Here's a link to the case study for your first forum assignment, and for group work on Wednesday (it's actually a discussion of several related cases).Your forum assignment has two parts. Please complete Part 1 by no later than midnight on Monday night. Your colleagues will need time to read your comment and respond. Please complete Part 2 by no later than midnight on Tuesday night. Everyone in the class will need a chance to read all of the comments and response by class on Wednesday.
READ THE ENTIRE ASSIGNMENT THROUGH CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU BEGIN WRITING!
Part 1
Read the article carefully and think about it for at least 10 minutes before you begin to write anything. Walk around and mull it over for a while.Now, jot your thoughts down in a word processing file or on a piece of scrap paper. I still don't want you to write anything in comments, yet. Think about all of the complicated issues that arise on each side of this issue. What do you think are the best reasons to give people who have severe anorexia nutrition against their wishes? What do you think are the best reasons to follow the wishes of those with severe anorexia, who don't want to ingest any calories? What might someone object to the reasons you've written?
Okay, now compose your best answer to the questions below. Write your answer in a word processing program so that you can edit it easily, and so that it doesn't get lost if there's a glitch in uploading your comments. Include your first name and last initial at the top of your comment.
- What do you think the default rule should be, with regard to people with severe anorexia, who will starve to death without nutrition, but who object to any nutrition? Should they be "fed" against their will (this usually involves a stomach tube or an intravenous line)?
- Why do you think so? Give your best three reasons.
I'd like you to spend at least 30 minutes thinking about and composing your answer, not including the time it took you to read the article. A good answer will show careful reflection on the question; will demonstrate that you've thought about some of the complexities involved; will demonstrate that you've done the assigned reading; and that you've taken seriously issues that arise on both sides of the issue. Further, a good answer will include a detailed explanation of your reasoning. Each of your reasons should constitute at least a paragraph of text. This part of the assignment is worth 75 points.
Once you've finished composing your answer, save it, and then copy it. Click on the "comments" link (in orange) below (the link will say "no comments" if you're the first person to answer, or "# comments" once others have posted). Be sure you click on the comments link below - that is, the comments that belong to this post, and not the "Welcome" post above. Copy your answer into the text box that appears. Right underneath the comment box, you'll see a drop down menu that says "comment as." Choose "anonymous" and then click on "Publish." Your comment should appear beneath the post. If you comment doesn't appear, send me an email.
Part 2
Give your colleagues several hours to post their own answers to the questions above, and then come back and read the comments. Choose a comment that you think is particularly interesting, and that you think you can respond to in an interesting way.Type your response in a word processing program. Include your first name and last initial at the top of your response.
A good response will push the discussion forward in some way. You might (politely and respectfully) disagree with the person you're responding to and say why; you might ask that person a question to help flesh out her/his idea; you might take the original comment as a jumping off point and add some new ideas of your own. DON'T just tell someone that you agree with his/her comment and repeat their points using slightly different words.
Your response should show carefully consideration and reflection, and should include a detailed account of your own reasons for the ideas you express.
Once you've finished composing your response, save it, and then copy it. Find the original comment that you're responding to (NOT your original comment - your colleague's comment). Click on "reply," below that comment. Paste your response into the comment box that appears. Choose "anonymous" from the drop down menu, and then click on "publish."
I'd like you to spend at least 20 minutes thinking about and composing your response, aside from the time it took you to read your colleagues' comments. This part of the assignment is worth 50 points.
Let me know if you have any trouble opening the link.
Elizabeth L.
ReplyDeleteIt is very easy to see both sides of the Anorexia Nervosa issue, whether it is ethical to force feed a patient to save their life or to let them die with full dignity and choice. My opinion on this matter is to have the default rule to treat patients with severe Anorexia Nervosa with the force-feeding method. Although it could be looked down upon, as a nursing student, it is hard to accept a death of a patient due to their decision of not eating enough calories to maintain their body needs. Most patients who suffer from anorexia nervosa are defining themselves as the disease and allowing their perception of their “perfect” image to kill them slowly. They have a very foggy understanding of how important it is for them to maintain a healthy body weight and the disease have already won in their opinion, they are allowing the disease to make themselves absolutely powerless. Our brains are heavily dependent on glucose that is in the foods we eat, without proper nutrition we cannot use our brain to its full potential, therefore healthy decisions are not being made. To allow a patient with anorexia nervosa to fully make the choice between eating and dying is not looking out for the patient’s best interest. If the force- feeding treatment fails, at least the patient’s love ones and medical assistance did their very best to keep them alive and healthy, it is a better alternative than to just allow the patient who is suffering to die on their own terms.
Duy M.
DeleteI simply disagree with your opinion because it sounds to me that in this case patient is the one to blame for their illness. In my opinion it seemed that doctors, nurses and family members have failed to inform AN patient of the dangerous of this disease before it has gone too severe. These patients might or might not have a “perfect” image in their mind when they first decided not to eat. Many factors could contribute to anorexia development. Honestly speaking, family and loved ones should have done something to prevent AN patient in earlier stages where it might be easier to treat. They should not have the right now to force these patients to be forced fed just because it will keep these patients stay alive. I think what we should do in these situations is to find out what caused anorexia patients to not want to eat in the first place. From there, we could help them find healthier and better solution such as healthy diet, regular exercises, boost self esteem and confidences, change lifestyle and etc. We should fix the problem at its core because forced fed will not always work on any patient ,and sometimes it evens has an negative effect on them if the cause was not because of “perfect” image to begin with.
David Davis
DeleteI agree with you Elizabeth 100 percent. Force-feeding should be something that is mandatory when dealing with a Anorexia Nervosa issue. Just think as it this way what if it was a family member dying of starvation? Would you let her/him die of starvation or would you help them out and make it mandatory for them to eat? Nine times out of ten a human with a warm and caring heart would take care of their loved ones. I understand the opposing side would argue that its not right to put a tube down someones throat every time he or she has to eat but if you want that person to survive your going to go those lengths. If it fails then they did whatever it took to get the persons life together just like Elizabeth stated her above.
Emsley F.
ReplyDeleteI believe that patient with AR should have a choice of being force-fed instead of it being an unavoidable task. If the patient has this feeling that they don’t want to be fed and they are slowly accepting death, then maybe that is another way of them saying that it is too late to feed them. It may also explain why some patients feel worse when they are force-fed instead of recovering in a positive way. As for the parents, I believe it’s their duty to watch their kids, or teens and realize what is going on before it’s too late to treat them. If they are older and on their own, they should go to the doctor on a normal basis to check if they are eating enough and healthy and don’t risk the trouble of being underweight. In one way it does seem like not force feeding an AR patient may seem like it is similar to murder, but if you do that and patient is feeling worse, doesn't that mean that you are making the suffering even harder for them? That’s why I believe they should have a choice instead of being forced.
Vivian Q.
DeleteI agree that the patient suffering from anorexia has the right to have a choice of whether to be force-fed or not. Every human being has the right to choose how to treat their body, after all. However, my concern is to what extent or to what degree should the doctor/physician/family member in charge of the patient actually follow the anorexic’s desire knowing very well that doing so will kill the ill person? Remember that anorexia nervosa is a severe psychiatric disorder, and can very likely distort the sick person’s idea and reasoning of what is good or bad for their own well-being.
