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Anorexia Nervosa
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Anorexia Nervosa is a chronic disorder of self starvation which manifests itself in an extreme aversion to food and can cause psychological, endocrine and gynecological problems. A person with anorexia may begin to diet in order to lose just a few pounds. Dieting does not stop here... and an abnormal concern with dieting is established. Nobody knows what triggers the disease process, but suddenly, losing five to ten pounds is not enough. The anorectic patient becomes intent on losing weight. It is uncommon for someone who develops the disorder to starve herself until she weighs just 60 or 70 pounds.
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Anorexia Nervosa is an illness that mainly affects adolescent girls although in recent years there has been a rise in the number of boys being diagnosed with the disorder. The most common features are loss of weight and a change in behavior in which the weight loss may become severe and life threatening. Personality changes will be those of increasing seriousness and introversion and an increasing tendency to become obsessional. She/He will usually begin to lose contact with her friends, regress and appear to lose confidence. She/He may become less assertive, less argumentative and more dependant The disorder, which usually begins in young people around the time of puberty, involves extreme weight loss; at least 15 percent below the individual's normal body weight. Typical symptoms are:
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Anorexia Nervosa sufferers often have a fear or aversion to food, and will only eat minimal amounts. This may be a general disdain for food, or a fear that eating it will cause her to become too fat. This lack of nutrients leads to many other things that are a side effect, such as a low amount of vitamins, brittle bones, a weak heart, and general frailness. It ... causes the sufferer to become very antisocial, possibly in an attempt to hide herself from the outside world.
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Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and Bulimia (BN) require a multidimensional approach to treatment, addressing all contributing factors. The initial step is to return eating to a more normal pattern. For bulimic patients, this stage involves cessation of bingeing, purging and dieting behaviors. For patients with AN, it involves reducing the fears of a normal body weight by a process of gradual weight restoration. Strategies include encouragement and support, the use of psychoeducational groups and materials and medication to reduce the anxiety associated with eating. Some form of nutritional supplementation may be required, which may range from food or nutrient supplements to nasogastric or intravenous feeding of AN patients in extreme low-weight states.
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Anorexia Nervosa almost exclusively affects adolescent white girls (95%). They usually come from middle to upper-middle class families that place heavy emphasis on high achievement, perfection, eating patterns and physical appearance. A newly diagnosed patient is often described by her parents as a "model child," usually because she is obedient, compliant, and a good student. Most researchers agree that the number of patients with anorexia nervosa is increasing. Recent estimates suggest that out of every 200 American girls between the ages of 10 and 20, one will develop anorexia to some degree. Therapists find that persons with anorexia usually lack self-esteem and feel they can gain admiration by losing weight and becoming thin.
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Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by self induced starvation and extreme weight loss. Symptoms include: a refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight (85% or less) for height, body type, age, and activity level; an intense fear of being “fat” or gaining weight; feeling “fat” or overweight despite dramatic weight loss; a disturbance in the way one’s body is perceived (distorted body image); amenorrhea (the loss of three or more consecutive menstrual cycles); and extreme concern/distress with body weight and shape.
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Anorexia Nervosa