Psychology Psychological Disorders Eating & Somatoform Disorders
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Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are characterized by the following:
- Problematic eating patterns
- Extreme concerns about body weight
- Inappropriate behaviors aimed at controlling body weight.
The two main types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
The large majority of eating disorders occur in females and are much more common in industrialized countries where people idealize thinness and have easy access to food. Eating disorders are also much more common in younger women.
Anorexia Nervosa
The main features of anorexia nervosa are a refusal to maintain a body weight in the normal range, intense fear about gaining weight, and highly distorted body image. In postpubescent women, another symptom of anorexia nervosa is absence of menstrual periods. Anorexia nervosa can result in serious medical problems, including anemia, kidney and cardiovascular malfunctions, dental problems, and osteoporosis.
Bulimia Nervosa
The main features of bulimia nervosa are habitual binge eating and unhealthy efforts to control body weight, including vomiting, fasting, excessive exercise, or use of laxatives, diuretics, and other medications. People with bulimia nervosa tend to evaluate themselves largely according to their body weight and shape. Unlike people with anorexia nervosa, people with bulimia nervosa typically have body weight in the normal range.
Bulimia nervosa can have serious medical consequences, including fluid and electrolyte imbalances and dental and gastrointestinal problems.
Etiology of Eating Disorders
Many different factors influence the development of eating disorders.
Biological Factors
Some evidence suggests a genetic vulnerability to eating disorders:
- Identical twins are more likely to both suffer from an eating disorder than are fraternal twins.
- Biological relatives of people with bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa appear to have an increased risk of developing the disorders.
Personality Factors
Some researchers have noted that people with eating disorders are more likely to have certain personality traits:
- People with anorexia nervosa tend to be obsessive, rigid, neurotic, and emotionally inhibited.
- People with bulimia nervosa tend to be impulsive and oversensitive and have poor self-esteem.
Cultural Factors
Cultural factors strongly influence the onset of eating disorders. One example is the high value placed on thinness in industrial countries.
Family Influences
Family environment may also influence the onset of eating disorders:
- Some theorists have suggested that eating disorders are related to insufficient autonomy within the family.
- Others have proposed that eating disorders might be affected by mothers who place too much emphasis on body weight.
Cognitive Factors
People with eating disorders show distortions of thinking, such as the tendency to think in rigid all-or-none terms. It is unclear whether this type of thinking causes the eating disorders or results from the eating disorders.
Somatoform Disorders
Somatoform disorders are characterized by real physical symptoms that cannot be fully explained by a medical condition, the effects of a drug, or another mental disorder. People with somatoform disorders do not fake symptoms or produce symptoms intentionally.
Three common somatoform disorders are somatization disorder, conversion disorder, and hypochondriasis.
Somatization Disorder
Somatization disorder was formerly called hysteria or Briquet’s syndrome. People with somatization disorder experience a wide variety of physical symptoms, such as pain and gastrointestinal, sexual, and pseudoneurological problems. The disorder usually affects women, begins before age thirty, and continues for many years.
Conversion Disorder
Conversion disorder is characterized by symptoms that affect voluntary motor functioning or sensory functioning. These symptoms cannot be explained medically. A conflict or other stressor precedes the onset or exacerbation of these symptoms, which implies a relationship between the symptoms and psychological factors.
Example: After being sexually assaulted, a young girl loses the ability to speak. Her inability to speak has no medical explanation.
Hypochondriasis
People with hypochondriasis are preoccupied with fears that they have a serious disease. They base these fears on misinterpretations of physical symptoms. People with this disorder continue to worry about having a serious medical problem even after they receive reassurances to the contrary. People with hypochondriasis, however, are not delusional—they can acknowledge that their worries might be excessive.
Etiology of Somatoform Disorders
Personality, cognitive factors, and learning appear to be involved in the etiology of somatoform disorders.
Personality Factors
Some researchers have suggested that people with histrionic personality traits are more likely to develop somatoform disorders. Histrionic people enjoy being the center of attention. They tend to be self-focused, excitable, highly open to suggestion, very emotional, and dramatic.
Cognitive Factors
Researchers have proposed that several cognitive factors contribute to somatoform disorders:
- People with these disorders may pay too much attention to bodily sensations.
- They may make catastrophic conclusions when they experience minor symptoms.
- They may have distorted ideas about good health and expect healthy people to be free of any symptoms or discomfort.
Learning
People with somatoform disorders may learn to adopt a sick role because they are reinforced for being sick. Rewards that help to maintain sickness include attention and sympathy from others and avoidance of work and family challenges.