You also mention that parents and/or loved ones should be aware of any changes in the ill person’s diet or take notice of any unprecedented weight loss. The article did mention, however, that anorexia patients can be quite deceitful, meaning that they can find various methods to hide their illness or put the blame on some other condition. Especially since anorexia most commonly starts to develop during the years of adolescence which already comes with many changes itself, parents or other care-takers cannot be blamed nor should they feel guilty for their loved one’s condition. In the case that the parent/caretaker did end up taking the blame for not catching the illness on time, shouldn't force-feeding then be the only way to right their (supposed) wrong?
William .F
ReplyDeleteAnorexia Nervosa is a very controversial topic that many people will have strong opposing feelings about. The major question that revolves around this topic is whether or not a patient should be force fed, when facing death from failed self nutrition. I believe that the patient has the right to deny being fed against their will. It is everyone’s inalienable right to do with their body as they wish as long as it does not harm others. To deny a person’s own rights would be unconstitutional. Force feeding a patient can negatively affect the patient psychologically. This can result on making the patient mentally unstable after treatment making them a bigger danger to themselves and others. Lastly it is not fair to the provider or providers paying the cost of treatment for a patient refusing treatment. It can greatly economically drain the provider and also create negative feelings between the patient and provider. This can lead the patient to do harmful things to the provider who was paying for the services they did not desire.
Elizabeth L.
DeleteAlthough I agree on the unethical state of force-feeding someone against their will, and it is their unalienable right to do what they wish with their bodies. However I believe someone refusing to eat is equivalent to someone attempting to commit suicide. In a sense, AN may be even worse than suicide because (like the article stated) most patients with AN do have the desire to live but they do not have the desire to eat, which defeats their intentions of living. This irrational decision alone, reveals that patients with AN cannot make clear decisions and already is mentally unstable due to starvation. And this is the major reason why I believe AN patients should not single-handely make the decision for themselves to eat or die. People who commit suicide at least have a clear cut decision of wanting to die but patients with AN do not have that decision, they are allowing the disorder to take over to make that decision for them. I believe as much as we try to help people wanting to commit suicide to make an alternative choice, we should give just as much attention to the impact of Anorexia Nervosa and the patient's alternatives.
Kiyana T.
ReplyDeleteI personally think people with Anorexia Nervosa should have their own choice to be force fed or just suffer. I honestly wouldn’t want anyone to suffer from not eating but being force fed is also suffering because you are doing something that your body can not handle. You will have to want to eat or want to better yourself. You only know what is best for you people only can help you on what they think is best for you. It’s a good idea to be force fed for some but it is also a bad idea for some. I feel before it get to far to force fed or suffering they should find a solution not after the life is on the line. I am honestly in the middle with this one because some people cannot help their Anorexia problem
Ricky L
DeleteI agree on how you think since I'm also couldn't decided if people should forced fed or not since it doesn’t seem right. family would want to but if the body can't really handle why would they want their loved one go through so much pain, but at the same time it doesn’t seem ok since they might have a chance to live since it's not even that bad, like green she lived her life and she was prepared for the consequence while I think people like who just can't eat solid food there other option to eating while L she was just plain out sick and couldn't eat which had no other choice. As for E I think they could save her since it wasn’t serve as the other two.
Cynthia R
ReplyDelete1. When it comes to patients suffering from severe anorexia, I do not think that they should be force fed. Instead I feel like more effort should be put on treating the condition before it gets as serious as life and death. If a patient is treated early on they have a better chance of living healthy with their disorder. I do believe that people suffering from anorexia should be reminded that eating is necessary to survive.
2. A main reason I feel like people with anorexia should not be force fed is because they should have control over their own body. For the most part “Anorexia nervosa patients are typically not psychotic”. These people have functioning brains so they should be able to make their own decisions and be responsible for their lives. Taking away these peoples right to choose will make them feel even more hopeless.
Another reason that people should not be force fed is that it can make the patient suffer. If a person feels so strongly not to eat that they have lost an enormous amount of weight, I do not see how shoving food down their throat will help that (generally speaking, I do understand that they don’t just shove hamburgers down patients throats). To me that would be like someone forcing me to to eat sushi when I absolutely despise it. Even if I was starving, having to eat that would make me suffer.
Also I believe that force feeding an anorexic patient would worsen their disease. If you hate or feel like you just cannot do something, someone forcing you too is just going to make you hate it more. Again if someone forced me to eat sushi, I would hate it more than I already do. Not to mention I would now also hate the people forcing me.
Paola G
DeleteCynthia, although you have some reasonable points, I disagree with you.
Being anorexic is a sickness, not saying that they are crazy but they can not think for themselves. They are not in the right state of mind to do so. Mostly because when they are starving themselves their brains aren’t processing correctly. For example, if you don’t eat in the morning you might not do good on a test, just imagine not eating for days.
Also, I am sure there are ways to feed someone without making them suffer. Doctors and the family of the patient are doing this not to make them suffer but to help them survive. Letting them starve is just like watching them kill themselves.
You stated in your comment that force feeding a person would make the disease worsen. I understand your point but maybe feeding the person enough to helping them feel healthy again, will actually help them with their disorder.
Respectfully.
Christina T.
ReplyDelete1. If a person with severe anorexia has a realistic recovery rate and is mentally stable enough to have a chance of recovering from their illness, they should not be denied treatment. That being said, “overly” invasive measures should not be given against the patient’s will. An intravenous line and straps to detain the patient may be used if a patient is struggling against treatment, but forcing nutrition by means of a stomach tube should not. If an anorexic patient is nearing death, they should be made comfortable for their passing and not be forced to undergo more stress that may further worsen their condition.
2. The battle of anorexia isn’t only a battle with the afflicted person’s mental illness, but also a battle of deep emotional stress for the patient’s family and loved ones, along with physical and mental exhaustion on part of the caretakers. The drain that a severely anorexic person causes on those around them is both financially and emotionally taxing. Anorexics are notorious for being extremely difficult patients, taking much effort and force from medical staff to contain them when force-feeding. This stresses out medical professionals and may stunt their ability to perform one hundred percent with their other patients. Sacrificing the salvation of a patient who has a chance of recovery due to irritated and tired out doctors, along with expended resources, is no better than leaving an anorexic to lay waste to their illness. Even if anorexics do not wish to die, their lifestyle will more than likely be the cause of their death. Every moment and exertion of energy that is spent on forcing a patient to undergo a treatment they refuse is a moment that could be spent treating a patient who truly wants to be helped. Realistically, people afflicted with severe anorexia have a low survival rate. If they’re going to die regardless of the measures taken, then those measures should not be taken.
Force-feeding an anorexic patient impedes their freedom and their will. While it is unfortunate that their decision is mostly derived from a mental illness, there isn’t much that can be done to aid a severely anorexic person who shows no signs of reverting back to a nutritional diet. This idea stems from a similar situation with “do not resuscitate” patients. DNR patients are patients who wish to not receive CPR or cardiac support in the event of a heart attack or being unable to breathe. Many DNR patients do not wish to die, but only wish to end their suffering by natural causes. It is an anorexic’s choice to starve themselves, so why should they not be allowed to lead their lives the way they choose until the end?
