1. JESSICA’S ANOREXIA
(Adapted from: http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/body/eatingdisorders/article3.html)
Jessica is the smartest kid in the school. When she's not studying,
she's practicing basketball. All her friends are convinced that she
will be the first woman President.
One day at a family reunion, one of Jessica's aunts grabs her
cheeks and says something about "baby fat." Jessica knows that
her aunt is just teasing, but that comment sticks with her. She
decides to go on a diet. At first she cuts back on sweets and starts
using her dad's treadmill after school. The pounds start coming off
and people notice. They ask her if she's on a diet and sometimes
they even tell her that she looks great! Pretty soon, Jessica is
weighing herself every morning and every night. She eats less and
less, records every calorie and fat gram in her diet journal. She is
feeling annoyed and irritable. She turns down party invitations
because she doesn't want to be tempted by fatty snack food. She
feels dizzy and cold and she can't concentrate on anything but her
diet and exercise.
Jessica has anorexia nervosa, usually just called "anorexia." People

2. with anorexia starve themselves. There are lots of other feelings
and behaviors at the heart of these illnesses. Jessica tries hard to
be the best at everything. She doesn't know how to handle
criticism or teasing. Her aunt probably had no idea that her
comment made Jessica feel like a big failure. Instead of
confronting her aunt or talking to her parents about the situation,
Jessica takes it all on herself. She thinks that a diet is a way to
take control of the situation, but before long the situation has
taken control of her.