It can be hard to watch a person with an eating disorder. It's hard to understand why they harm themselves in this way. A lot of people have been in this situation.
People with an eating disorder try to keep their weight low by not eating enough and exercising too much. They think they are overweight when they are actually not. They can experience health problems if they don't get enough food.
There is a mental illness called Anorexia nervosa. According to a review in the Current Opinion in Psychiatry, people who experience this eating disorder are five times more likely to die. The mortality rate of mental illnesses is higher than that of Anorexia nervosa.
There are a lot of factors that can lead to an eating disorder. There isn't a single approach that can cure it. We talked to mental health experts about the causes, symptoms and treatment options for an eating disorder. You need to speak to a doctor if you or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder.
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Anoremia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by weight loss, difficulties maintaining an appropriate body weight, and distorted body image. People with an eating disorder are usually driven by a fear of gaining weight, which makes them restrict calories and the types of food they eat.
The act of making themselves vomit or using laxatives is one of the things that some people with this eating disorder do. Women are more likely to suffer from Anorexia nervosa. Up to 4% of women and 3% of men are affected by it according to the Current Opinion in Psychiatry.
Anoremia nervosa isn't really about food according to the Mayo Clinic. Anorexia is a way of dealing with emotional issues. Thinness is seen as a sign of control by people with an eating disorder. You can't tell if a person is struggling with an eating disorder by looking at them. A person with an eating disorder doesn't need to be very thin. Studies have shown that larger-bodied individuals can suffer from an eating disorder, although they may be less likely to be diagnosed and treated. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders includes atypical Anorexia as a separate disease.
Dr. Mistry is a consultant in eating disorders at Cygnet Health Care. Anorexia nervosa is a complex illness that is related to a variety of factors. We try to explore potential external triggers, genetic risk and circumstances that have influenced this dangerous, restrictive way of food consumption when formulating a patient's illness.
Dr Beivide is a PhD in psychology and a specialist in eating disorders at Holly Health. A combination of these factors will determine whether or not someone develops an eating disorder.
Some individuals are more likely to develop an eating disorder. According to a review published in the Current Psychiatry Reports, people with this eating disorder may have malfunctioning genes. Serotonin is often missing in people with depression and anxiety.
According to Beivide, up to 75% of cases of Anorexia nervosa are accompanied by other mental health disorders. There is a strong link between anxiety disorders and an eating disorder. Scientists from the Clinical Psychology Review think it's related to body Dysmorphic disorder. There is growing evidence that people on the Autistic spectrum are more likely to develop an eating disorder.
The beginning of this disease may be triggered by childhood trauma. Those with a positive family history of eating disorder and those who experienced significant stressors during critical development stages of their life are more likely to suffer from eating disorders.
Social situations can be affected by traumatic events. According to a review published in the Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, women with an eating disorder are more likely to struggle with relationships and emotions. Not having a good support network is one of the contributing factors.
It is difficult to recover from Anorexia nervosa because it changes the way the brain works. Dr Green says that once an eating disorder is entrenched, it can alter the way in which individuals process information and this cognitive shift can drive behaviors that serve to keep the eating disorder going.
The reward center in the brain can be changed by an eating disorder. The results of magnetic resonance studies suggest that people with an eating disorder have abnormal brain activity. Changes to food avoidance behaviors may explain why so many sufferers return.
There are a number of physical signs of an eating disorder.
There are changes in behavior.
Adolescent women are more likely to suffer from Anorexia and bulimia. The conditions are related to body weight and body image. Anorexia and bulimia have similar symptoms, but their food related behaviors are different. They may have different causes.
People with bulimic tendencies will eat a lot of food and overcompensate by eating less. There are feelings of guilt and shame associated with this cycle. Depression and anxiety are associated with bulimia nervosa.
Anorexia nervosa requires a trained clinician to assess it. Mistry says this could be a trained physician. It is not solely based on low weight status but explores an individual's thoughts, behaviors and the impact this is having on daily function. This will be linked to physical health problems related to severe malnutrition.
A disturbed body image and extreme fear of food are some of the symptoms of an eating disorder. Patients with an eating disorder often show a variety of weight control behaviors.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is used to diagnose Anore nervosa. The following criteria are needed to be diagnosed with this eating disorder.
Individuals who meet the criteria for an eating disorder are not overweight. There is no difference between the two.
The need to recognize individual differences is pointed out by Green. She says that it is important to pay close attention to the individual experiences of each person rather than focusing on whether or not they fit in a box.
Long-term starvation depletes the body of essential nutrients, which can cause emaciation, electrolyte imbalances, and serious health consequences. These physical risks become irreversible as we lose the therapeutic window of opportunity. This will have a negative impact on the quality of life.
Starvation can be dangerous to the body's immune system. Anoremia can lead to the death of cells in the body. Young people who are still developing their bodies are more at risk of being chronically deficient in nutrition. Adolescents are at a higher risk of irreversible bone loss, organ failures and brain volume deficits according to a review published in the current opinion in pediatrics.
Dehydration causes problems with learning and decision making, according to a review published in the Nutrients journal. It makes a person more anxious and makes them process emotions in a different way.
Anorexia nervosa can cause long-term damage to the GI tract. Abbas Kanani, a pharmacist at Chemist Click, says that the repeated acts of purging can cause dehydration, damage the endocrine glands, and interfere with digestion. Shrinking of the stomach is one of the consequences of low food volume. People with this eating disorder report a lot of symptoms. The amount of goodbacteria in the gut can be reduced by an eating disorder.
There are many patients with an eating disorder who have cardiovascular problems. Kanani says that a lack of nutrition in the body can cause the heart and blood vessels to fail, making you more prone to low blood pressure, heart failure and swelling in the face, hands and feet.
Changes to the structure and functioning of the heart muscle are revealed inechocardiography studies. According to the International Journal of Eating Disorders, eating disorders can cause disrupted heart rate and altered blood flow.
There is a loss of muscle and bone tissue. It makes muscles less able to function. Osteoporosis is one of the most dangerous consequences of eating disorders. According to a review published in the Eating Disorders journal, bones may never recover once weight is regained.
Talking therapy and supervised weight gain are usually used to treat Anorexia nervosa. Some patients may be prescribed drugs to control their moods. Slow and gradual re-introduction of food is needed to avoid the re-feeding syndrome. Changes in hormones and metabolism can be dangerous to health.
There are many different ways to treat an eating disorder. According to the journal, children and adolescents benefit most from family-based interventions. According to a review published in the Current Opinion in Psychiatry, adults tend to respond better to treatments such as cognitive behavior therapy-Enhanced and specialist supportive clinical management.
Deep Brain Stimulation is being looked into for the most severe cases of Anorexia. According to an article in the British Journal of Neurosurgery, this technique can help with anxiety and can increase the chance of recovery.
The article is not meant to give medical advice.
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