Continuing with the theme of impeding humans, force-feeding can harbor greatly ill effects on the patient. A natural reaction to any sort of nutrition for a severe anorexic would be to thrash about and physically remove the apparatus from their bodies. This will cause unnecessary amounts of stress and exhaustion in an already frail frame. Not to mention that such a method will not solve the root problem. Overall, anorexic patients should be dealt with early on in the psychosis. Therapy and even some medications should be the main source of treatment for an anorexic patient, as force-feeding would not solve the underlying problem. If a patient is too far gone to respond to any sort of psychological persuasion, then they should be allowed to live their lives as they choose.
Nickie P.
DeleteI totally agree with you Christina T. People who have anorexia should have the choice to live their life. Force-feeding isn't a solution to help cure their disease, but with psychiatrist help and medicine, support and understanding from families are key ways to help the person who is sick. Pushing them to get more help on getting better will keep them going and pushing themselves to get better.
Veronica D.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I disagree with force feeding patients who don't want to eat. They know the consequences, what will and will not help them with the disorder. I's entirely the patient's decision on what he/she wants. It's bad enough to suffer but to be doing something that is forced will make them feel the opposite of better. Parents and doctors have their part in encouraging the patient with Anorexia Nervosa to become better but he/she still has a choice whether to be helped or not. The patient must really be suffering from this unfortunate disorder if not wanting the correct nutrients and foods to help provide support of relieving Anorexia Nervosa. It's a sad thing to hear that a patient suffering from this disorder doesn't want to eat but there is nothing anyone can do about it. Whether to let the patient suffer and eventually die or force feeding what is not wanted of him/her.
Justin G.
DeleteA person that is suffering from Anorexia Nervosa doesn't simply not want to eat, the person is suffering from a disorder which most commonly comes with a number of other mental health issues so stating that the person should make their own decision doesn't always apply. Not only the fact that the person might not be of healthy mental state a person suffering from anorexia nervosa wont make the right decision due to the suffering a person has to go through. No anorexia nervosa patient decides not to eat; their mind state simply doesn't let them eat. Force-feeding in some cases has shown the overcoming of the disorder and therefore should be tried as a method if thought to be effective. I do somewhat agree that you. I believe that there should be a way for a person to decide consciously about what shall happen to their life. People should be able to make the decision in the early stages of the disorder or another close family member should be able to make the decision. This should count for all cases of the same type, where a person can’t make their own decision.
It was longer but I forgot to copy and paste it so I had to write it faster.
Kanika P.
ReplyDeleteWhen dealing with patients with severe anorexia it becomes difficult to choose between letting the patient die from starvation or to go against their own will and force feed them. I feel that the default rule when dealing with patients with severe anorexia objecting nutrition should be that if the patient has not yet lived a full and good life they should be force fed when rejecting the nutrition. A full life means that they are at the average elderly age where they have seen their kids and their grandchildren. A good life means that one has lived a life filled with love, happiness, prosperity, and comfort. 'E', the 32-year-old former medical student from Wales, did not want to die. However, 'E' also did not want to be fed. I feel that if one with severe anorexia wants to live then they must let food be their medicine and their challenge that they must overcome. Although the patients are "force-fed" against their will through a stomach tube or an intravenous line, it is difficult for me to accept the fact that one can allow another person to die right in front of their eyes so easily. Thus, one should try multiple solutions to go about before accepting defeat to an illness such as severe anorexia. Therefore my best three reasons were that patients with severe anorexia deserve a full life, a good life, and one cannot just accept defeat to an illness when there are still solutions that are possible.
William F.
DeleteWhile I don’t agree with Kanika P. opinion on force feeding, I do see and recognize her valid argument on why a person should be force feed. I do agree that a person should live a full and happy life, but I don’t think forcing a person to do something is best option. The main question is what do we do with patients who are nursed back to health and continue to suffer from anorexia nervosa and return back to the state where they need to be force fed again? I also believe that some patients will not take too kindly to others making a final decision on something they have decided. Forcing a patient to do something they do not like may lead them to hurt themselves or others.
Paola G
ReplyDeleteI think people with severe Anorexia Nervosa should be fed against their will. They should not die just because they have a disorder. People with severe Anorexia Nervosa should be fed because:
1. Once their bodies and minds are use to not eating they don’t realize that by starving themselves it will soon cause them to die. They need to be reminded that food is a necessity. When they do get food in their systems they will feel a lot healthier and it might help them get rid of their disorders.
2. If you do not force feed these people they will die. Their death will cause a lot of pain and suffering for them and their families. Not to mention the price of a funeral for a person who should’ve lived a lot longer than they did.
3. As stated in Tetyana Pekar’s article Anorexia Nervosa: The Ethical Dilemma of Force Feeding, “They are usually competent, and quite rational, they are “just” unable to eat enough to maintain a normal weight”. Ones with this disorder don’t want to die. They need the extra help from people to get their nutrients they need to survive, nutrients that they can’t get on their own.
Emsley F.
DeleteI can understand what you are saying Paola G., But it was also stated that the opposite could also happen, whereas the patient can also have more suffering by being force-fed. While it is true that they do need to eat enough food to maintain a normal body weight, they have to realize this sooner than later before it is too late and extremely difficult to recover. It is obvious we don't want these patients to die a slow death and have them and their parents suffer, but at the same time I don't believe we should force these choices and them and let the patient do what they feel is best.
Pijitra S.
ReplyDeleteI think those who suffer from anorexia nervosa should be forced to feed. My opinion may seem harsh for them because I’m not on their shoes. However, anorexia nervosa is not all about food. This eating disorder is complex. There are many methods to help the patients. While patients are receiving psychological help, they should receive food for their physical. If we let all anorexia nervosa patient die, then we will never find the way to cure this disorder. Maybe it’s about the mind. Think about it: healthy people don’t like to take medicine. However, when they are sick, they know that they must take medicine even though they don’t like it. The cases from the article state that the patients do not have a desire to die. So, I think we should not let them die. They may live with suffering, but we all suffer from different problems.
On the other hand, I agree that the patients should have a right to make a decision on their body, if they want to die with dignity. But, what does die with dignity mean for them? Mahatma Ghadhi starved himself for peace, for people. If he died from starving, I think that is called die with dignity.
How about anorexic people? They starve for staying thin to achieve their internal goals?
As I think about this, I can understand from both sides. The point is dependent on who you are to make a decision. If you are a doctor, it’s your responsibility to do your best to help your patient.
If you are a patient and you don’t have a desire to die, then you should participate with all things that could help you survive: medicine, food, advises from doctors.
Prima F.
DeleteI agree with you Pijitra S. I myself said that people suffering from AN should be force feed. I liked how you posed the question of “what does die with dignity mean to them?” Because letting someone suffer with this disease is not a form of dignity by any means. We should be helping them instead of enabling and giving up on them, especially if they are our loved ones. I also agree with giving the patient the option to choose their own decisions but if it’s doing harm to themselves then I think it is best to step in and help them overcome their obstacles
Julio A
ReplyDeleteEven though many people believe that force feeding people who suffer from anorexia is an effective remedy for the disease I believe that people shouldn't be force fed even though it is for the patients own good. I feel that the patient should have a choice whether or not they want to be force fed or be left to die slowly. I think that the patients should be presented with the pros and cons for all options. I feel that the doctors and family members should all respect the patients decision which ever one it maybe. Although I would much rather see someone recover from this than them just give up and die. They should not be forced to do anything that they don't want to do. By no means do I think that family members should give up on trying to help the patients. I think that they should just let the patient be and hope that one day they will want the medical help.
