Abnormal Psychology

1. Abnormal Psychology Bulimia & Anorexia Nervosa

2. Bulimia Nervosa Bulimia nervosa is a serious life threatening disorder commonly affecting young women. (10:1 ratio of women to men) They go through binging- affects 2% of adults (consumption of large amounts of food very quickly) and purging (elimination of the food by vomiting, laxatives, etc.) This disorder is partly caused by extreme concern about weight and self image. “Patients may consume more In one binge than a normal Person would in a day!”

3. Bulimia Nervosa • Ego-Dystonic Behavior- The patient experiences the symptoms • as something distressing that he or she is unable to control. • Binge= panic/ intense regret, vomit to reverse. • Afraid of weight gain, distorted self-image (body dysmorphic disorder) • Shame- causes leads to depression • Stress of family members • Waste of food

4. Anorexia Nervosa Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder commonly among young women. This disorder is caused by excessive worry about the appearance of their body which results in the fear of gaining weight, self-starvation, and a distorted view of body image. There are two types of anorexia: one characterized by strict diet and exercise, and the other involves binging and purging.

5. Symptoms • Bulimia • Binging/purging • Excessive concern with weight • Depression/mood swings • Irregular menstrual periods • Unusual dental problems • Swollen cheeks/glands • Heartburn/bloating • Anorexia (vary widely • Thin body • Dry yellowish skin • Low blood pressure • Amenorrhea • Constipation • Lack of energy • Chills/damaged teeth

6. IB AnalysisSymptoms • Affective- feelings of inadequacy, guilt, or shame. • Behavioral- recurrent episodes of binge eating; use vomiting, laxatives, exercise, or dieting to control weight. • Cognitive- negative self-image; poor body image; • tendency to perceive events as more • stressful than most people would; perfectionism. • Somatic- swollen salivary glands; erosion of tooth enamel; stomach or intestinal problems and, in extreme cases, heart problems

7. Etiology • Bulimia: • Genetic- Strober found that first-degree relatives of women with bulimia nervosa are 10 times more likely than average to develop the disorder. • One hypothesis of a cause involves abnormalities of serotonin function. Serotonin is involved in the development of satiety. It is believed to increase postprandial satiety rather than directly decreasing appetite. Disturbances in serotonin function or low levels of serotonin may be responsible for stopping the sensation of satiety and prolonging periods of food ingestion.

8. Anorexia/Bulimia: • Evidence for the biological etiology of anorexia is found in the twin and family background. Siblings of anorexics are at a higher risk of anorexia than the general population. This may be influenced by other family factors. Studies have shown a higher concordance rate in identical twins. • Hormonal changes have also been shown to occur as a result of starvation.

9. Cognitive Explanations • Body-Image Distortion Hypothesis- Body Dysmorphic Disorder • Difference in how fat they actually think they are, and how fat they feel. • Difference in how men view their bodies and women • Fallon and Rozin 1985 • Study in which men/women pick ideal body type • Cognitive Disinhibition- all-or-nothing approach to judging oneself. • Strict rules on eating • Rules broken=binge eating/purging • Thoughts about eating (cognitions) • Release of all dietary restrictions (disinhibition)

10. Sociocultural Level of Analysis • Perfect body figure changed a lot • 1950s- curves • Modern day- skinny, shapeless • Media plays a huge role (it’s everywhere!) • Less than 5% of women can achieve the medias • “ideal” thinness • By the age of 12 body shape becomes a major • criteria for Self-evaluation

11. Treatment - Psychotherapy Cognitive Behavior Therapy- This most common type of therapy for this dysfunction focuses on the thoughts that envelop food and eating and presents a challenge to the dysfunctional beliefs on the part of the anorexic. The disorder is treated as if it is nothing more than a fight for freedom, intelligence, self-respect, and self-discipline. Another goal of CBT is to correct the unhealthy cognitive processes that are causing the distorted beliefs. One of the main goals of CBT is for the affected person to have a more self-focused and self-observant approach, so the person is asked to keep a diary of food intake and a journal of thought processes during the treatment period.

12. There are six cognitive approaches that are widely used in CBT: 1) education about the disorder 2) providing informational answers to questions in regard to weight, calorie intake, and changing health status 3) showing the patient to recognize and focus upon negative thoughts and other emotions linked to the distorted beliefs and fixations associated with weight, body shape, nutrition, exercise, and other aspects of the disorder. 4) teaching the patient to come up with and replace alternative, more productive and positive thoughts for the negative ones 5) problem-solving discussions 6) teaching alternative coping strategies

13. Family Therapy Family therapy is proved to be highly effective and necessary in most cases, especially in cases where the patient is still living at home. This is because anorexia creates high emotional stress that echoes among all family members. Families in which there is a lot of ‘free expressed emotion' (families that express large amounts of negative and critical attitudes) affect the progress of an anorexic patient. Families undergoing a large amount of stressors may benefit from behavioral therapy techniques in which the patient and the family together learn communication and problem-solving skills