HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE

Health and Social Care Assignment

Health and Social Care Assignment

Question 1: Discuss the contributing life style factors that lead to anorexia nervosa?

Anorexia Nervosa is a type of eating disorder in which a person is trying to lose more than the desired weight. The loss of extra body weight is not considered to be healthy with respective the age and height of the person. The person suffering from Anorexia nervosa has a fear of that he is gaining weight despite they are underweight or may have the desired body weight. The person attempts to lose more weight by excessive diet and exercise. At times the patient of Anorexia nervosa may also attempt other methods to lose weight like use of weight reduction pills (Sidiropoulos, 2007, p. 22).

The causes which certainly lead to anorexia nervosa are still not known. Many experts believe the condition is an outcome of combination of factors, and the net result if disturbances in the behavioral system of the person suffering from it.

Psychological factors may vary and depends on the personality traits of different individuals. These factors account for the changes in behavior which may cause the disease. Depression and anxiety may be the cause of anorexia nervosa in those who have a higher tendency to suffer from similar mental disturbances. People who cannot combat stress and occasionally suffer from it might fall in the state of anorexia nervosa. Thinking process causing unwanted stress as this might develop the feeling of fear and doubts in person's mind. Perfectionism is a state in which person sets high goals and standards for him, this makes the life and routine very stressful and demanding, at times the perfectionism may end up on anorexia nervosa. Obsessive compulsive disorder, a type of mental disorder in which unwanted thoughts, images and perceptions comes to the mind again and again. All these disturbed mental states might trigger anorexia nervosa (NCCMH, 2004, p. 13).

Environmental factors include the changes in hormonal levels at the time of puberty, as during this stage the imbalance of hormones, anxiety and stress together triggers anorexia. The print and media also plays a very important role is exposing the younger generation more towards being slim and smart. The message conveyed is being slim and even more slimmer is beautiful rather than being healthy and smart. Girls particularly fall into the state of losing more weight and end up suffering from anorexia nervosa. Any disturbance is life like unemployment, losing a relationship, stressful academics, exams, broken families, absurd behavior of parents and even sexual or physical abuse; hence any factor that creates a disturbance in life may cause anorexia nervosa (www.nhs.uk).

Our brain is a machine which requires constant input of energy in the form of calories we eat. Excessive dieting to lose weight makes the brain deprived of energy reserves as a result of which brain enters in the state of abnormal functions. These might begin the cycle of anorexia ...