Why Do Teenage Girls Feel With Eating Disorders - 1775 Words

Why do teenage girls feel the need to be thin? Who is telling them that they have to be thin to be pretty? The answer may actually lay in the foundations of our society. As a result of society’s portrayal of women in the media and other places, more women are being diagnosed with eating disorders. There are three main kinds of eating disorders. First, one of the more deadly eating disorders is anorexia nervosa, usually called anorexia. It is a potentially life-threatening disorder that is characterized by an abnormally low body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted perception of their weight or shape. 90-95% of those who have anorexia are girls and women, and 5-10% of those who are diagnosed with anorexia will†¦show more content†¦Another eating disorder is called bulimia nervosa. It is more common than anorexia but is just as life-threatening. It is characterized by recurring episodes of binge eating. Those who have bulimia usually feel no control over these episodes. Afterwards, the person feels guilty over this habit and will try to compensate for it, typically by vomiting, fasting, using laxatives, excessive exercise, or a combination of all these things. About 80% of those who have bulimia are female (nationaleatingdisorders.org, 2016 ). Bulimia can be triggered when women try to diet, fail at doing so, then binge on food as a reaction. Similar to anorexia, bulimic people normally have low self-esteem about their body image. Additionally, a bulimic person knows that their habits are dangerous to their health, but they can’t stop, as they feel they have no control over these episodes. Some symptoms include an excessive and rigid exercise routine (as they feel the need to â€Å"burn off† the calories they consumed), the disappearance of large amounts of food over a short period of time, and a withdrawal from friends or activities. Those who have bulimia have a high risk of becoming depressed. However, it is difficult to diagnose a person with bulimia, as they are usually of normal body weight and will hide their habits. Additionally, bulimia can cause an electrolyte imbalance, which can lead to Why Do Teenage Girls Feel With Eating Disorders - 1775 Words Why do teenage girls feel the need to be thin? Who is telling them that they have to be thin to be pretty? The answer may actually lay in the foundations of our society. As a result of society’s portrayal of women in the media and other places, more women are being diagnosed with eating disorders. There are three main kinds of eating disorders. First, one of the more deadly eating disorders is anorexia nervosa, usually called anorexia. It is a potentially life-threatening disorder that is characterized by an abnormally low body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted perception of their weight or shape. 90-95% of those who have anorexia are girls and women, and 5-10% of those who are diagnosed with anorexia will†¦show more content†¦Another eating disorder is called bulimia nervosa. It is more common than anorexia but is just as life-threatening. It is characterized by recurring episodes of binge eating. Those who have bulimia usually feel no control over these episodes. Afterwards, the person feels guilty over this habit and will try to compensate for it, typically by vomiting, fasting, using laxatives, excessive exercise, or a combination of all these things. About 80% of those who have bulimia are female (nationaleatingdisorders.org, 2016 ). Bulimia can be triggered when women try to diet, fail at doing so, then binge on food as a reaction. Similar to anorexia, bulimic people normally have low self-esteem about their body image. Additionally, a bulimic person knows that their habits are dangerous to their health, but they can’t stop, as they feel they have no control over these episodes. Some symptoms include an excessive and rigid exercise routine (as they feel the need to â€Å"burn off† the calories they consumed), the disappearance of large amounts of food over a short period of time, and a withdrawal from friends or activities. Those who have bulimia have a high risk of becoming depressed. However, it is difficult to diagnose a person with bulimia, as they are usually of normal body weight and will hide their habits. Additionally, bulimia can cause an electrolyte imbalance, which can lead to