ANOREXIA NERVOSA

By Khalfi Anas and Maiocchi Isabella

 Introduction
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder in which a person intentionally limits the intake of food or
beverage because of a strong drive for thinness and an intense fear of gaining weight.

● It’s usually characterized by severely restricting the amount of food you eat and exercising
excessively.
● Anorexia isn't really about food. It's an extremely unhealthy way to try to cope with emotional
problems. When you have anorexia, you often equate thinness with self-worth.

STATISTICAL DATA:

● people affected are 95 %women

● Anorexia mainly affects girls 13 to 17 years old although there are more and more cases of
children (as early as 8 to 9 years old) and also cases affecting adults over 40.
● the mortality rate from anorexia nervosa is the highest among psychological illnesses and is
over 10 %
 CAUSES
The cause of anorexia nervosa is rarely about food or weight but rather a combination between biological,
psychological and environmental factors

BIOLOGICAL PSYICHOLOGICAL ENVIROMENTAL

● Genetic factors may contribute ● Past traumas if there are unresolved ● Cultural and society that glorify
between 40% and 60% of the feelings from the experience which thinness and place value on
responsibility to anorexia nervosa. are not appropriately dealt with. obtaining the “perfect body”

● having a family member with an ● Perfectionis ● Peer pressure ( being bullied

eating disorder
● Studies of twins have shown a
higher rate of eating disorders
when they are identical
about your appearance)
● Profession that focus on body
● Obsessive personality
shape and size.
● anxiety disorders

● autistic features ● history of dieting or other

weight-control methods
 SYMPTONS
Physical
The physical signs and symptoms of anorexia nervosa
are related to starvation:
● Extreme weight loss or not making expected
developmental weight gains
● Thin appearance
● Abnormal blood counts
● Fatigue
● Insomnia
● Dizziness or fainting
● Absence of menstruation
● Constipation and abdominal pain
Emotional
Behavioral symptoms may include
● Severely restricting food intake
● Exercising excessively
● Not wanting to eat in public
● Frequently skipping meals or refusing to eat
● Denial of hunger or making excuses for not eating
● Eating only a few certain "safe" foods, usually those low in fat
and calories
● Adopting rigid meal or eating rituals, such as spitting food out
after chewing
● Preoccupation with food, which sometimes includes cooking
elaborate meals for others but not eating them
● Lying about how much food has been eaten
 HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANOREXIA?
It’s hard to diagnose anorexia especially in the earlier stage because at first there may be a feeling of
empowerment which allows you to believe that have control over a traumatic situation.

➔ You can try to figure it out by asking yourself these question:

1. Do you constantly think about food?
2. Do you avoid eating when you are hungry?
3. Do you focus on eating “diet foods?”
4. Are you terrified of gaining weight?
5. Do you lie about how much you eat or hide your eating habits from others?
6. Are your friends or family concerned about your weight loss, eating habits, or appearance?
7. Do you diet, compulsively exercise, or purge when you're feeling overwhelmed or bad about yourself?
8. Do you feel powerful or in control when you go without food, over-exercise
9. Do you base your self-worth on your weight or body size?
 TREATMENTS
Treatment for anorexia usually involves a combination of talking therapy and supervised weight gain.

➔ MEDICINE: antidepressant are usually used in combination with therapy or to help manage other conditions
(such as anxiety depression and social phobia)
➔ DIET: Doctors typically advised to take vitamin and mineral supplements.

Treatment for anorexia is slightly different for adults and those under 18 years:

ADULTS CHILDREN/YOUNG PEOPLE

● Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) ● Family therapy

● Maudsley Anorexia Nervosa ● Adolescent-focused psychotherapy.

Treatment for Adults (MANTRA)
● Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
● Focal psychodynamic therapy
 RESULTS OF TREATMENTS
➔ Recovery rates after 1-2 years are between from 13 to 50%

➔ 20–30% of anorexia nervosa patients develop a persistent and sometimes life-long form of the
illness (often punctuated by a series of unsuccessful treatments)

There are a few factors that are associated with a good outcome of the disorder:

● short duration of illness

● age of onset in adolescence
● absence of serious medical complications
● absence of elimination behaviors
 HOW TO HELP SOMEONE WITH ANOREXIA

Set a positive Share stories from other

Support their recovery
example people
Avoid discussing weight, It can be really helpful to read It will take a long time but
shape, food, and diets in front stories especially for those who are don’t demand progress
of them ready to think about recovery.

1 2 3 4 5

Try to speak to them Encourage them to seek for help

People with eating disorders are The longer anorexia stay
often afraid to ask for help untreated the more
difficult it is to overcome it
“ANOREXIA MY EX BEST FRIENDS”
● <<I met anorexia when I was 13 years old. She was amazing>>

● <<They didn’t understand the unique bond we had and that anorexia was
there for me. They didn’t understand that she was the one person in life
that I could completely rely on.>>

● <<All up until my heart nearly stopped. >>

● <<Anorexia had turned me into a nasty selfish person.>>

● <<Anorexia will lie to you, tell you that you aren’t sick, tell you that you will
only get value from anorexia but this is a lie>>

● <<A year of treatment in hospital was hard work, intense but it helped. I
learned the importance of eating. I learned why I wanted to stay well and I
taught myself the power of talking about how I feel.>
Article:
https://sossafetymagazine.com/health-and-well-being/anorexia-my-ex-best-friend-a-survivors-story/