Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa, or just anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by the triad of abnormally low body weight, an intense fear of fatness, and a distorted body image. A person with the disorder might engage in radical methods to control their perceived body image — methods that often severely impact daily life. Body goals, even if reached, rarely remove anxiety about appearance.
Prevalence
At any given point in time, about 0.35% of young women and 0.1% of young men will suffer from anorexia nervosa.
Bulimia vs Anorexia
While there can be commonality between bulimia and anorexia, those with bulimia do not tend to appear underweight whereas those with anorexia are more likely to exhibit below average body weight.
Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa & Warning Signs:
People with anorexia nervosa usually try to prevent weight gain or to induce weight loss by one or more of the following methods:
Because of measures some people take to conceal the condition, it can be a challenge to correctly identify anorexia, but some of the following are potential indicators:
-
Behavioral and emotional symptoms or signs:
-
Physical symptoms or signs
Causes of Anorexia Nervosa:
The precise cause of anorexia nervosa is not known, but there can be a predisposition to it based on a person’s genetics, personality, and environment.
Risk factors for Anorexia Nervosa:
Factors that can render an individual at increased risk of developing anorexia nervosa are:
Anorexia Nervosa Complications:
Anorexia nervosa has the highest rate of mortality of any psychiatric disorder, and multiple body functions can be irreversibly damaged even if the person recovers.
The complications of anorexia nervosa include:
If a person with anorexia becomes severely malnourished, every organ in the body can be damaged, including the brain, heart and kidneys. This damage may not be fully reversible, even when the anorexia is under control.
In addition to the physical and medical issues that could develop, individuals with anorexia may also experience additional mental disorders including:
Diagnosing Anorexia Nervosa:
When diagnosing anorexia nervosa, a person’s doctor will run various exams and tests to eliminate other possible causes for weight loss, as well as screen for complications, before confirming the diagnosis.
Tests and exams typically include lab work, a physical exam, and a psychological self-assessment questionnaire such as the SCOFF questionnaire — to assess elements related to eating habits and feelings and thoughts related to eating and appearance.
The SCOFF questionnaire can be administered by nonprofessionals to screen for the possible presence of an eating disorder, and SCOFF stands for the following questions:
S – Do you make yourself SICK when you feel uncomfortably full?
C – Do you worry you have lost CONTROL over how much you eat?
O – Have you recently lost more than 14 lbs. in weight within the last three months?
F – Do you believe yourself to be FAT when others say you are too thin?
F – Would you say that FOOD dominates your life?
If a person answers yes to at least two of the above questions, this may indicate they have anorexia nervosa.
Additional studies. Because of the side effects of being malnourished, it could be necessary to do X-rays (and or electrocardiograms) to look for heart issues, pneumonia, and broken or fractured bone, or to determine bone density.
Body mass index (BMI) is used by the American Psychiatry Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Edition 5 (DSM-5) as an indicator of the level of severity of anorexia nervosa.
Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa:
Treatment for anorexia nervosa may include professionals from a number of different specialties including mental health providers, dieticians, and doctors working together to form the best treatment plan. Gaining support from family often proves to be a significant contributor to the success of a treatment plan.
Hospitalization – For those at significant risk from electrolyte disorders, cardiac arrhythmias, malnutrition, dehydration, or psychiatric issues, treatment in a hospital or a psychiatric ward may be required.
Depending on the severity of the case, the doctor will determine if specialized treatment can be done in a day center or if longer-term residential treatment is required.
Chief goal – regaining weight
Treatment begins with restoring the body to the ideal weight for the person’s height and age and returning it to a nourished state. This might include a feeding tube. Specialized meal plans target daily calorie intake goals. As part of the treatment, tests can be done to best create a diet suited to the amount of energy a person’s body needs.
Talk Therapy
Medications
Medications like antidepressants may be prescribed to treat co-occurring mental disorders like anxiety or depression, but currently there are no approved medications for the direct treatment of anorexia.
Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa & Warning Signs:
People with anorexia nervosa usually try to prevent weight gain or to induce weight loss by one or more of the following methods:
Because of measures some people take to conceal the condition, it can be a challenge to correctly identify anorexia, but some of the following are potential indicators:
-
Behavioral and emotional symptoms or signs:
-
Physical symptoms or signs
Causes of Anorexia Nervosa:
The precise cause of anorexia nervosa is not known, but there can be a predisposition to it based on a person’s genetics, personality, and environment.
Risk factors for Anorexia Nervosa:
Factors that can render an individual at increased risk of developing anorexia nervosa are:
Anorexia Nervosa Complications:
Anorexia nervosa has the highest rate of mortality of any psychiatric disorder, and multiple body functions can be irreversibly damaged even if the person recovers.
The complications of anorexia nervosa include:
If a person with anorexia becomes severely malnourished, every organ in the body can be damaged, including the brain, heart and kidneys. This damage may not be fully reversible, even when the anorexia is under control.
In addition to the physical and medical issues that could develop, individuals with anorexia may also experience additional mental disorders including:
Diagnosing Anorexia Nervosa:
When diagnosing anorexia nervosa, a person’s doctor will run various exams and tests to eliminate other possible causes for weight loss, as well as screen for complications, before confirming the diagnosis.
Tests and exams typically include lab work, a physical exam, and a psychological self-assessment questionnaire such as the SCOFF questionnaire — to assess elements related to eating habits and feelings and thoughts related to eating and appearance.
The SCOFF questionnaire can be administered by nonprofessionals to screen for the possible presence of an eating disorder, and SCOFF stands for the following questions:
S – Do you make yourself SICK when you feel uncomfortably full?
C – Do you worry you have lost CONTROL over how much you eat?
O – Have you recently lost more than 14 lbs. in weight within the last three months?
F – Do you believe yourself to be FAT when others say you are too thin?
F – Would you say that FOOD dominates your life?
If a person answers yes to at least two of the above questions, this may indicate they have anorexia nervosa.
Additional studies. Because of the side effects of being malnourished, it could be necessary to do X-rays (and or electrocardiograms) to look for heart issues, pneumonia, and broken or fractured bone, or to determine bone density.
Body mass index (BMI) is used by the American Psychiatry Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Edition 5 (DSM-5) as an indicator of the level of severity of anorexia nervosa.
Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa:
Treatment for anorexia nervosa may include professionals from a number of different specialties including mental health providers, dieticians, and doctors working together to form the best treatment plan. Gaining support from family often proves to be a significant contributor to the success of a treatment plan.
Hospitalization – For those at significant risk from electrolyte disorders, cardiac arrhythmias, malnutrition, dehydration, or psychiatric issues, treatment in a hospital or a psychiatric ward may be required.
Depending on the severity of the case, the doctor will determine if specialized treatment can be done in a day center or if longer-term residential treatment is required.
Chief goal – regaining weight
Treatment begins with restoring the body to the ideal weight for the person’s height and age and returning it to a nourished state. This might include a feeding tube. Specialized meal plans target daily calorie intake goals. As part of the treatment, tests can be done to best create a diet suited to the amount of energy a person’s body needs.
Talk Therapy
Medications
Medications like antidepressants may be prescribed to treat co-occurring mental disorders like anxiety or depression, but currently there are no approved medications for the direct treatment of anorexia.