Anorexia is a mental health disorder, which due to complications may become a physical illness. It is a sickness within the mind, wherein even with the necessity to eat, the mind refuses which results to lack of nourishment. It is a metal health issue which cure has not yet been discovered. Although there are existing ways to avoid and decrease complications, a patient who was diagnosed of it, remains sick. Based on the gathered facts, this only points out that anorexia is not merely a sickness of the patient’s mind; rather, it is also a familial disease.
As the family are supposed to be the first to educate their children about having better choices, and truths on discipline, an ailing family might have overlooked this and may have caused the development of the disorder in their child. Family therapies are trying to respond to this issue, since adolescent fear and confusion may be avoided with proper guidance and education from parents. The findings more importantly point that anorexia is a disease of the society, culture, and history.
It is a modern disorder that was non-existent during the earlier times when skinny images had not yet swarmed the entertainment industry. As history has influenced women to become thin and skinny, the whole society turned to conform with this lifestyle, and as such resulted to an unhealthy symbol of life and power wherein various illnesses have developed along with it. Thus, anorexia’s different facets call for action from different perspectives. It is an issue that cannot be dismissed by medical breakthroughs and treatments.
Rather, in order to respond to the issue, the reason of its existence must be carefully tackled. As such, treatments must be focused not on the patient alone, but also on the patient’s family and the society itself. More importantly, one must realize that accepting one ’s self, and others, are anorexia nervosa’s most comprehensive treatment.
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