ANOREXIA NERVOSA-Gauri Goyal

INTRODUCTION

An eating disorder that causes people to obsess about weight and what they eat.

Anorexia is characterised by a distorted body image, with an extreme fear of being overweight.

CAUSES OF ANOREXIA NERVOSA

The exact cause of anorexia is unknown. As with many diseases, it’s a combination of biological, psychological and environmental factors.

• Biological: Although it’s not yet clear which genes are involved, there may be genetic changes that put some people at higher risk of developing anorexia. Some people may have a genetic tendency toward traits associated with anorexia.

• Psychological: Some people with anorexia may have obsessive- compulsive personality traits that make it easier to stick to strict diets and forego food despite being hungry. They may have an extreme drive for perfectionism, which causes them to think they're never thin enough. They may have high levels of anxiety and engage in restrictive eating to reduce it.

• Environmental: Modern Western culture emphasizes thinness. Success and worth are often equated with being thin. Peer pressure may help fuel the desire to be thin, particularly among young girls.

SYMPTOMS

The physical signs and symptoms of anorexia nervosa are related to starvation. Anorexia also includes emotional and behavioral issues involving an unrealistic perception of body weight and an extremely strong fear of gaining weight.

It may be difficult to notice signs and symptoms because what is considered a low body weight is different for each person.

PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS

Physical signs and symptoms of anorexia may include:

• Extreme weight loss or not making expected developmental weight gains

• Thin appearance

• Abnormal blood counts

• Fatigue

• Insomnia

• Dizziness or fainting

• Bluish discoloration of fingers

TREATMENT

Treatment and recovery:

A healthcare professional will make a comprehensive plan to address the

individual’s specific needs.

It will involve a team of specialists who can help the person overcome the physical, emotional, social, and psychological challenges that they face.

Strategies include:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which can help the person find new ways of thinking, behaving, and managing stress

• Family and individual counseling, as appropriate

• Nutritional therapy, which provides information on how to use food to build and maintain health

• Medication to treat depression and anxiety

• Supplements to resolve nutritional deficiencies

• Hospital treatment

PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS

As painful as the medical consequences of an eating disorder are, the psychological agony can feel worse.

1. Feel out-of-control and helpless to do anything about problems

2. Anxiety, self-doubt

3. Guilt and shame, feelings of failure

4. Hypervigilance. Thinks other people are watching and waiting to confront or interfere

5. Fear of discovery

6. Obsessive thoughts and preoccupations

7. Compulsive behaviors. Rituals dictate most activities

8. Feelings of alienation and loneliness. “I don’t fit in anywhere.”

A SHORT CASE STUDY

D.R., a single 19-year-old female experiencing anorexia nervosa, was admitted to a mental health center inpatient unit weighing 64 pounds, approximately 54 pounds underweight, with liver, kidney, and pancreas damage. D.R. was hospitalized for 59 days. Treatment consisted of utilizing a hierarchy of reinforcements in the form of privileges mutually agreed upon between patient and therapist, psychodynamic and supportive psychotherapy, and involvement in the ward milieu therapeutic program. All privileges had to be earned. Access to food was controlled by the staff. For pounds gained privileges were granted, for pounds lost privileges were curtailed. Dynamically, D.R.’s eating behavior was viewed as an unconscious spite and revenge reaction toward her parents as well as an attempt to elicit attention. At the time of discharge D.R. weighed 104.5 pounds. Prior to discharge D.R. agreed that if her weight dropped below 100 pounds she would return for readmission. Five months later D.R.’s weight stabilized between 102 and 104 lb. Two years later, D.R.’s weight remains at that level. The study cautions against using solely a behavior modification approach in the treatment of anorexia nervosa.

MY OPINION

Those who survive often suffer bone density loss, fertility issues, dental decay, gastroenterological dystrophy, and/or damage to the kidneys, heart, liver and brain. Your lungs can fill with fluid, your body temperature can drop, your blood pressure can destabilize, your immune system can fail. You may even grow pale, downy hair called lanugo on your face, neck, arms, or stomach. I will never understand the romanticizing of anorexia nervosa. Not to mention the difficulty of obtaining treatment! The financial burden is enormous, and sometimes fatally impossible.

CONCLUSION

Anorexia Nervosa is a disorder that is composed of a variety of abnormal behaviors that are brought out by the unhealthy thinking. This thinking is brought by the media, the individual’s family/friends, personal experiences, and much more. This disorder has been occurring for a long time but according to my research, wasn’t really viewed as a disorder until the 1900’s. Not until the 1930’s was it recognized as a mental/emotional disorder. Studies have shown that there is not a lot of sympathy for Anorexia Nervosa sufferers. Treatment is always determined by how much the person wants to help themselves, and whether they are in denial or not. However, it is very possible for a bright future if the person is willing and open for treatment.