William D.C.
ReplyDeleteThis topic has two opinions, one, is a unique lifestyle. The other is the normal lifestyle. Now the one which is unique lives with severe anorexia, a very controversial topic. So is it ethical to feed someone? Yes, it is a sign of kindness a normal thing, but, what if they did not want to be feed. Then what, is it ethical to force someone to eat? Now my opinion on the matter is to start force feed in the time when body parts start to shut down. Not completely but, close enough to revive them. Then have and the person think about his/her life and how he/she almost die. Now this is only if they choice to stick to their routine of starve to death. I would like to believe the default rule should be, doing anything to save the person’s life. Now if that person is stubborn then, I think anything that may help is ethical.
David L.
DeleteI somewhat agree, but it's either you start force feeding them or you don't. If they were to be force fed in the beginning, they wouldn't be in the struggle to stay alive. If they decide not to be force fed, they would know the consequences of not eating. There are limited supplies to be given to a patient and it shouldn't be put to waste if they haven't chose to be force fed or not.
Ricky l
ReplyDeleteI believe that if we forced fed it's out of our hearts to do so, since your family and friends care for you even if it means it's against their wishes. if you don’t want too it might of be really bad and they might don’t want to go through it since they might be prepares for the responsibility for what will happen to them like Charlotte Green she was going through is for decades and she was already prepared for it and didn’t want and more treatments. people have different opinion then me that doesn’t mean they have to agree what it say or think.
I believe the default rules depends on the situation like the person who will starve if they know they consequence they shouldn’t be forced too since they already prepared for what coming to them. while the person who object too it doesn’t mean we can't save them, like the high court who judge them differently. since we can't just let them die we also can just provided food.
since there people who couldn’t make up their mind we can just offer them what is needed while there some that’s already prepared and lived longer than others like Green who lived through 15 years and she was prepared for the responsibility and she thought it would have been a waste of money if they continue the treatment.
if people already accept the consequence we can't stop and they already know then it shouldn’t be murderer since then the people saying no shouldn’t be murderer.
Pijitra S.
DeleteI agree that to treat AN patients should depend on the situation. However, I start to question that if we let it depends on the situation this could possible lead to double standard. I mean what standard we should use to decide that we should treat the patients or we should let them go. In both cases, the court judged them differently even though they are sick with severe Anorexia nervosa. If I was an anorexia nervosa patient so is a woman in the hospital. I didn’t want to be feed. However, the court decided to force me to eat but the other woman can choose not to receive the treatment, then I think it is not fair. Suppose we set the standard like those who have been sick with AN for 15 years can make their own decisions, then I think this would encourage the patients to wait or avoid the treatment until the time they can make their own decisions. Eventually, they will die. It is no different from suicide but it’s just with a slow process. It would make it harder to find solutions to cure Anorexia nervosa. Sometimes, I think it’s nothing wrong if we just let them go but then why we have so many campaigns to prevent suicide? And from the cases, the patients don’t have a desire to die. Your opinion is good that we should depend on the situation but we need a clear standard to decide.
Prima F.
ReplyDeleteI think it is hard to say what someone should do with a person who suffers with anorexia nervosa. But I believe that someone who is dealing with this disease should be treated and be force-fed. My reasons are because ultimately they do not want to die. They do want to live but because this disease is taking over their lives they are suffering. Another reason why I think someone should be treated is because not only are they hurting themselves physically and emotionally, they are also hurting their families. It takes a toll on both parts but I believe that with the support from one another, the family member living with this disease can work towards living a healthy life. But they must remember that they are never fully recovered and that they need to continue offering their love and support.
Vickie P.
ReplyDeleteWell I think that force-feeding them something they don’t want to eat is a bad thing. For people who have anorexia nervosa thinks that they don’t need to eat keep healthy and live a healthy life. Anorexia people don’t really think what’s more important and what they are doing to their selves and their love ones. I think the best reason is to follow and support with what the anorexia nervosa people because they think they don’t need the nutrition at all and think that nothing will happen to them at all since they got their loves ones support and being by their sides with everything they been through. They think digesting any calories into the body would infect their body change. There are a lot of different opinions peoples have and there is no right or wrong answer.
1.I think the default rule should be is to just support their ways of eating instead of having a judge decide on if they are being force-feed at all. But it is true though that anorexia people would starve to death without nutrition because the nutrition helps the body be able to move around and support the body weight. No, they should not be fed against their will because it’s the wrong thing to do and also that they can lose them too.
2. Because if an anorexia person won’t put any nutrition in their body then that would be their fault of dying with no dignity. Also their loved ones had tried to help them get back to their normal health and try to support them at any way. Anorexia people may think they don’t want any help but in their mind they do but can’t really say anything at all because they are scared. Force-feeding them is also not the answer to get them back to health, it’s just the support and good decision can keep them alive and getting back to health.
Vivian Q.
ReplyDelete1. Anorexia nervosa is a serious psychological disorder that many times is fueled by the denial of the person suffering the illness; therefore, I believe that the patient should be force-fed in order to be kept alive and be able to receive treatment. Simply ‘respecting’ the ill person’s will to starve themselves is basically allowing them to die when they could possibly have a chance to recover and begin leading a normal lifestyle. However, excessive force should not be used so as to not cause harm to the patient, only the force necessary to provide the patient the nutrition he or she needs in order to gain weight and recover.
2. One of the reasons I believe a patient suffering from anorexia nervosa should be force-fed is, as mentioned beforehand, to be able to stay alive and start their path to recovery. While people should respect others’ beliefs and desire to have control over themselves and their bodies, it must be kept in mind that AN is a serious psychological illness that may very well distort a person’s idea of what is good and bad for them. People with AN mistakenly hold the belief that starvation is the ideal, yet do not harbor the desire to die. Force-feeding therefore becomes the only option for the family and/or the doctors treating these patients as the method to keep these patients alive.
Second, allowing an illness to take over and consume a person is something that simply is not done with patients of other illnesses such as cancer or HIV, so why should it be done with people that suffer from anorexia? Even if it is the anorexic’s desire to not eat anything and slowly but surely die from malnutrition, giving up on providing them with treatment is unacceptable. Anorexia nervosa, while requiring intensive treatment, is not impossible to cure, and persons with this illness should not be left to die when continuing to live is the better option.
Lastly, force-feeding is not an inhumane thing to do nor does it have to be seen as a violation of the anorexic person’s dignity. When done with absolute respect and desire for the well-being of the person, it is nothing more than the correct thing to do. After all, it is a human life we are talking about here. May we keep in mind that when an anorexic expresses the desire to keep starving themselves, it is their illness speaking for them. If force-feeding is the only way to begin the path to recovery, then it should be done and should not be perceived negatively by the patients’ loved ones.
Cynthia R.
DeleteAlthough I do believe that every life is valuable and that patients should not just be left alone to die, I disagree with you about force feeding people who are suffering from anorexia. Instead I feel like more emphasis should be placed on the disorder early on before it gets to a point where the patient could die.
Force feeding is done because the patients support group feel that it is necessary for survival, so I do understand that they are trying to do good. You stated that you don't think excessive force should be taken but it is FORCE feeding. These people do not want to be fed, therefore feeding them by force is not going to be an easy tasks and I fear that the patient will be harmed. Do you have any specific ideas on feeding that will not harm the patient?
