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How Is Anorexia And Bulimia Similar

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How Is Anorexia And Bulimia Similar
Anorexia and Bulimia In the United States over thirty million people suffer from eating disorders. Many people think that anorexia and bulimia are the same thing, but, although the two are similar, they are also very different. Anorexia Nervosa is categorized by severely low body weight and extreme fear of gaining weight, as opposed to Bulimia Nervosa which is categorized by binge eating and then offsetting the extra calories in an unhealthy way. Signs, symptoms, causes, and treatments often overlap, but anorexia and bulimia are not one in the same. For someone that is struggling from an eating disorder, many physical and emotional signs become evident. Some early signs of anorexia include the following: refusing to eat, claiming not to be …show more content…
They tend to be most common in teenage girls because the modern western culture puts an emphasis on thinness. The media displays images of thin women and portrays them as beautiful, and that gives young girls and women the idea that to be beautiful they must be thin. For men, the ideal in modern culture is to be fit and athletic, which can trigger anorexia or bulimia in men. New fads such as pro ana, meaning pro anaorexia, and pro mia, pro bulimia, websites have become increasingly popular. These websites focus on the dangerous habits of people with eating disorders, even romanticizing them. Media along with peer pressure may be all it takes to cause an eating disorder in some patients, but for others the cause is an underlying issue. Psychologically, anorexia can be caused by an extreme drive for perfectionism along with obsessive personality traits, which makes it easier to stick to the strict routine. Bulimia on the other hand, can be triggered by stressful events and life changes combined with feelings of hopelessness and low self-esteem. Impulsive behaviors are a main factor in bulimia, so if a person has difficulty controlling those behaviors they may be more likely to develop bulimia. There can also be biologic causes behind eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. Diagnosis of eating disorders tends to be common in families because of the increased importance placed on looks within that family. Parents who tend to diet themselves and express criticism of an unideal body shape or weight, are more likely to have a chid with either anorexia or

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