Anorexia Nervosa

Alternative Names

Anorexia Nervosa,Eating disorder

What is Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder caused by a psychiatric illness, which has serious implications upon a person's health. It is described by very low body weight wrong perception of the body as very fat. It also characterized by constant fear of putting on weight, resulting in voluntary starvation, too much of exercise or any other weight control measure.

Anorexia is a serious, life-threatening eating disorder that affects both the physical and mental health of the person. A person always has an irrational fear of becoming fat, along with a persistent pursuit of a very thin figure.

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa are considered to be:

• Dramatic weight loss
• Feeling too fat, despite being underweight
• Fixation on body image
• Harshly critical of appearance
• Denial that you are too thin
• Using diet pills, laxatives, or diuretics
• Throwing up after eating

Possible complications

Complications of Anorexia Nervosa:

• Depression
• Lack of energy and constant weakness
• Slowed thinking; poor memory
• Dry, yellowish skin and brittle nails
• Constipation and bloating
• Tooth decay and gum damage
• Dizziness, fainting, and headaches
• Growth of fine hair all over the body and face

What causes

The most popular causes of Anorexia:

• Body dissatisfaction
• Strict dieting
• Low self-esteem
• Difficulty expressing feelings
• Perfectionism
• Problematic family relationships
• History of physical or sexual abuse
• Family history of eating disorders
• Traumatic experiences in the past

Prevention

The most common preventions could be:

• Think of yourself as an “outsider.” In other words, someone not suffering from anorexia. In this position, there isn’t a lot you can do to “solve” your loved one’s anorexia. It is ultimately the individual’s choice to decide when they are ready.
• Be a role model for healthy eating, exercising, and body image. Don’t make negative comments about your own body or anyone else’s.
• Take care of yourself. Seek advice from a health professional, even if your friend or family member won’t. And you can bring others—from peers to parents—into the circle of support.
• Don’t act like the food police. A person with anorexia needs compassion and support, not an authority figure standing over the table with a calorie counter.
• Avoid threats, scare tactics, angry outbursts, and put-downs. Bear in mind that anorexia is often a symptom of extreme emotional distress and develops out of an attempt to manage emotional pain, stress, and/or self-hate. Negative communication will only make it worse.

Treatment

Treating of Anorexia is based on three steps:

• Getting back to a healthy weight
• Beginning to eat more food
• Make up your mind about yourself and food

Medical treatment

First step in anorexia treatment is stabilizing any serious health condition. You may need to be hospitalized if you are dangerously malnourished or so distressed that you even don’t want to live.

Nutritional treatment

The second step is nutritional consulting. You’ ll know about healthy eating and proper nutrition at nutritionist’s. You may create and follow meal plans with the help of the nutritionist, that include enough calories to get back a normal, healthy weight.

Consulting and therapy

The third step is consulting. A very important aim of consulting is to teach you how to overcome difficult emotions, family problems, stress, depression.