You say that these people should be force fed because it is the psychological disorder speaking for them but the article explains that these people are usually not suicidal but rational people. They know what is going on so they should have the right to choose their future, just like an elderly patient can choose to not be resuscitated. At what point can we say that these people are not thinking right enough to make decisions for them?
I believe that force feeding a patient suffering with anorexia will do more harm than good to the patient.
In regards to the default rule for treating anorexia I have to say that both letting the patient starve, and force-feeding seem negligent. On the other hand the patient should have the chose to choose whether to accept help or reject it. I can’t see force-feeding as healthy in any situation. It sounds like something you would do to an animal not a person. I do however see force feeding as mentally damaging to the patient, seeing it’s against the patient’s own will. The patient does have the right to deny or reject certain care given the situation. I do wonder if the patient’s mental function is deluded by the lack of nourishment. I do want to know how that plays into the problem as well as depression.
ReplyDeleteSIDE NOTE: It’s said in the article that a patient with anorexia will regain their mental function if they consume food, since anorexia patients are usually severely malnourished. In the end I think it can be prevented. Most cases seem to develop in the early 20s. Just a curious thought.
Kanika P.
DeleteAlthough force-feeding a patient seems to be a very negative and unhealthy solution to treating anorexia do you believe there are any other solutions? What if it was a similar case to E', the 32-year-old former medical student from Wales, who did not want to die, but rejected to eat? What other solution is there to anorexia? The results from force-feeding may have traumatized the patient, but the value off their lives do not change the fact that there is still a chance for them to recover. Life is full of risks that need to be taken and I feel that a chance at getting one's life back is a chance that they need to take. Patients with serious anorexia no longer have their lives because their illness wants to take it away from them. Although it is against their will, a consequence that they should add to their list should be force-feeding because I do not believe families and doctors would let the patient die without a fight. For examplle, Charlotte Greene, who was mentioned in the article for wanting to have responsibilty for what happens, should have also known that people will not just let a person accept death without a battle. Even though I posted my response as saying "yes" to force-feeding I understand why it is diffficult to accept it as a solution or to even answer the question of having a default rule for patients with anorexia who don't wish to be force-fed. Thus, my conscience is still uneasy about this topic of saying "yes" or "no" to force-feeding and I respect your answer for respecting the patients wishes. Because life is precious, an illness such as anorexia should not have the right to take one's life so easily. That is why i have to lean more to saying "yes" force-feeding.
Stephanie A
DeleteI can understand your point of view but I actually disagree with you; force-feeding a patient with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) should be looked at as a form of treatment rather than as a form of negligence. Since the practice of force-feeding is intended to treat rather than harm. In the article it states that patients don’t want to die, so In order to help them love ones, doctors, friends, etc. need to do the best possible thing to help them survive. Basically meaning that force-feeding is a viable option to help patients get better. I can agree that the words “force feeding” can sound a bit harsh (I feel that there should be a change in the terminology/name/title being used) but in reality the process does actually work and help patients get better, even the article highlights this fact. Another thing to keep in mind is that it can also be done intravenously instead of what its made to sound like. If I were suffering from AN, I would want to be treated and if that meant force-feeding was the only form of treatment, then so be it.
Stephanie A.
ReplyDeleteMy feelings about the topic are that even though people with AN may be difficult to treat (due to the reject of nutrition), they still need to be force feed because when it comes down to it they are still human beings and people like physicians, family members, etc. need to try their best to be there for them and show them that they care and will never give up on them. From that stand point people suffering from AN would at least know that mentally doctors, family, etc. are trying their best to support them.. As human beings, we as people all need emotional and mental support from others, whether I’d be a friend, family member, teacher, mentor, or doctor. People need some kind of encouragement, otherwise people give up on their will to live, which basically means they give up hope and hope is an important part of life. I wouldn’t want that for people suffering with AN, then they’d feel like what’s the point of living. I have nothing against force-feeding and don’t feel that it’s a waist of time at all. AN is an illness, similar to that of a person with cancer, does that mean people should give up cancer treatment? No of course not. I feel that force-feeding and psychiatric treatment are the only real solutions for a person suffering with AN. It’s what should be done to help these patients, even if it requires having a feeding tube down their throat. People in general need to learn how to properly discuss the topic with difficult patients no matter what kind of sickness they may have. Letting them know the honest facts in a compassionate and caring way will make them feel better and will help them get better.
From Jose S.
DeleteWhile I respect your view on the topic on the part about not giving up on a patient I do not think it is right to simply force feed a AN patient. Have you taken into account the thought of if a patient has a relapse falling back into his/her old anorexic habits after being treated and force fed? While anorexia nervosa is a disease it is not like cancer, a person rarely contracts cancer through his or her own actions. Anorexia nervosa on the other hand is a psychological illness, the illness itself is not what kill its the choices that stem from it, making it more akin to a mental disorder or a addiction to alcohol or smoking. A psychological disorder can only be "cured" once a patient wants to be "cured".
From Jose S.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article I have come to the conclusion that whether or not the patient of anorexia nervosa should be force fed should be the patient’s decision and that no one can force them to live in a different way. Even if a person’s life choices are affected by a psychological issue the people around them cannot force change upon another if said person’s life style does not pose immediate harm to the people around him/her or to him/herself.
Once a patient has been diagnosed with anorexia nervosa they should be told flat out and have it made clear to them that either they try to have themselves treated or they will most likely die of starvation. Once a patient actually knows that their situation is life or death it is up to them to take the first step, the patient has to WANT to change. How could anyone help another who doesn’t want to be helped? The people around the patient have to encourage him/her to WANT to change their life style before any nutrients are forced into the patient’s body. Nutrients cannot be given before the person wants to change their life for risk of doing more harm than good for the patient.
In the case where a patient is fully aware of their life or death situation and do not want to be treated the people around the patient have no other choice than to let it be. If the patient knows full well that their choices will lead to their death than they have every right in the world to do as they please for as the saying that “everyone has a right to live” the opposite can also be said, everyone has a right to die as he or she pleases. Forcing a treatment that will prolong a patient’s life against their will, while more than likely driven by a noble sentiment, may also be considered extremely selfish by the patient, who is not alive by their own whim but the whim of someone else.
While seemingly cold and crude I stand by my opinion of a patients freedom of to live life as they please.
Sarbdeep S.
DeleteFirst off, I’d like to say that I don’t agree with most of the points that you’ve raised in your post. First and foremost, do you honestly think that such a big decision can be made by a sick patient for him/herself alone? Say for instance when somebody is going to go through surgery for a brain tumor, they consult their families first (both the patient and more than likely the doctor(s)). Sometimes, when you are sick you are not thinking “straight”-so to speak. The patient may just think, “I’m already in the hospital, I might as well just die now.” Let’s just say there was a patient in the hospital with a BMI of 18 (normal BMI= 20-25 according to the article), and they had a recovery chance rate of 85%, meaning they weren’t in too bad of a condition. However, just the fact of being in a hospital could have overwhelmed them into thinking they were in much worse condition, causing them to opt out from being force fed. I agree with you on your point that “no one can force them to live in a different way.” However, it is definitely due diligence on the part of the family to try their best to explain to the patient what is right, and to some extent maybe doctors should do this too. God forbid, think if one of your family members was in this position….you wouldn’t just simply leave the decision up to them, you’d try your very best to explain to them they needed to be fed. A lot of the time, people don’t think things through when they are sick, it’s just like trying to make business decisions while being drunk(won’t work out well). However, if rates for chances of survival are very low and a patients BMI is way below the average and they don’t want any treatment, then I’d probably go with their wish. No use going against their will when chances are so slim, and prolong their life as you said. That would almost be like forcing false hope down someone’s throat. Honestly, I believe if chances of survival are over 50% and the family and other loved ones want the patient to be saved and believe that the patient will be happy once fine, then even the extremist measures should be taken to save the patient’s life. Life itself is the most valuable thing we have, it cannot be bought or sold by even the richest men on this planet….and it is too big of a thing to lose because of one wrong choice!
