Understanding Eating Disorders and Sleep Disorders

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to eating disorders and sleep disorders, with definitions to aid in understanding and retention for the exam.

Anorexia Nervosa

A psychological eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight and self-imposed starvation.

Binge Eating Disorder

A condition involving recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food, often to the point of discomfort, but without purging.

Bulimia Nervosa

An eating disorder marked by binge eating followed by methods to prevent weight gain, such as vomiting or excessive exercise.

Psychological Illness

A mental disorder that involves alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior, impacting daily functioning.

Dopamine Release

The brain's release of dopamine, which can create feelings of pleasure or addiction, often triggered by eating.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

A measure that uses height and weight to categorize individuals as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese.

Restrictive Eating

An eating pattern that involves limiting caloric intake in an attempt to lose weight or maintain a certain body image.

Electrolyte Imbalance

A disturbance in the levels of electrolytes in the body, often caused by excessive purging or excessive consumption.

Russell's Sign

Calluses on the knuckles resulting from self-induced vomiting, indicating bulimia.

Pica

An eating disorder characterized by the consumption of non-food substances, such as dirt or chalk.

Rumination Disorder

A condition wherein individuals regurgitate food, re-chew it, and either re-swallow or spit it out.

Compensatory Behaviors

Actions taken to counteract binge eating, such as purging or excessive exercise.

Maslow's Hierarchy

A psychological theory suggesting that basic physiological needs must be met before higher psychological needs can be addressed.

Melatonin

A hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles and can be used as a supplement to aid in sleep disorders.

Sleep Apnea

A sleep disorder characterized by repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep.

Narcolepsy

A neurological disorder that affects the control of sleep and wakefulness, often causing excessive daytime sleepiness.

Parasomnia

Disorder characterized by abnormal behaviors during sleep, such as sleepwalking or night terrors.

BMI for Anorexia

An individual diagnosed with anorexia typically has a BMI of 16 or below.

Cannabis and Sleep

Cannabis can have varying effects on sleep, with some strains potentially causing drowsiness and others affecting REM sleep.

Short Term Treatment Goals

Initial focus in treating eating disorders is to stabilize medical and nutritional status before addressing the psychological aspects.