Anorexia nervosa is a psychological disorder in which a patient has a distorted body image and an irrational fear of becoming overweight; therefore, they deliberately try to lose weight.
Anorexia is of two types: purging type of anorexia and Restricting type of anorexia.
(a) Purging type of anorexia: Body weight is reduced due to vomiting or by taking laxatives.
(b) Restricting type of Anorexia: Due to restricting calories, individual’s body weight is lost.
Causes of anorexia: There may be various factors, and some of them are mentioned below:
Social Factors: Social pressures to remain thin can lead to anorexia. If an individual wants to participate in gymnastics or modeling, these professions demand to remain thin. In some cases, parents criticize their children’s bodies and appearance. This act of parents can lead the children towards anorexia.
Biological factors: Biological factors are also cause of anorexia. If a female with anorexia has an offspring, that offspring is many times more likely to develop anorexia.
Psychological factors: The affected people with anorexia are usually perfectionists. They do what they are told. They excel in every thing they do and focus themselves on pleasing others. But on the other hand they feel helpless inadequate and valueless. They never feel good enough.
Symptoms of Anorexia
1. The individuals with anorexia are usually afraid of gaining weight.
2. They follow dieting strictly despite being thin. They eat only-calorie foods. They avoid taking fats and carbohydrates in their diet.
3. Such individuals just pretend to eat. They hide or throw away food to avoid eating. They make excuses to get out of meals. They can be heard of saying that they had a huge lunch or dinner or they are having some digestive problems.
4. The individual also with anorexia usually refuse to eat in public places or party. If they eat, they eat in ritualistic ways e.g., chewing food and spitting it out etc.
5. There is a rapid and drastic weight loss of the affected individual without any medial cause. The weight loss may be up to 15 percent of body weight.
6.Such individuals have a feeling of fat however they are underweight. They have a feelingthat they have excess fat deposited on their abdomen, hips and thighs.
7.The affected individuals with anorexia usually take diet pill, laxatives or diuretics. At any cost they remain eager to reduce their body weight.
8.They want to burn their calories more and more. Hence they do excessive exercise. Even when they are injured or ill, they definitely continue their exercise programme.
Prevention of Anorexia
Following points can be taken care of for prevention of anorxia:
1. They should say no to teasing or the teenagers should have concept that it is wrong to say hurtful things about another children’s body sizes.
2. Fitness comes in all sizes. We must provide the knowledge to children about their genetics and body size.
3. Stay away from the persons, places and activities which are related to anorexia.
Management and Treatment of Anorexia
For proper management and treatment the following points should be followed:
1. Generally there are no medicines to treat anorexia effectively. However, antidepressants can help in treating other mental disorders such as depression or anxiety which are related to anorexia.
2. Realize it that you have a problem of anorexia. Admit it that your relentless pursuit of thinness is out of your control.
3. Individual psychotherapy can provide help to the affected person in dealing with the behavior and thoughts that lead to anorexia. He can gain a healthier self-esteem and learn positive ways to cope up with distress.
