Obesity Case

Comment on the relative strengths of biological causes compared to sociological or individual causes. Consider the types of anorexia nervosa in your argument.

Explain any treatment strategies that would support your argument.

Does obesity share anything in common with anorexia nervosa? Consider obesity causal factors and whether obesity is truly a mental disorder

The biological cause of anorexia nervosa is the probability of development of this disorder in some people more because of the presence of this disorder in any of their parents or siblings. Some researchers have also identified certain chromosomes that could be associated with the elevated susceptibility to this disorder (Levenkron, 1988). The sociological or individual cause of anorexia nervosa relates to the concern of the individual to appear good socially and as thinness and zero size figure is in vogue, girls usually become patient of anorexia nervosa. Self-esteem and success is measured in terms of thinness and peer pressure and teasing on weight could also be other social reasons.

Moreover, in recent times, this disorder has become a fad among teenagers who likes to compete with each other on the basis of eating less that is displaying restrictive type anorexia nervosa and acquiring this disorder. The restricting type anorexia nervosa patients don't consume food as they are afraid of gaining weight (Rumney, 2009). Patients who are under social pressure to eat usually suffer from binge eating anorexia nervosa. The treatment of anorexia nervosa requires the counseling of the patient.

Anorexia nervosa is inherently associated with the distorted body images and incorrect perception of self. The treatment of this disorder initiates with counseling for psychological disturbances of the patients related to low self-esteem, emotional or interpersonal conflict and distorted body image. The psychology of patients is required to be comprehended and then altered for the success of the counseling and other pharmacological treatment. Counseling is significant for the patient of this disorder as the patient might return to practicing anorexia nervosa if the perception which triggered the disorder is not altered.

Anorexia nervosa is the indirect consequence of obesity as the increasing rate of obesity instills the fear of overweight in girls and they opt for reducing the food consumption to minimal level or binging and then puking to control their weights. Therefore, it's the fear of obesity that, in some cases leads to anorexia nervosa. Obesity is under consideration as the mental disorder and some researcher believe it to be related to abnormal functioning of brain that causes the person to eat more and exercise less (Caplan, 2011). Therefore, anorexia nervosa and obesity, both are two extremes of the eating habits and are related as the abnormal eating schedule.

...