BRIGITTE DIETZ KATHRYN POWELL MARY CAMPBELL

 The Best Little Girl in the World, based on a book by Steven Levenkron.  Girl becomes anorexic to be a great ballerina. She was hospitalized a few times and even arrested for stealing diet pills.  There are nearly 600 hundred books on anorexia between UIUC and the local public libraries.

 Most start 'dieting' when their weight is mentioned in a negative way  A traumatic life event occurring, or the want for attention can also lead to Anorexia. . Anorexics then become very concerned about what they eat and how much they weigh. (Harmon, 1999).

 Psychiatrists and therapists also help anorexics recover.  Social problems often lead to Anorexia.  Anorexic patients sometimes continue Anorexia after treatment.  This happens because of their mental problems and social problems

 Anorexics are taken to a hospital  They are given food and medication and monitored until deemed fit to leave.  Patients are watched to ensure they gain weight..  Medicine doesn’t help with gaining weight It’s mostly for symptoms. (such as antidepressants.

 Psychiatrists and therapists can also help the anorexic's environment to get better  They help the anorexic feel more safe in their environment.  Family counseling would be an example of this

 Dieting is seen as a natural part of of the American life because people think that being thin is beautiful. If someone is overweight, then those who aren't overweight look down on them as lower, or stupider than skinnier people. People who are overly concerned about their weight to an unhealthy extreme are considered to have a eating disorder like anorexia (Erlanger, 1985). TV can play a big role in our culture, and it has a big influence over the way people think. One way anorexia can start is when a woman tries to look like the models and actors on the Television. Many times, actors and models themselves have an eating disorder so that they can look 'beautiful' on the TV. The media portrays being thin as the ideal, beautiful figure. This influences how people think about weight (Edlin, 2010).

 Depression  Social with-drawl  Fatigue  Food obsession  Heart and gastrointestinal complications  Low kidney function  Flaky skin  Brittle nails  Tooth loss  Weight loss

 Lowered body temperature  Lowered blood pressure  Slower heart rate  Loss of menses  Thinning hair  Malnutrition  Laugo

 FAMILY LIFE- conversation revolve around food and exercise.  Family members eat more and gain weight trying to coax the patient to eat more  TYPICAL FAMILY REACTION-  Mother- usually immobilized, feels guilty frightened and late angry at her child, and usually gains the most weight  Father- typically feels confused, resentful, mystified, sorry for himself, and worried for his child.

 Siblings- feel disappointed with their anorexic sibling, afraid parents will give more attention to the patient, abusive to the patient, jealous of the attention given to the patient, and they go out of the way to prove they are the best child.  Patient- enraged, defensive of their anorexia when confronted, independent, powerful (they control family life), and secretly ashamed of themselves.