Anorexia And Bulimia

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Both Anorexia and Bulimia have the same core cause, which is low self-esteem. With today’s society putting so much “importance” on what is believed to be the “perfect” body and weight, people with eating disorders see themselves as imperfect. However, that is not the only underlying cause. (Costin 2007) Depression and abuse of all types are also common factors that contribute to the eating disorders of Anorexia and Bulimia. It is important to note that depression and abuse are not always a factor but that it is common in many cases. In both diseases, their main focus is on food, although there are different results. (Bruch 1992) The result of Anorexia and Bulimia on a person’s health is very similar, but the steps leading up to the conditions are not. With Anorexia, a person consciously does not eat in order to achieve what they perceive as the “perfect” body. When they look in the mirror, they do not see how lean and skeletal they appear, rather, they see themselves as needing to lose “just a few more pounds.” With Bulimia, a person consumes large quantities of food to numb their feelings. (Rumney 2009) However, shame and guilt creep in and start the urge to purge. They purge by means of vomiting, excessive exercising, and the use of laxatives or diuretics. Anorexia becomes readily visible once a person drops way below a normal weight. (Carolyn 2007) Yet, with Bulimics, they could appear to have a normal body weight or even appear slightly overweight. Unless you caught them in the act of binging or purging, you would most likely never guess there were any problems. (Gillard 2010) Medical issues are yet another area where Anorexia and Bulimia differ. For instance, with the constant binging and purging, Bulimics can suffer from decaying teeth and even stomach and esophagus problems, all tracing back to the regurgitation of stomach acids. (Bruch 1992) There are, as
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