The Obsession with Body Image Among Adolescents - 1789 Words

As each year passes, it is becoming more and more difficult to be an adolescent. Many problems are beginning to arise for teens. Such problems include trying to deal with societal pressures to handling the stresses in life. Without the proper guidance and information, it is easy for the adolescent to veer in the wrong direction. The negative outcomes may include low self-esteem to resorting to eating disorders. Body image is also very important among teens these days. The pressure of trying to attain the â€Å"ideal† image is detrimental to some. Body image is commonly defined as â€Å"the degree of satisfaction with one’s current physical self—size, shape, or physical appearance† (Jones, 2001, p.1). Many studies have shown that†¦show more content†¦Another eating disorder that is common among adolescents is bulimia nervosa. According to Stà ¶ppler (2008), bulimia nervosa is characterized by episodes of secretive excessive eating, also kn own as bingeing, followed by methods of weight control such as self-induced vomiting (purging), abuse of laxatives and diuretics, or excessive exercise. Bulimia is also a psychological disorder, and the cycle of overeating and purging can quickly become and obsession similar to an addiction to drugs or other substances (Stà ¶ppler, 2008). Binge eating is usually not triggered by intense hunger from the individual, but more or so as a response to depression, stress, or other feelings related to body weight, shape, or food (Stà ¶ppler, 2008). Stà ¶ppler states that oftentimes the individual will feel a loss of control during the binge eating and the purging becomes a way to regain that loss of control (2008). According to Stà ¶ppler, a person diagnosed as bulimic must have all of that disorders specific symptoms (2008). For a person to be classified as bulimic he or she must have all of the following symptoms: recurrent episodes of binge eating in which a minimum average of t wo binge-eating episodes a week for at least three months, a feeling of lack of control over eating during the binges, persistent concern of being overweight, and a regular use of one or more of the following to prevent weight gain (self induced vomiting, use ofShow MoreRelatedDo Teenagers Place Too Much Importance On Their Appearance?1175 Words   |  5 Pagesto feel highly stressed. This is when teens look at themselves in the mirror and doubt their appearance, thinking their body is not good enough. But then we wonder, â€Å"Do teenagers place too much importance on their appearance?† The main reason of large amount of importance on appearance for teens revolves around their self-esteem. It is estimated that up to a half of adolescents will struggle with low self-esteem, many of these occurrences during the early teen years (ACT for Youth Upstate CenterRead MoreWeight Obsession Affects Millions Of Teenagers Today1179 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Weight obsession affects millions of teenagers today, especially girls. At any given time, one out of every seven women has or is struggling with an eating disorder. One study a few years ago found that 36% of adolescent girls believed they were overweight while 59% were trying to lose weight (Eating Disorders in Teens, n.d.). 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Eating disorders aren’t just going on a diet and losing a few pounds, it’s an illness. Some of the most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. A solutionRead MoreAnorexia Nervosa And Its Effects On Society1514 Words   |  7 PagesMillions of people are currently suffering from Anorexia. Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder in which people suffering drastically restrict food intake due to an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted body image. There has been an unfortunate increase in people suffering from Anorexia Nervosa over the past several decades. Anorexia can be caused by a combination of social, interpersonal, and psychological factors that must be resolved through treatment. Anorexia is an e xtremely dangerousRead MoreDyig to Be Thin1453 Words   |  6 Pagesregarding ideal body weight?  Ã‚   What other attitudes exist about weight? When watching the video, I realized that anorexics don’t want to eat. 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