain aspects of their life. Bulimia is defined as “an eating disorder and serious mental illness that may go unnoticed for a long period of time and is characterized by excessive consumption of large quantities of food over a relatively short period of time and feelings of loneliness. have no control over the amount of food. consumed, or the ability to stop” (Bulimia nervosa.). After binge eating this food, people with bulimia will purge themselves either by making themselves vomit or by taking laxatives. Some bulimics exercise a lot, indulge in food cravings, and purge to avoid gaining weight. Often this exercise is excessive and unhealthy. Bulimia nervosa is a sign of a serious mental health problem and should not be viewed as just a “lifestyle choice.” Bulimia can be a very difficult eating disorder to detect because people with bulimia nervosa often have a weight close to, or even unhealthy for, their height, age, and gender. Studies have shown that 2 to 3 out of 100 American women and up to 5% of American college students suffer from bulimia nervosa. As with anorexia, the causes of bulimia are unknown, although it is predicted that they are probably the same as those of anorexia nervosa. Bulimia may be initiated as a way for people to relieve anxiety or tension in their lives by controlling their atypical eating habits. Other causes may include parents or family criticizing their children's bodies and eating habits, encouraging them to look a certain way or follow a diet, stressful events or life changes (things such as sexual abuse, moving, etc.), trying to adapt. a certain model of "beauty" (culture), having personality traits such as not liking yourself or your appearance, feeling hopeless or wanting to be "perfect", having a family member like a mother or a sister suffering from anorexia and/or genes, hormones and chemicals in the brain. Anorexia affects a person's body in many negative ways, both inside and out. The effects you may see in someone suffering from anorexia are often brittle, even falling out and thinning hair. Their nails may have a yellowish tint and they are also very brittle and chip easily. The skin of anorexics is also often dry, covered in very fine hair, and may appear patchy and have a yellow tint. Anorexic people catch cold very easily and the fine hairs all over their body try to keep them warm. Their skin bruises very easily and the bruises are often very dark and very large. Inside the body of an anorexic, there are many other effects. According to Www.mentalhealth.gov., people with anorexia often have many heart or blood problems, including slow heart rate, low blood pressure, racing heart, and/or anemia. They are also prone to many bone problems such as “bone loss, osteoporosis, joint swelling and fractures” (Www.mentalhealth.gov.). A person suffering from anorexia cerebri is also severely affected by this disorder, often resulting in poor judgment, poor memory, and confused or slow thinking. The rules stop andConstipation often sets in because their body doesn't have enough energy to perform simple tasks. Muscle weakness, muscle atrophy, bloating, and kidney failure are also effects of anorexia nervosa on the body. Like anorexia, people with bulimia experience a range of visible and invisible effects. “People with bulimia often have signs of vomiting, such as swollen cheeks or jaw, calluses or scrapes on the knuckles (if they use their fingers to induce vomiting), teeth that appear pale, and broken blood vessels. in the eyes” (Bulimia Nervosa. ). According to a personal interview with a student named Julia Smith, cuts and scrapes on the fingers and knuckles of a person with bulimia are very common. She suffered from bulimia for years and claims her fingers and knuckles were always "all cut and sore" when she was bulimic, because she would use her fingers to make herself vomit after eating something. People with bulimia often also have many internal problems with their stomach, throat, bones, nerves, muscles, and heart. People with bulimia often have many dental problems such as tooth decay and sore throats because they vomit frequently. Frequent vomiting and use of laxatives also often lead to stomach upset and intestinal ulcers, indigestion, heartburn, acid reflux, constipation, diarrhea, and intestinal prolapse. Frequent purging can also cause an electrolyte imbalance, because some electrolytes cannot be digested before being released. This can lead to nerve damage, severe dehydration, and organ and muscle damage. Weakened bones, irregular heartbeat, slow heart rate, and heart failure are also possible side effects of bulimia nervosa. There are many symptoms to look out for when wondering if someone has anorexia nervosa. Some of the most common symptoms of someone with anorexia are that they have a low body weight for their height, age and gender (usually 15% or more below a normal weight) and that they refuses to maintain a healthy weight, whether she talks about her weight or her weight. more morphological than average, afraid of gaining weight or becoming “fat”, and/or thinking that he is fat when he is often very thin. They often eat little or nothing (especially in the presence of others), count calories, weigh their food, cut their food into very small pieces, and move their food around on their plate a lot rather than actually eating it. People with anorexia often refuse to admit how serious their weight loss is, out of embarrassment or to hide their disorder. "Some things to watch out for when wondering if someone has anorexia are skipping meals or making excuses not to eat, eating only a few foods, refusing to eat in public, planning and of preparing elaborate meals for others, but not eating, constantly weighing ourselves. cutting food into small pieces and/or exercising compulsively. (Ehrlich). Anorexics often exercise even when they are sick or in bad weather because they want to burn off calories from foods they have recently eaten. People with anorexia also often suffer from other psychological disorders such as depression, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, etc. Some of the signs to look out for when wondering if someone has bulimia nervosa are very similar to those that..