Eating Disorders: Understanding Risk Factors

Treatment approaches helping individuals with eating disorders modify behaviors and thought patterns regarding food and body image.

A type of therapy for eating disorders that focuses on changing problematic behaviors related to eating.

A therapy that helps individuals with eating disorders retrain their thinking about food and body image.

Therapy for eating disorders addressing emotional regulation and helping patients accept their feelings, using reward systems.

To restore psychological well-being and emotional balance in a patient experiencing a crisis.

An emotional response triggered by frustration, threats to needs (emotional or physical), or challenges.

A goal-oriented action, verbal or physical, stemming from anger. It may threaten self or others.

Stages of escalating anxiety and loss of control from normal stress to severe crisis. (Normal, Rising Anxiety, Severe Anxiety, Crisis).

Factors that increase the likelihood of developing an eating disorder, including genetics, serotonin deficits, sociocultural influences, previous trauma, and past mental health disorders.

Observable changes in eating behaviors, obsessions, and functional changes related to eating disorders, like eating in private, strict eating rules, calorie counting, and preoccupation with body weight.

Obvious weight changes, secretive eating, excessive exercising, and preoccupation with body image, which can signal an underlying eating disorder.

Physical consequences of eating disorders, including electrolyte imbalances, heart and kidney failure, digestion issues, and various medical problems like osteoporosis, dental erosion, and thyroid dysfunction.

An eating disorder characterized by self-induced starvation, extremely low BMI, and a distorted body image.

An eating disorder involving binge eating followed by purging behaviors, such as vomiting, using laxatives, or diuretics.

An eating disorder marked by consuming a huge amount of food with no purging behaviors, which often results in weight gain.

Eating disorder with inflexible food choices caused by strong sensory aversion or fear of certain foods.

An eating disorder marked by an obsession with 'clean' or 'healthy' foods.

A potentially dangerous eating disorder where people with diabetes avoid or reduce their insulin intake to lose weight.

An eating disorder characterized by eating non-nutritive, non-food items.

An eating disorder where a person repeatedly chews, swallows, or spits out regurgitated food.

Physical symptoms resulting from starvation, like low blood pressure, low heart rate, or decreased bone density.

Physical symptoms of binge-purge cycles, like dental erosion and electrolyte imbalances.

Physical symptoms resulting from excessive weight gain, such as hypertension and joint discomfort.

Disruptions in thinking, feeling, and acting, impacting daily life and relationships. Often includes psychosis, meaning a disconnection from reality, with hallucinations and/or delusions.

Diagnosed typically between ages 16-30, requiring two or more symptoms for at least one month, with overall disturbances for six months. Significant impairment in daily functioning (self-care, work, relationships) is also key.

Past violence (victim or witness), low self-esteem, poor coping skills, lack of positive role models, and past bad childhood experiences.

Inability to control impulses, difficulty understanding consequences, and lack of remorse.

Prioritize talking to the patient (verbal de-escalation), offering choices, setting limits, and understanding the person's feelings and needs. Safety for all is key.

Strategies to manage anger without medication, focusing on helping the person understand and cope with their feelings.

A clinical presentation, not a diagnosis, characterized by disconnection from reality, often with hallucinations and/or delusions.

Medication and physical restraints are only used when verbal de-escalation fails. The assessment should occur frequently.

A diagnosis of schizophrenia requires persistent symptoms for at least 6 months, including hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, negative symptoms, and cognitive impairment. The symptoms must not be caused by substance abuse or medical conditions.

Positive symptoms of schizophrenia involve an excess or distortion of normal functions, including hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized speech.

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia involve a decrease or loss of normal functions, including decreased motivation, interest, speech, and grooming.

Cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia involve problems with thinking, memory, and attention, often leading to difficulty concentrating, slowed thinking, and impaired memory.

First-generation antipsychotics work by blocking dopamine receptors in the brain. They are effective for positive symptoms but can cause extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) like Parkinsonism, akathisia, tardive dyskinesia, and acute dystonia.

Second-generation antipsychotics are a newer class of medications that work on both dopamine and serotonin receptors. They are generally more effective for both positive and negative symptoms, with fewer EPS and a lower risk of relapse.

Nurses play a vital role in schizophrenia care, focusing on establishing therapeutic relationships, ensuring a safe environment, early detection of psychosis, assessment, stabilization, and acute phase management.

Cluster A personality disorders are characterized by odd or eccentric behaviors, including paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders.

Cluster B personality disorders are characterized by dramatic, emotional, or erratic behaviors, including antisocial, borderline, narcissistic, and histrionic personality disorders.

Cluster C personality disorders are characterized by anxious or fearful behaviors, including avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders.

Risk factors for personality disorders include genetic predispositions and environmental influences such as neglect, abuse, and trauma.

Treatment goals for personality disorders vary depending on the specific disorder and individual needs. However, common goals include improving relationships, reducing emotional distress, enhancing coping skills, and addressing specific behaviors.

The nursing process, which includes assessment, diagnosis, planning, interventions, and evaluation, is crucial for providing comprehensive care to individuals with personality disorders.

Medications like SSRIs, SNRIs, and benzodiazepines are often used to manage the symptoms of personality disorders, particularly anxiety and mood swings.

Treatment for personality disorders is ongoing and may include periods of relapse. However, with consistent care and support, individuals can learn to manage their symptoms and improve their overall quality of life.