List the characteristics of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Describe the typical personality traits of individuals with these eating disorders

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Central to the diagnosis of anorexia nervosa is a distorted body image that overestimates personal body fatness. Malnutrition and weight loss affect brain functioning and judgment in this way, causing lethargy, confusion, and delirium and influencing mood, anxiety, and emotions.

Bulimia nervosa is distinct from anorexia nervosa and is more prevalent, although the true incidence is difficult to establish because bulimia nervosa is not as physically apparent. More men suffer from bulimia nervosa than from anorexia nervosa, but bulimia nervosa is still more common in women than in men. The secretive nature of bulimic behaviors makes recognition of the problem difficult, but once it is recognized, diagnosis is based on such criteria as number and frequency of binge eating episodes, inappropriate compensatory behaviors to prevent weight gain (such as self-induced vomiting or misuse of laxatives), and self-evaluation unduly influenced by body shape and weight.