Eating Disorders

Like its companion video, Bulimia: The Vicious Cycle, this program examines an eating disorder in-depth, the causes, symptoms, and treatment. A former anorectic is interviewed, giving a glimpse into the effects this eating disorder can have on a person. Issues of psychological and physical health are detailed to give an insightful, informative picture of anorexia, giving students not only knowledge of the disorder, but also a view of its symptoms and the help that is available to anorectics. A Meridian Production. One 16-minute video.

Anorexia and other eating disorders exert a frightening degree of control over millions of teenagers, especially young women. Manifested in so-called Pro-Ana" websites, which actively promote anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating, the mental and physical grip of these sicknesses can prove impossible to break. This program represents a powerful weapon in the battle against eating disorders, pinpointing their origins in body image and self-esteem issues, illustrating their grim consequences in crystal-clear terms, and offering students, parents, teachers, and counselors a rich source of information and support. Hosted by The Sopranos' Jamie-Lynn Sigler, herself a survivor of teenage anorexia, the video explains how to recognize eating disorders, how friends and loved ones should communicate their fears and concerns, and how those who suffer from these often fatal illnesses can find professional help. Special emphasis is placed on identifying anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating as actual diseases, not as misguided lifestyle choices-a realization necessary for effective treatment. A viewable/printable instructor's guide is available online. Correlates to National Health Education Standards: Achieving Health Literacy and state standards. A Meridian Production. (29 minutes)"

This program explores the debilitating eating disorder of bulimia-causes, symptoms, and treatment. Also included are interviews with an expert clinician and a former bulimic who describes how bulimia affected her entire life and her road to recovery. The video enables students to understand bulimia, be able to recognize symptoms they may see in others suffering from bulimia, and know what treatment methods are available to combat it. A Meridian Production. One 14-minute video.

Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa-two conditions rooted in the desire to be slim-are the focus of this program. While the first deprives the body of food, the other causes its victims to compulsively purge food through vomiting. Two women who suffer with these conditions tell poignant stories of how these compulsive behaviors have nearly destroyed their lives and the lives of their respective families. An expert explains the specialized approach used in treating both disorders. (15 minutes)

Anorexia. Bulimia. Eating disorders have one of the highest mortality rates of all psychiatric conditions. After defining eating disorders from a clinical point of view, this three-section program explores possible underlying biological bases for eating disorders; considers sociocultural influences on young adults that equate thin" with "good"; and questions to what extent eating disorders may originate within the family structure. The program concludes with a look at treatments of eating disorders. A part of the series Applied Psychology. (28 minutes)"

Eating disorders are not just about food, but about the struggle with loss of emotional control. This program from The Doctor Is In examines the use of antidepressants and cognitive behavioral therapy to combat these dangerous illnesses. Russell Marx, M.D., of the eating disorders program at the Princeton Medical Center, and Marcia Herrin, Ed.D., M.P.H., R.D., of the Dartmouth College Health Service, explain what is being done to prevent and treat one of the most lethal categories of mental illness. A Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center production. (28 minutes)

Eating disorders are not about the desire to be thin. Eating disorders are severe psychological illnesses that usually take years to overcome and can be accompanied by devastating and sometimes deadly physical side effects. In this powerful program, four young women and men from a variety of ethnic backgrounds share their stories of the physical pain and emotional torment caused by eating disorders. Medical, psychological, and nutritional experts explain the types of eating disorders, their causes, and who is most at risk, as well as treatment options. A Cambridge Educational Production. (30 minutes)

The problem of obesity is discussed against the backdrop of the recent trial of a San Francisco mother convicted of child abuse after her seriously overweight daughter died as a result of obesity. Topics discussed include prejudice against the overweight population; how medical communities and the social system are failing the obese; our society's habit of equating beauty with being thin; what constitutes obesity; and obesity as it relates to health issues. (40 minutes)

This program answers two important questions: what are eating disorders, and what causes them? The program specifically examines anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating syndrome. Seven females who have all suffered from eating disorders, the father of a woman who died as a result of her disorder, and health professionals offer their insights and knowledge. These interviews are highlighted by dramatic sequences designed to encourage a greater understanding of the issues and emotions associated with eating disorders. (46 minutes)

With a 75 percent success rate in treating anorexia and bulimia, Stockholm's Karolinska Institute is in the vanguard of eating disorder therapy. This program follows patients through the Karolinska regimen as they relearn healthy eating behavior, gradually recognizing natural feelings of satiety with the help of a computerized biofeedback system. Closely observing the Institute's counseling sessions, the video shows how the Karolinska approach counters traditional clinical methods, which typically involve medication, family dynamics, and a high rate of recidivism. The Stockholm Solution portrays a medical revolution-and what is for many young women a new lease on life. (37 minutes)

This program explores the serious health problems that arise from eating disorders and urges students to seek help if they themselves are suffering, or to approach a friend who may be exhibiting signs of an eating disorder.

This emotionally charged program profiles four young women attempting to recover from anorexia nervosa. Ranging in age from 14 to 25, they struggle to gain weight while dealing with associated conditions such as osteoporosis and depression, family dysfunctionality, and a mind-set that equates starvation with self-control. Filmed at the adolescent eating disorder unit of Westmead Hospital in Sydney and a private outpatient clinic, the program captures the complexities of a devastating psychological disorder that drives women to continuously lose weight-even if it kills them. (47 minutes)

Ranging from the starvation diet of the anorexic to certain forms of obesity, eating disorders are a diverse group of health problems. This program examines the emotional issues that lie behind most eating disorders, the serious and sometimes life-threatening consequences of eating disorders, and methods of treatment. Experts and patients alike offer their insights. A Meridian Production. (25 minutes)