Friday, May 2, 2025

Anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorder characterized by an extreme fear of gaining weight, leading to restricted eating and a distorted body image. It’s not just about food, but often tied to deep psychological factors.

Key Symptoms:

  • Severe restriction of food intake
  • Intense fear of gaining weight, even when underweight
  • Distorted body image (feeling overweight despite being underweight)
  • Excessive exercise or behaviors to prevent weight gain
  • Preoccupation with food or calories
  • Physical signs: Fatigue, dizziness, hair thinning, cold intolerance, dry skin, and irregular heartbeats.

Causes and Risk Factors:

  • Genetics: Family history of eating disorders or mental health issues.
  • Psychological factors: Low self-esteem, perfectionism, anxiety, or trauma.
  • Social pressures: Cultural emphasis on thinness and beauty ideals.
  • Biological factors: Changes in brain chemicals that affect appetite, mood, and stress.

Complications:

  • Physical: Organ damage, bone loss, fertility issues, and in severe cases, death from malnutrition.
  • Mental health: Depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive tendencies.
  • Social isolation: Withdrawal from friends and family due to embarrassment or shame.

Treatment Options:

  1. Therapy:
    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Helps address distorted thoughts and unhealthy behaviors.
    • Family-Based Therapy (FBT): Involves family in the recovery process, especially effective for adolescents.
  2. Medical Monitoring: Necessary to manage physical health complications (e.g., electrolyte imbalances, organ damage).
  3. Nutritional counseling: Aimed at restoring healthy eating patterns.
  4. Medication: Antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications can help manage underlying mental health issues.

Recovery:

  • Recovery is possible, but it can be a long process requiring patience and support.
  • Seeking help early significantly improves outcomes.

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