In today's society, a person's social position is defined by their beauty and achievements, so people become ambitious in achieving their desired physical image. Society allows people to be aware of discrepancies in their appearance and could potentially lead to people forcing their bodies into extremely unhealthy alternatives that result in the “ideal image.” Unfortunately, this desire for societal acceptance can be harmful to a person's psychiatric health and could lead to eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Twenty-four million people suffer from eating disorders in the United States. (ANAD, 2015) This article will explain the similarities and differences in both anorexia and bulimia and what the causes, symptoms, and treatments are associated with these diseases that Americans struggle with every day. Although anorexia and bulimia have similarities, they also have many differences. Anorexia nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder that causes people to obsess about their weight, what they eat, and have a distorted perception of body weight. (The Mayo Clinic, 2015) People who suffer from anorexia try to prevent weight gain by severely limiting the amount of food they eat. Some psychological factors that initiate anorexia are perfectionism, the need for control, lack of self-esteem, the need for attention, teasing about body shape, and the need to please or be liked. (ANAD, 2015) Even though many Americans struggle with the same conditions that could potentially lead to psychological illnesses, they have coping methods that help them not fall into the mindset of letting their emotions affect their health, while people who . .. ...middle of paper ......elements or herbal products to lose weight and live in fear of weight gain, enamel erosion, and damage to the esophagus due to digestive acids. (The Mayo Clinic, 2015) Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are the most common eating disorders in the world. Both can be triggered by people who are dissatisfied with their bodies, have low self-esteem, want to be extremely thin, and are influenced by external sources such as television and magazines. These diseases can lead to malnutrition, depression and, if left untreated, can be life-threatening. In conclusion, anorexia and bulimia are both pessimistic eating habits, recognized in different ways. Each disease varies in its physical and mental state. Eating disorders are battles fought across America that can be avoided by showing love, support and encouragement to a family member.