Case Report on Anorexia Nervosa
You can find a case report on anorexia nervosa online by doing a simple search. Be prepared for some heart wrenching stories. It is so sad that there is not more that is being done to get the needed information out to the public so they realize just how serious this disease really is. Anorexia was described in the 1600's and diagnosed in the 1800's but it was not until the 1970's that there was any actual scientific studies done on the problem. The western culture has been convincing the public that ‘thin is in’ so the anorexia problem has escalated tremendously up to date. We see those skinny models, actresses and actors make many people think they will not succeed if they do not look like them. Some do not feel good about themselves and have a low self esteem because they do not look these examples that have been put in front of us. There is also a lot of peer pressure for some. There are over 8 million people who have been diagnosed with anorexia. About 7 million are female and the other million are male. It is a shame that this disease has been around for so long and there were so many deaths before it was recognized as a disease. Most of the time the disease has progressed to dangerous levels before it is diagnosed because the victim hides it so well. Anorexia can cause very serious damage to every organ in the body, and even death, if it is not caught soon enough. If you know of someone you think might be anorexic, you should try to convince them to see a doctor. Until it is diagnosed by a doctor they can not receive treatment.
Karen Carpenter, a popular singer in the 70's and 80's died from anorexia in 1988 at the young age of 32 According to her brother Richard, Karen was a ‘chubby’ teenager and was self conscious about her weight. She began dieting in 1967 when her doctor put her on a water diet. She went from 140 pounds to 115 and her friends and fans told her she looked good so she decided to lose more. She was down to 80 pounds when she collapsed on stage in 1975. She was taking dozens of thyroid pills and throwing up the food she ate (which was very little). She was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with anorexia. It does seem strange that her doctor did not see it sooner. Karen began treatment for her anorexia and was beginning to gain her weight back so everyone thought she was going to recover, Her mother found her in her closet floor unconscious on February 4, 1983. She was rushed to the hospital but she died within the hour of heart failure. The damage had been done and her heart was just worn out. There are just too many sad stories like this and the word needs to be spread all over the world about anorexia.
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