Charmaign H.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to people who suffer from severe anorexia, it is merely a matter of life and death. The situation is life or death because there is an opportunity to either save the individual, or let them participate in their own death based on their illness. The decision of whether or not patients should be force fed or not should be up to the individual and the family.
One of the reasons to consider being force fed is to save patients lives and give their bodies the nourishments it needs to continue on living. Even though, it can be considered a cruel and unjust decision made by health professionals, it is in the best interest of the patient to be put on the road to recovery from the debilitating disease. The road to recovery may be tough, but the end result of gaining better physical and mental health would be jovial to not only the individual but to their family as well.
Another reason to consider force feeding is to ensure the sick of a better understanding of how the human body can react with food and how much better they will feel instead of starving themselves. What many people fail to realize, is when individuals chose to starve themselves they do not realize the severity of the situation. For example, refusing to intake liquids or eat can result in fatigue, lack of energy, low blood sugar, and other serious health risks.
Lastly, force feeding may be considered almost a last resort to save an individual if other treatment options fail. It is believed that the sick truly do not want to die, but do not want to eat as well which makes the situation hard on both ends. The issue in this battle is it is a double edged sword because either way both consequences are heavy all around. It is not fair to anyone involved to decipher how and if someone should choose to end their life or live for a short time based on the refusal of certain treatment options.
David D.
ReplyDeleteAnorexia is a serious illness that many people in the world suffer from. I am 100% in favor of force feeding them. Some people might say that it is immoral to go against someone’s will and yes I agree with that but at the same time we are talking about a life or death situation here. You can just look at force feeding as something that will save multiple lives because in all reality that is what it is ultimately doing. Life is the most precious thing here on this earth, things like letting people starve to death can’t be the way God would want someone to die so we as people should step in and do the work for them to get them back living a healthy life. L is a perfect example for the benefits of force feeding. She has been in treatment for 15 years and would not be alive if it wasn’t for force feeding, this goes to show that force feeding is actually the way of life for an anorexic. Overcoming anorexia is not simply about gaining weight back, it is about the realization that one needs to eat food in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Some might argue that force feeding doesn’t help those come to the realization on their “own”. In order to even come to that realization you’ll need to be alive, anorexics don’t have that much time to live once they get like those in the case study so the very best thing to do is force feed so that they can live happier and longer life.
Christina T.
DeleteI disagree with this for a couple reasons. Anorexics are aware that their lifestyle is what's killing them. It isn't a matter of, "I didn't know that refusing nutrition will have ill effects on my body," but rather, "I want to be as skinny as I can, so I'm consciously eating less and less to obtain that goal." I don't believe that their "realization" of proper nutrition will help them recover; they already seem to have a pretty decent grasp on nutrition if they're refusing it in the first place.
On the note of refusal, force-feeding isn't as simple as inserting stomach tube down someone's throat and waiting for results. People suffering from anorexia are known for being very difficult, noted to forcibly remove such tubes or IVs on their own, along with getting physical by other means. This is why a lot of medical staff drop these cases from their care. Force-feeding is not an easy task; it poses threats on both the patient and staff. While there are cases where force-feeding has proved successful, there are many others that have failed in defeat.
Theodore G.
ReplyDeleteI pity people that suffer from severe anorexia. It troubles me to think people need to be or look a certain way for a more positive opinion from others as well as themselves. Refusing nutrition from your body is boarder line self-loathing. There are people in this world that are anorexic not by choice. I'd like to see one of them deny any sort of food. For some cases I feel it is just childish. Like holding your breath until you turn blue so you can get what you want on your birthday. Should these people be force fed? That depends on the circumstances. Parents should be responsible for anything and everything involving their children. As far as adults are concerned, they themselves are responsible for their own actions. I only hope they have enough loved ones to support them in their time of need.
Vickie P.
DeleteI agree, anorexia people would only starve themselves just because of what others say about how they look or their body shape. They don't think for themselves at all because they just follow up on other people's opinion instead. But force-feeding is not an option to but at least it will help them gain a some weight to keep them alive and to enjoy what they've got around them.
Julio A.
DeleteI agree in the sense that there are two classes of people who suffer from anorexia nervosa there is the one who has this disease by choice and there is the one who has this disease due to poverty and food shortage. I think that the people who have this disease by choice in my opinion are child like and chose not to eat just because they take to heart what people tell them or cause they put models or people they see on tv up on pedestals and really want look like them. I think that these people should really consider all the people out in the world who are dying from this disease simply because they don't have the money or resources to eat everyday before they go out and stop eating and end up with this disease. While it could have been easily avoidable if they would just eat and not listen to all the people who judge them based on their appearance.
i have to disagree with your opinion on force feeding. if you want to help someone it should be done willingly. Not against their will. tho i have to agree with Vicky, it seems like more of a "my way or the high way" type of scenario. and it could help if the situation is applied properly.
DeleteSarbdeep S.
ReplyDelete1. What do you think the default rule should be, with regard to people with severe anorexia, who will starve to death without nutrition, but who object to any nutrition? Should they be "fed" against their will (this usually involves a stomach tube or an intravenous line)?
Honestly, I don’t believe that there should be a default rule. I believe that this should be a case to case sort of thing. Just as how there is not only one treatment for cancer, in the same way there cannot be just one treatment/rule for treating anorexia. All factors such as survival rate, patient compliance willingness, and financial as well as emotional factors should be thought of in each and every case. After all, it is not a small decision that can be generalized; it is a decision of a life for some.
2. Why do you think so? Give your best three reasons.
The reasons that I believe that there cannot be just one default are numerous. However, my top three reasons are; chances of survival, patient compliance, and financial factors. First of all, if not treated in time the condition will only become worse. If the patient has above 50% survival rate and their bmi is not too low, then yes force feed them, and help them recover. They may or may not want to live because of suffering at that point, but when they recover they will thank you. Next, if they patient is saying to go ahead and force feed them, then by all means do it. If they say no, and have good rates of survival and decent bmi and can afford it or health insurance will pay for it…go ahead and do it. Lastly, for emotional purposes take into account what the family wants as well as patient. Die with dignity and “peace” from one aspect? Or try best to recover? Also, see if the person can even afford it or their health insurance does cover it? No use recovering and being stuck in debt for the rest of their life.
David L.
ReplyDeleteI believe that force feeding people with anorexia nervosa is a wrong thing to do. Sure force feeding the patients will help them live a longer and probably healthier life, but is that the way how they want to live? Patients should have their own options if they want to live a life of being force fed or suffer and die slowly. Family and physicians should be supporting what the patients does and does not want. I feel like treatments for this type of situation should have been treated in the early stages. Doctors should have already known that getting into the later stages it would be harder for them and the patients to be treated. Knowing that they’re suffering is wrong, but nothing can be down unless they’re willing to accept being force fed.
