That is supposed to be the main culprit in the development of this disorder. Women often get the impression that attractiveness equals thinness and they will do anything to slim down. Some evidence suggests that anorexia is also caused by a dysfunctional relationship between the patient and the parents. Overprotection and lack of conflict resolution may lead a child to establish self control through appetite suppression and self-starvation. Psychological factors are also come into play. Patients suffering from this disorder tend to be perfectionists, rigid, and lack autonomy and selfhood. A delay in sexual development in teenagers is not uncommon as is a decreased interest in sex for older patients (http://ndmda.org/eating.htm). Often, treatment is started or recognized when the patient has already lost a considerable amount of weight. For effective treatment, the patient must be a willing participant in the treatment plan. Hospitalization is usually the first step in treating this disorder, followed by psychotherapy sessions and pharmacotherapy. Patients do resist hospitalization, but after several weeks they do realize they need help. Cognitive behavioral approaches are used to address the disorder as is family therapy. No one has come up with any type of medication yet to cure the core symptoms of anorexia nervosa. Some drugs have been used, such as Periactin and Elavil, but they in no way cure the disorder (http://ndmda.org/eating.htm). Bulimia nervosa is another of the major eating disorders that most people suffer from. This disorder is characterized by binge eating, where a person eats a vast amount of food and then purges it, either by vomiting or by using laxatives. It is not uncommon for people suffering from this disorder to eat up to 10000 calories in one sitting and then purge it. Ancient Romans and Greeks used to practice it, but it was not widely known to doctors until the 1970’s. Even then, it was...
