Anorexia Nervosa And Associated Disorders Case Study

A 20-year-old college drop-out named Ellen is suffering from Anorexia Nervosa. When she was kicked out of another inpatient program, her step mom made an appointment with a specialist, Dr. Beckham. He agrees to help treat her if she complies with two things; no talk about food and a minimum of 6 weeks inpatient. When Ellen arrives, Lucas, the only male in the house, gives Ellen the house tour. After a couple days Dr. Beck plans for a family session with even her mom coming down from Phoenix. At therapy her dad didn’t show up and Ellen admits to feeling like more of a problem than a person. Her mom believes that Ellen’s dad doesn’t see her for who she really is but more what he wants her to be. Her sister admits to feeling like she doesn’t

(ANAD) states “0.9% of American women suffer from anorexia in their lifetime.” and “50-80% of the risk for anorexia and bulimia is genetic.” (anad.org) Men can also have this disorder but most go undiagnosed. Most people assume that it only occurs in females, but it can occur to all genders at all ages.

Like every disorder, it had to have started somewhere. “Sir William Gull, a physician to England's royal family, was the first to characterize anorexia as a disease different from religious hysteria or biological eating problems. Although he felt that the disease arose from a mental state, he did not believe that patients suffering should be treated as mentally insane.” (meantalhelp.net) When he first introduced it in October 1873, he first named it ‘Anorexia Hysterica’.

Throughout time the cultural perspective of his disorder has greatly changed. In the beginning it was unknown and undiagnosed. People were believed to be just fasting in some regions and in others it was paid no mind. Now Anorexia Nervosa is often viewed as bad and a bad influence on others. With society portraying that ‘beautiful’ is skinny a lot of girls starve themselves to become what society wants them to be. Although there are campaigns and stuff that are claiming the opposite, young men and woman want to be skinny and fit because supposedly it is what attracts people. They want the thigh gaps and their collarbones

This movie holds back nothing on the negative affects of this disorder on a person. It shows how it looks to be skin and bones and the affects it can hold not only on a person’s physical appearance but also on their mentality. Unfortunately, if a person has a set view on being super skinny is the way to go perhaps it is not a good influence on them. If they have that view, then seeing how skinny they are may encourage them to attempt to purge or starve. I believe that this movie does not romanticize the fact that anorexia makes you skinny but it brings up the fact that anorexia is a dangerous life-threatening dieses that does not only affect you in yourself but your family and people that surround