Anorexia Nervosa PDF

ANOREXIA: Psychological disorder- loss of appetite  Slimming disease  Voluntary starvation emaciation  Low BMI  Obsessive about weight loss and weight loss of viewed as a sign of achievement and self – discipline  Weight gain= loss of self- cont...

ANOREXIA: Psychological disorder- loss of appetite  Slimming disease  Voluntary starvation emaciation  Low BMI  Obsessive about weight loss and weight loss of viewed as a sign of achievement and self – discipline  Weight gain= loss of self- control  Usually affect women and begins during adolescence and early adulthood  Not really about food but emotional issues Definition: A condition of voluntary starvation and emaciation. Obsessive about weight loss and weight loss is seen as a sign of achievement and self-discipline. Anorexic behavior and characteristics: 1. Weight loss due to: ( leading to a loss of 85% of normal weight for the persons age and height)  Vomiting –food leaves the body before it has been digested and height  Laxatives  Diet pills  Starvation  Excessive exercise  Weighing kilojoules  Secrecy and denial  Restricted food intake 2. Distorted body image:  Think they are fat and see themselves as fat  Wear baggy clothes  Intense fear of gaining weight  Refusal to eat  Lying about amount of food consumed  3. Act Differently  Moody or depressed  Not sociable  Refusal to eat  Irritable  Lack of emotion  Hunger denial  Obsessive about food and weigh themselves continuously 3. Signs and symptoms  Dry brittle skin and hair excessive weightless=excessive thinness  Abnormal blood count = dizziness and fainting  Low blood pressure  Irregular heart beat  Sleeplessness=fatigue  Fingers turn blue = sensitivity to cold  Fine downy hair develops on the body: lanugo  Cold feet and hands  Heart problems  Constipation  Osteoporosis  Dental problems  Dehydration  Amenorrhea- missing at least three consecutive periods which can in the long term lead to infertility and osteoporosis due to lack of estrogen levels BIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENTAL GENETIC Obsessive-compulsive Society emphasise the PREDISPOSITION some personality able to importance of a thin people may have a stick to a strict diet & body. genetic tendency refuse food even when towards perfectionism, hungry. Media constantly uses sensitivity & thin models / actresses perseverance. Extreme perfectionist / actors. = never believe they Serotonin (chemical are thin enough. Success & self-worth substance often equated with in the brain) may play Have a poor self- thinness. a role – image – low self- depression. esteem. Peer pressure can encourage the desire to be thin.  Bullying Treatment: 1. It may involve medication – antidepressants 2. Regain healthy weight – dietician draft a healthy eating plan. 3. Hospitalisation to begin the re-feeding process.  This may also be necessary to treat arrhythmia, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance or psychological problems.  Energy intake must be gradually increased while energy expenditure must be minimized. 4. Counselling - specialist help from doctors, dieticians, psychologists, family and friends  psychological & emotional causes must be treated. 5. Stick to the therapy plan do not skip therapy sessions and do not deviate from the eating plan. 6. Join a support group – Eating disorders South Africa (EDSA).  Increase calcium intake to prevent osteoporosis Bulimia Nervosa Potentially life-threatening eating disorder Repeated episodes of binge eating ( large amounts within 2 hr. period ) followed by behavior aimed to prevent weight gain Two ways of preventing weight gain: 1. Person frequently vomits or misuses after bingeing –purging 2. The person uses other ways of getting rid of kilojoules to avoid gaining weight e.g. fasting Causes:  Usually dissatisfied with their body image –low self-esteem  Obsessive about their weight and build and blame themselves for faults they see in themselves   Emotional ( depression, stress) health and social expectations can increase the risk Symptoms and behavior of Bulimic 1. Distorted body image – obsession with weight and build. 2. Binging, but the person does not gain weight – fear of gaining weight. 3. Feel out of control with respect to eating habits. 4. Eat to the point of discomfort or pain – bingeing. 5. The person goes to the bathroom after meals – vomiting, misuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas after eating. 6. Use of dietary supplements or herbal products to lose weight. 7. The person’s teeth are eroded – acid dissolves tooth enamel. 8. Sore throat, swollen salivary glands, tired. 9. Kidney problems and oedema. 10. Muscle weakness, constipation and headaches due to loss of sodium and chloride when vomiting. 11. The person is anxious. 12. You get the feeling that the person is hiding something (covering up). Treatment 1. Assistance from a psychologist/ psychiatrist:  Replace unhealthy, negative beliefs and behaviour with positive ones.  Teaches behavioural skills to deal with stress, to control emotions & to develop good relationships.  Helps the family to support the bulimic person. 2. Eating balanced meals (Dietician) – sufficient CHO, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals  Maintaining a healthy body weight & obtaining information about a healthy body weight.  Low GI foods make a person feel fuller for longer 3. Medication – the right antidepressant together with psychotherapy may help to reduce the symptoms of bulimia. 4. 80% of people do recover from bulimia Identifying binge eaters 1. Feel that their eating is out of control. 2. Eat too much and too quickly. 3. Eat until they feel extremely uncomfortable. 4. Eat a lot even when they are not hungry. 5. Eat alone, where no one can see them, because they 6. are ashamed of the amount they eat. 7. Feel ashamed and disgusted with themselves after a binge (self- loathing). 8. Feel guilty or depressed after an eating binge. Bulimics may run the risk of developing: 1. High blood pressure 2. Diabetes 3. High blood cholesterol levels 4. Gall bladder trouble 5. Heart disease 6. Certain types of cancer 7. Purging can lead to serious dehydration 8. Vomiting =tooth decay –sore throat, broken blood 9. Misuse of diuretics can create water retention 10. Abuse of laxatives and enemas = chronic constipation