William D.C.
DeleteI do agree with you on not force feeding but, I do not agree with the patient only have the highest voice. What about the people who cares about the patient? Why do they not get a higher authority than the one choosing the bad lifestyle? The immoral way of living, scaring and making other worry about them. Have those who worry control by the thought of the patient’s life. I believe there is a point when the patient loses their opinion on the matter. That point is when they are starting to harm their self and worry many others who care dearly about them. So I am saying, the masse’s opinion on an individual’s health outlook is much more important. More people will be harmed, emotionally and one internally, then the other way around. Where, the people who do care may help the patient like what you said.
Rosie R.
DeleteI absolutely agree. Just as I mentioned in my response, it is up to the patient (if mentally able so) to proceed with force feeding or put a stop to it. If the patient is unable to do so, a family membershould be the one to take it upon themselves to decide whether or not they want that treatment for their loved one. Such situations should be fixed in its earlier stages. "Severe" anorexia is a disease that has prolonged for years thus making it a mental state of mind. Once happened, severe annorexia is something that may seem impossible to reverse. A patient or the family of that patient must be on board to proceed with force feeding if wanted.
Duy M.
ReplyDeleteThe default rule should be that we should not force fed AN patient unless they want to live. Caregivers and family of patient should first inform the patients about the severe effect of anorexia, what the symptoms are, how it affects the body and brain function, especially this illness could kill them if they do not maintain proper weighs by nutrition consumption. Then, if patients do not express any suicidal idea and want to live, doctors and family should do what they must to help the patient get better. That means force feeding should be administered with patients and family member consents. The process may take long and difficult. That is why consent of patient and their family is their best hope and support throughout this period. The will to try to overcome their illness is the best hope anorexia patients should hang on to. However if patients do not want to be forced fed because they do not want to see their family suffer financially and emotionally distress, caregivers should discuss various options with family to look for solutions that would help with their distresses and then go back to treat the illness itself. In severe cases where patients clearly stated that they are well aware of the consequences of not eating. This also means they do not hope to be force fed or cured and accept a dignify dead. At that point, family members and caregivers should respect patients’ decision.
My reasons are first patients are still people who have the right to know, understand and decide what to do with their own body. We should not disregard their opinions just because they are sick. Many will say that AN patients are incompetent because they object to nutrition intake which leads to brain activity malfunctioning. Second is even though health care profession has the knowledge and solutions for many illnesses including anorexia but not all, decision to treatment should be made by patients and family because it is the patient’s life not someone else’s. Physicians should not force treatment on patients just because that is the only way to cure anorexia without their consents. The best caregivers could do before giving in to patients’ consent is to warn them of anorexia deadly effect and do their best to find other alternative treatments. Third reason is because everybody is different. Human beings are complicated. Everybody reacts and thinks differently to particular issue. It all depends on their background, social status, career, childhood, relationships and many other factors in their life. A type of treatment might have positive effects on one patient but it does not necessary work on other. It all depends on each individual, their belief and their way of living.
Every anorexia patients should be treated just as every other human is being treated, which means that everything possible is done to help the person survive. If the person hasn’t given up yet just like in the case of the Medical student of wales also known as “E”. A person should be helped even though there is only a slight chance of survival.
ReplyDeleteIf the person wants to die and there is no other help possible my personal opinion is to just let her go, this while maybe being the best solution for some people is still unethical for most and would not be accepted, just as suicide isn’t condoned by society and furthermore the government. (Suicide is even against the law in the USA) What is condoned however is the decision you make to plug the court if you may ever be in a comma, a situation like this should have similar “special rules”. In which case a person might not be dead but neither is really alive.
Justin G.
Chris C.
DeleteThough I agree with the first part of what you said, when looking at the second part I totally disagree. The patient is still a person who has all the right to live, the person with severe anorexia who wants to die is just feeling defeated I believe. Anorexia not only affects you emotionally but it is a serious disease that affects your mind as well, the malnutrition starts to affect the way you think as time goes by. Why let someone go, who is trapped in a certain mind set at the time? You have to dig deeper with these type of patients there is something going on inside their minds that is making them think a certain way. It may seem seem easy to just "pull the plug" on them but this person is very much alive inside and out. They just need help recovering mentally first and then go onto saving them physically from themselves. There is more to do than just give up on them.
Mendoza L.
ReplyDeleteI believe the default rule should be that anyone with anorexia nervousa should be put in a facility where they can be monitored and made sure to eat all their food. They shouldn't be fed against their will but should be monitored while they are eating also after. They can not object to the nutrition because that is critical or their survival if thy claim to not want to die.
One reason to make sure an anorexia nervousa gets their right nutrition is because some of them might not be able to get the proper amount by the way they are living or they might not know exactly how much they need. I believe that after a certain amount of time of a patient being monitored, it is up to them to carry on with their treatment on their own or with a partner.
Another reason is that being fed against their will is a bad idea because it can cause future damage to the patient. It can make them scared and they might over eat after it which can cause a set of different problems like obesity. It can also leave them scares that can make then feel self conscious of themselves and change their whole personality. Also some thing can go wrong during the procedure of force feeding then that it might end up leading to future medical care.
Lastly I believe that there is some choice being made on the patients side. In the reading it says " recovery is possible and death is preventable", so there is a chance for the patient to service this illness if they truly wish to get better. There is always will power for those who want to change what is going on with them and the support of other can help. So I do not think the default should be to force fead someone with anorexia nervosa because they have the ability to heal themselves.
Gurjeet Singh
ReplyDeletepersonally i think if patients do not want the the treatment nobody have right to peer preasure them or play games or force them to eat. its tottalt against there wills. but family always care and illness to there love ones they take that as big concendration. what family could do is report there symptoms and try to contact anorexia specialist and explain them brefliey if there love one refuse to go to doctor. patients should not starve there self to death they should go for treatments even there body refuse to eat because not eating will take them close to another step of death ladder.
force fedding could help the patient to survive longer then they could it will actually help to but some mass on and enjoy joyfull things on earth for little longer.thinking die with deginty is tottaly wrong foe anorexia person. they should put some nutrition in their body to stay alive even their body refuse to intake the food. they should try what doctors tell them to do rest we all know nobody cant go against gods will. if time has came person will leave.
Nickie P.
ReplyDeleteI think that people who have anorexia against their wishes wants the help to not be anorexic anymore. They want the help, they don’t want to suffer anymore or die from it. It’s not their fault that they became that way. AN is a disease that a lot of women have problems with especially some women, the ones who starve themselves to be something else and I bet they would give anything to become normal like everyone else---to be able to eat regularly and be healthy. People who make themselves become anorexic are people who obviously don’t care about dying or hurting people around them. Why would you want to be stuck at a hospital because you aren’t getting enough nutrients in your body? Why would you make yourself suffer like that? That is a horrible way to live and to die. I say this because some people are born with this disease and they don’t want it. They try so hard to get out of it, but because of people who get themselves into anorexia are just insulting them. It is a hard habit to get out of so why get into it in the first place? I understand that many people try not to become anorexic because they are insecure about themselves, but they don’t realize that starving themselves make them anorexic. Some people have choices and some don’t. The people who have choices should make the best of it and do the right thing.
