Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is a mental condition as well eating disorder. People having anorexia nervosa are very much concerned about the weight. So they have very restricted and controlled in take of food. People having anorexia nervosa starve to lose weight as:

they have a feeling of being overweight
they fear they will become fat.
they wish to become thin.

People suffering from this condition try to avoid food and even get rid of the food they had by vomitting.

Anorexia nervosa is usually found in girls and women. It usually starts developing in the mid teens.

This condition can upset both the person who suffers this as well as those who are very close to the person.

If not treated properly, this can cause threat to life, This can be treated by combining with advice for a healthy eating and psychological treatment.

Symptoms

People tend to lose weight deliberately by

• under eating
• over exercising
  and
• making oneself vomit

They may get rid of the food as soon as they have it by

• leaving immediately after eating
• making themselves vomit by putting fingers into the throat

They also try getting rid of what they ate by using diuretics or laxatives.

• Even though these people like food, they feel it will add up their weight. They
  show that
• by lying that they already ate
• by giving excuses for not eating
• lying that they have lost weight by starving earlier
• spending time on reading recipies and cookery books
• People with anorexia nervosa have low self confidence and low self esteem. They keep a distant relationship with friends and family members. They lose concentration from the work and regular activities.

People suffering from this state have

• sparse pubic hair
• increase in facial hair
• lanugo grows on the body
• irregular heartbeat
• abdominal pain
• constipation
• bloating up
• oedema in face and limbs
• feeling fatigue
• hypotension
• hypothermia
  and
• dizziness

Causes

Some causes are:

• previous obesity
• low self esteem
• depression
• history of eating disorders in family
• perfectionism
• sexual abuse
• physical abuse
• bereavement
• divorce
• high stress
• puberty
• strained relationships in family.

Treatment

Treatment for this condition include

• advising on diet, nutrition and eating
• psychological treatment

Drugs are prescribed for the other symptoms like vomitting that are associated with anorexia nervosa. The person will be asked to stop the usage of laxatives and diuretics slowly.

The patient is advised and helped to gain the normal weight under supervision, by eating more healthy food to increase the nutrient quantity.

In some cases psychological treatment may be required. Those include:

• Cognitive analytic therapy
• Interpersonal therapy
• Cognitive behavioural therapy
• focal psychodynamic therapy.

Complications

• cardiovascular ailments
• arrhythmia
• coronary heart disease
• hypotension
• anaemia
• hyponatraemia
• hypokalaemia
• anaemia
• hypoglycaemia
• osteoporosis
• low libido in men
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