————————————————-
Dying to be thin
University of Wisconsin-Wood County, Psychology 101 Dr. Neumann, April 4, 2013
April 4, 2013
Amy Krueger

April 4, 2013
Amy Krueger
It’s late the house is quiet except for the sound of the kitchen cupboards being opened and
closed. My heart breaks for my daughter, she wants to eat, she’s hungry, but ED (her
eating disorder) won’t let her. It’s a daily battle, a constant struggle. What began as an
intent to lose five pounds to fit in to a dress, became a devastating journey, we are still on today…
Eating disorders are a worldwide, deadly epidemic afflicting our children and loved ones. Anorexia Nervosa is not only an eating disorder but a psychological disorder. AN (anorexia nervosa) is currently under debate among healthcare professionals regarding etiology and treatment. In the following paragraphs I will discuss how this disease crept into our lives, robbing my daughter physically and psychologically.
“Individuals with anorexia nervosa have a relentless preoccupation with dieting and weight loss that results in severe emanciation and sometimes death” (Kaye, Fudge & Paulus, 2009). This preoccupation began for my daughter when she was 15. I have relived the sequence of events leading up to the diagnosis many times. What did I miss? How could I have helped her? Ashley was happy, she was active in church, had a close group of friends, a kind boyfriend and excelled in school, but she was fighting a personal battle and I was completely unaware.
It was hard to tell she was losing weight at first. It was winter and she wore layers of clothes. My first clue was her eating habits. She would spread food around the plate so that it looked as though she ate or simply covered it with her napkin. She read every label and began a strange rutual every time she ate. She would break or cut her food into pieces and for…