1) Anorexia is something that cannot just go away by force-feeding someone. That doesn’t help the person force-feeding or the person being forced-fed. Even though they brought themselves to that situation, when they don’t want to “take in any calories or nutrients”, then the doctors shouldn’t use force to feed them. There should be other ways to go about it. Also, if the people who are anorexic, but want the help, just their brain or something like that won’t let them eat, I still don’t think anyone should force feed. There should be other treatment option that can trick the mind and body so that the anorexic person can gain the help to become healthy again.
2) I think that forced-feeding shouldn’t be allowed because I feel like that won’t help them at all what so ever. It will probably make the situation worse before it gets to any better. I also think that force-feeding might/ may kill a patient because then the body will try and reject any nutrients being pumped into the person, and that person will probably regurgitate everything out. Overall, I think that force-feeding isn’t the way and that patients should have a say.
Charmaign H
DeleteI agree that anorexia is a horrible disease that affects several groups of people unintentionally. What many people forget about the disease is where it comes from and how it began because every person’s story is different. There are several factors to consider when it comes down to the real reason a person views themself in an unhealthy fashion. One of the reasons that should be held responsible is the media because of what is portrayed. Magazines, music videos, television shows, and of course the modeling industry stresses that the thinner you are the more beautiful you are which is untrue. With comments such as those can make someone who is anorexic believe they have to go to extreme measures to be accepted into all aspects of society, which gives the person the wrong impression of how to distinguish their identity.
When it comes to force feeding I would have to disagree with going against it based on serious health factors. The longer a doctor prolongs the process of providing the patient with the nutrients the body needs, the shorter time span there is for the patient to live. What should be remembered is timing is everything when it comes to the patients health some people cannot wait it has to be done in that moment so a person’s body organs do not shut down. Being force feed through a tube or anything is not fun but, it that’s what is required to save someone it should be done if the individual wants to live. Force feeding is just part of the process counseling and meeting with a specialist go hand in hand. The purpose for that is to find out why a person has such low self-esteem, or why they portray themselves in negative light.
All in all, if a person is anorexic and wants to live then all options should be considered even force feeding because it is not about what is best for the family it is about what is in the best interest of the person who needs the help and support to get well and remain healthy. Anorexia is a serious disease like alcoholism, there is no cure but treatment options are available to help deal with the disease and steps to take to survive a healthy life..
Chris C.
ReplyDeleteSevere anorexia is a very scary and life threatening disease that I think should not be treated by force feeding the patients. It seems as though they are going through something really hard within themselves, which I think needs to be helped first instead of hurting them by being force fed, no one should be able to decide for someone and take such measures even though they are in a critical state. I wouldn't want anyone to suffer nut letting them not eat and force feeding provides forms of suffering as well. A main reason I would like to point out that force feeding an anorexic patient will worsen disease since it is not what the want they want, some patients despise eating they want to be thin and feeding them in that form will hurt them. Another reason is that, like I mentioned before you are hurting the person by doing this. They are not only mentally ill in a way but also emotionally with themselves, which make them very difficult patients to treat. With force feeding you are hurting the way they look at themselves which doesn't help. My last reason is that this form of treatment is taking away from the patient's personal freedom and their will to do what they want. Though it is hard to decide whether to go with letting a patient die from starvation or going against what they want, it is up to the person indefinitely. But if doctors want to help they need to come up with another form of treatment that will not hurt the patient and let them slowly regain themselves, there must be something out there to help them other than this.
Jeremiah S.
ReplyDeleteI personally think people who are suffering from severe anorexia should be force fed. As humans we may not like to be forced to do something we don't want. But people who are suffering from AN need to realize in order sustain life we need to eat. It is a difficult decision, but if it came down between life or death I’m choosing life. People who are suffering severely from AN should be monitored that they are eating and are recovering. For example, in the second case, “L” the patient stated that “her severe anorexia did not allow her to eat.” Clearly doctors need to have this patient on the dot just to keep this patient alive. It’s their duty to save lives and cure the sick.
Some patients may not want help. Do I think it’s wrong to deny help? No. But do we have authority over our own lives? Yes. In the first case a patient denies treatment. The patient does not want this treatment due to the low success rate which is only 10-20%. In this case, the patient is dying slowly and is able to die with dignity.
Force feeding would be based only off the person‘s state. It should only be right to do so because we would want to help that person’s life. Yet we cannot interfere with their own moral decision whether to continue to suffer or not.
Rosie R.
ReplyDeletePersonally I believe that it is up to the patient or the patients family/guardian(s) to proceed with such an invasive treatment such as force feeding. For one, I stand against it. Force feeding is only a temporary solution and it's not guaranteed to save you from something as intense as Severe Anorexia. While diagnosed with it, not only are you refusing to eat, but your mental star of mind has changed completely. If force feeding doesn't cure the patient, then why go through with it? It makes the patient mad, hurt, and to say the very least violated. Don't get me wrong, a family or patient should absolutely have the right of continuing to force feed their loved one. Although if it's not a solution, I don't believe doctors should go through with it.
TyRell C
DeleteI agree force feeding will only result in making the patient feel even more uncomfortable with themselves causing more pain, depression, and possibly suicide.
Leticia M.
Delete"I agree with Rosie's point of view with it being up to the patients family to decide if they should be force fed or not. This is a very difficult situation for anyone to be in and there is alot of pressure. As Rosie said the patient's state of mind is changed and they can no longer thing properly for themselves so all the decisions should be made by the guardians of the one in most need.
TyRell C.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion either way will do the patient no justice in this situation. Let's say you start off force feeding them it will be use into doing it your giving them all types of the different foods that's more than likely disgusting to them because their brain is programmed into thinking all food is bad so what ever they are consuming is going to be of no use to them, so now their body is fighting the urge to enjoy this food, and on top of that you have today long thick tube going down your throat which is non enjoyable experience. This will result in a slower and more depressing death. While on the flip side instead of force feeding them you continuously give them the nutrients and proteins they need by injecting them with it. In this result we can let the body take its natural course and have the patient continue their life like a somewhat normal person.
James Baldwin
ReplyDeleteMy opinion on this matter is to have the default rule to treat patients with severe Anorexia Nervosa with the force feeding method. I believe that patient has this feeling that they don’t want to be fed they are slowly accepting death, then maybe that is another way of them saying that it is too late to feed them. Anorexia Nervosa is a very controversial topic that many people will have strong opposing feelings about. The major question that revolves around this topic is whether or not a patient should be force fed, when facing death from failed self nutrition. Although I agree on the unethical state of force feeding someone against their will, and it is their unalienable right to do what they wish with their bodies. However I believe there full or stuffed up or no appetite it’s just probably because they want to commit suicide that’s it they just don’t want to live any more tire of living that how they are.
Carla P.
ReplyDeleteThe act of force-feeding an individual can be seen by others as unethical, but in some cases breaking down these barriers between what is viewed as right and wrong can be the difference between life and death. A patient with severe anorexia needs nutrition to stay alive, unfortunately this disorder causes them to refuse any food in their system. This force-feeding tactic has been a controversy on whether it should be used or not. In my opinion, this decision should conclude to the opinion of the family and the doctors involved with the patient’s case. If the family and staff decide to go on with the treatment, they must give the patient a chance to go through with it. However if the patient is showing no progress, they will have to notify the family that they must decline furthermore action because of limited resources.