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Eating Disorders

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Eating Disorders
Introduction

Anorexia Nervosa is a serious and often fatal eating disorder in which the individual deliberately restricts themselves of food due to an obsession with thinness and weight loss. I chose to focus on Anorexia because it is both a serious and growing public health concern within Canada. This paper will focus on the characteristics, prevalence, and treatment for Anorexia Nervosa as well as how this applies to social work practice. As Anorexia is such a fatal condition, understanding its characteristics and treatment are relevant and important for a social work professional.
Signs and Symptoms
Table 1
Physical, psychological, behavioural, and social signs and symptoms associated with Anorexia Nervosa.
|Physical |Psychological |Behavioural |Social |
|Excessive weight loss |Distorted self-perception: |Preoccupation with food. |Refusing to eat in public. |
|No menstrual period (if at age |believe they are overweight when |Calorie counting. |Avoidance of situations where |
|of menstruation) |they are not. |Refusing to eat. |eating is expected (dinner with|
|Thinning hair |Being preoccupied with food |Compulsive exercising. |friends/family). |
|Dry skin |Denial of the seriousness of |Constantly weighing themselves.|Defensive towards |
|Brittle nails |their condition. |Skipping meals or making |friends/family who express |
|Cold or swollen hands/feet |Obsessive-compulsive behaviour |excuses not to eat. |concern. |
|Bloated or upset stomach |Low self-esteem. | |Relationship breakdowns. |
|Low blood pressure |Depression.


References: American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.). Washington, DC: Author Ehrlich, S. D. (2010, December 11). University of Maryland medical center. Retrieved from http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/anorexia-nervosa-000012.htm Gucciardi, E. MSHc, Celasun, N. MPH, PhD, Ahmed, F. MBBS, MPH, & Stewart, D. MD, FRCPC. Women’s Health Surveillance Report. University Health Network, Women’s Health Program.University of Toronto, Toronto, ON. Retrieved February 19th, 2012 from: http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/products/WHSR_Chap_20_e.pdf Health Canada, (2002). A Report of Mental Illness in Canada. Retrieved from Government of Canada website: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/miic-mmac/index-eng.php Makino, M. MD, PhD, Tsuboi, K., MD, PhD, Dennerstein, L AO, MBBS, PhD, DPM, FRANZCP (2004). Prevalence of Eating Disorders: A Comparison of Western and Non-Western Countries. Medscape General Medicine. Retrieved February 29th, 2012 from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1435625/?report=printable Morris, J. & Twaddle, S. (2007). Anorexia: A Clinical Review. Retrieved February25th, 2012 from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1857759/pdf/bmj-334-7599-cr-00894.pdf National eating disorder information center. (2011, January 1). Retrieved from http://www.nedic.ca/knowthefacts/statistics.shtml Public Health Agency of Canada (2004). Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program - 2003 Results. Retrieved March 1st, 2011 from Public Health Agency of Canada Site: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/cpsp-pcsp03/page6-eng.php Public health agency of Canada. (2002, 10 03). Retrieved from http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/miic-mmac/chap_6-eng.php The Human Face of Mental Health and Mental Illness in Canada 2006. Minister of Public Works and Government Services. Canada, 2006. Retrieved from: http://cvhl.ca/virtual-library/resources/human-face-mental-health-and-mental-illness-canada-2006
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