Written by Causes | Symptoms | Risk Factors | Treatment
Anorexia Nervosa is a serious, often life threatening eating disorder which usually occurs in teenage girls and young women, but can also occur in men. This psychological disorder is characterized by intense fear of gaining weight and the patient try to lose weight by inadequate calorie intake and excessive energy expenditure.
The term anorexia means loss of appetite but people with anorexia ignore hunger and thus control their desire to eat. They refuse to maintain a minimal body weight within 15% of an individual’s normal weight and like to be slim. The person with anorexia nervosa typically begins dieting with the simple goal of losing weight, but over time even though they achieve their goal and loose weight, they will keep on increasing their goal and eat lesser and lesser. An Anorexic seem to have a greater fear of becoming obese
than of dying from starvation. Self induced Weight lose is caused by avoiding fattening foods and doing excessive exercise, using laxatives or diuretics or self-induced vomiting.
Anorexia is not just a problem with food or weight. It is an attempt to use food and weight to deal with emotional problems such as stress, anxiety, unhappiness and the feeling that life is out of control. Anorexia is a negative way to cope with these emotions. One can observe behavioral changes like increasing seriousness and introversion, lose of confidence, less assertiveness, less aggressiveness and more dependency etc. in such people. Medical complications related to this disease are quite serious and can even lead to death.
The difference between anorexia and Bulimia is that people with bulimia eat a huge amount of food, but will try to throw up to avoid weight gaining through different ways such as taking laxatives or diuretics or by too much exercise. But people with anorexia starve themselves even though they suffer terribly from hunger pains, avoid high calorie food and exercise constantly Causes
The reason for conditions like anorexia nervosa is not known. It could be based on some misbelieves the patients have, that they would be more happier and successful if they remain slim and have an ideal figure. Stressful events are likely to increase the risk of eating disorders. These may range from major developments such as family conflict, a change in school or a family move, the loss of a boy friend or girl friend or a serious illness. Another hypothesis is that anorexia nervosa is a rejection of female sexuality brought on by the physical development associated with puberty. Life style and culture can also influence the occurrence of this disease. Moreover television, magazine and news paper messages bombard women and girls with advise on exercise more and eat less in order to lose weight more quickly and get an ideal shape. Several biological factors including genetic and some other hormones, may contribute the onset of this disorder. People in certain professions, such as modeling and ballet dancing, are especially at risk. A girl is in a higher risk of developing anorexia if she has a sibling with the same disease. Behavioral and environmental influences may also play a role. Depression
is also a cause for anorexia.
It is claimed that there is a link between diabetes and developing an eating disorder especially anorexia nervosa. A person with diabetes is usually advised to control their food in order to control diabetes.
Symptoms
- Abnormal weight loss (at least 15 per cent below the normal ideal body weight).
- Ending of periods or delayed development in puberty.
- Self-induced weight loss through methods like fasting, low food intake, excessive exercise, diuretic medicines, laxatives, diet pills or vomiting.
- A constant fear of gaining weight, as well as a feeling of being fat, even though their weight is much less than that of other people of the same height.
- Sufferers may feel bloated, even after a small meal.
- They may lose interest in socialising with friends.
- Loss of scalp hair
- Other symptoms include tiredness
, feeling cold, constipation and stomachache. Some patients also develop additional disorders such as bulimia.
Risk factors
Anorexia nervosa has one of the highest death rates of any mental disorder. 5-20% of those with anorexia nervosa will die. Most of the medical complications of anorexia are caused by starvation. The period of time of self-starvation is the critical factor for survival. Long term health problems
include heart trouble, low blood pressure, low heart rate, low body temperature, poor circulation, anemia and stunted growth.
- Other Risk factors include
- Loss of menstrual periods
- Dry, brittle bones due to significant bone density loss (osteoporosis)
- Hair loss
- Lowered resistance to illness
- Digestive problems such as bloating or constipation
- Muscle loss and weakness
- Severe dehydration, which can result in kidney failure
- Fainting, fatigue, and overall weakness
- Emotional and Behavioral Effects
- Difficulty in concentrating on anything else except weight
- Isolation from family and friends
- Emotional regression to a child-like state
- Irritability
- feelings of guilt and depression
- Dependence upon alcohol or drugs to handle the negative outlook
Treatment Options
People with Anorexia can get better. It is important to reach the sufferer to a physician at the earliest even if she strongly resists cooperating. Different types of health care providers, like doctors, nutritionists, and therapists together can help them. Various treatments have been suggested for anorexia nervosa which includes psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, simple supportive therapy, isolation, acupuncture
, family therapy, behaviour modification, cognitive therapy etc.
The medical treatment starts with analyzing and stabilizing the threatening complications of starvation. Weight gain of one to three pounds per week is considered safe and desirable.
Doctors most frequently advise integrated and multifaceted treatment programmes because anorexia nervosa patients differ widely in psychological, social, behavioral and biological functioning. The most difficult and critical factor in treatment is engaging the patient in therapy. Most of the anorexics deny their illness, they insist there is nothing wrong with them.
Some form of psychotherapy is needed to deal with the underlying emotional issues. Psychiatric treatment uses cognitive, behavioral, and psychotherapeutic methods within a comprehensive treatment plan. Weight gain must occur if psychological treatment is meaningful. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is sometimes used to change abnormal thoughts and behaviors. Group therapy is often advised so people can share their experiences with others. Family therapy is important particularly if the individual is living at home and is a young adolescent. Individual counseling can also help someone with anorexia.
Hospitalization should be considered if there are numerous physical complications and if the patient is suicidal or extremely unmotivated. The urgency of hospitalization depends on several factors such as weight loss greater than 30% of body weight over three months, severe metabolic disturbance, severe depression or suicide risk, severe purging psychosis, family crisis or symptoms of severe starvation. Left untreated, some of the physical effects of anorexia are irreversible.
