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Bulimia and Anorexia: A Growing Epidemic in America

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Bulimia and Anorexia: A Growing Epidemic in America
Bulimia and anorexia is a growing epidemic in America. Bulimia and Anorexia can start at any age, but is most common between the ages of 11-17 years old. Of all the individuals that experience this illness only 50% of all of them are ever cured, and another 6% that suffer from this horrible illness will experience death. This illness has become very deadly to our young adults.

Bulimia and anorexia can cause a distorted image in a persons mind because they truly believe they are overweight. In their minds they are beyond doubt obese. Even if the person weighs only 95 pounds. This sickness has the person thinking they are overweight. This could bring about a severe bout of depression. Once the person hits the stage of depression professional help is needs because the feeling of being overweight and depression could put the individual over the edge.
Individual experiencing Bulimia go on what is called eating binges. Eating binges are when people eat longer amounts of food in less then two hours. (Internet3) Then after they binge they feel guilt or shame so they need to undo their behavior. To undo their behavior they make themselves vomit, or they take laxatives, water pills or starve themselves. (Cauwel21) Binge and poring usually occurs more than two times a week for at least three months. (Internet1)
What cause bulimia and anorexia? It can be brought on by stress or depression, but most often dieting causes it. (Erichsen 12) Stressful situations such as death can bring about bulimia and anorexia. Also many young adults frequently experience sessions of depression for various circumstances during their adolescent's years. But, again most of the time bulimia and anorexia is trigger by dieting. (Moe 21) Many psychological factors play a big role in the cause of bulimia and anorexia. People that have a fear of growing up sometimes have incidents with anorexia because they think that if they stop eating they want get older or bigger. (Erichsen15)

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