What diseases do anorexics suffer from? Causes of anorexia in women - what is the trigger for the onset of anorexia? How do people get anorexia? Causes

Today, one of the serious diseases that worries specialists is various fields activities, including medicine, psychology, sociology, is anorexia.

The topic really worries many, making them worry about the future of their children and mental health society as a whole.

Today we will talk about this disease: what it is, what are its first signs, what should parents who are faced with pay attention to? similar problem.

Scale of the problem

Let's look at the statistics to see the scale of the problem:

For every 100 girls from developed countries, two suffer from anorexia;
in the USA, out of 5 million suffering girls, every 7th dies;
27% of girls aged 11-17 years in Germany are classified as anorexic;
The risk of anorexia in a family where there is a patient increases 8 times.

There are no statistics for Russia and Ukraine, but the hasty adoption of Western standards signals a negative outlook.

What is anorexia

Anorexia is a type of eating disorder. It involves a conscious, sustainable, purposeful desire to lose weight.

The result of this is complete exhaustion organism (cachexia), with possible death.

Anorexia is a very difficult phenomenon to define, in which physical and mental disorders are closely intertwined; many researchers have been trying to find the root cause of the disease for many years. This disease should not be confused with, there are differences between them.

It is important not to confuse concepts and not to generalize this disease with the desire of mentally healthy people to lose a couple of extra pounds in adequate ways.

The diagnosis of anorexia informs that the topic of losing weight occupies a dominant position in the worldview of an individual, all of whose activities are aimed at achieving the goal of “losing weight in any way.”

As a rule, there is no need to talk about achieving perfection; only death can “calm down” a potential patient if the necessary measures are not taken.

This disorder (condition, disease), interpret it as you wish, is widespread among girls puberty.

However, cases of the disease have also been reported in women in more mature age and in men, who will be discussed below.

Case history, first mention of anorexia

Schematically, several characteristic stages in the study of anorexia can be distinguished:

Late 19th – early 20th centuries. The phenomenon of schizophrenia attracted the attention of medicine and it was suggested that anorexia was one of the first signs of this disease.
1914 - anorexia was defined as an endocrine disease, and its close connection with Simmonds' disease (hormonal disruptions in brain structures) was determined.
30 - 40s of the 20th century. It was decided to consider anorexia as a psychiatric disease. However, there is still no clearly developed theory that would explain the reasons that trigger the mechanism for the development of the disease.

IN last years The problem of anorexia in teenage girls is becoming more common, and researchers report that the number of reported cases would be higher if patients with mild form a disease that is no less dangerous.

To say that anorexia is exclusively female disease it would be incorrect. By 1970, the literature described 246 specifically male cases.

In the male version, the nature of the disease is somewhat different.

In most cases, the patient has a schizophrenic relative, and the anorexia itself developing in the man’s body triggered the mechanism of schizophrenic illness, often with delusional ideas.

Consequences of the disease in men:

decreased activity;
autism (withdrawal);
rude attitude towards loved ones;
alcoholism;
photograph symptom (patients stubbornly refuse to be photographed, even for a passport, because of their defect);
disturbances in thinking are observed (there is an obvious inexplicable slipping from topic to topic).

Usually in childhood such boys were plump, in physical development lagged behind their peers, for which the latter reproached them.

They were overly fixated on thoughts about their excess fatness and took action.

Predisposition to disease

Here we will consider at what age there is a greater predisposition to the disease in girls and women, the problems of anorexia in girls in adolescence.

In most cases, the disease affects girls who are going through puberty.

This puberty period covers the age from 12-16 years in girls and from 13-17(18) years in boys.

Peculiarity puberty, regardless of gender, is characterized by the fact that the teenager’s attention is focused on his appearance.

During this period, many physiological processes occur that disrupt the harmony of appearance.

At the same time, the psyche of this period directs the teenager’s thoughts into the sphere of self-knowledge, the development of self-esteem in connection with the opinions of others.

At this stage, adolescents are very sensitive to third-party assessments and statements in their direction from reference group of people. That is, people who are of significant importance in the child’s perception, and whose opinion is very significant for them.

Accordingly, a careless joke can give rise to a teenager’s enormous worries about his own significance, reasonableness, and attractiveness.

Since girls are more susceptible to the topic of appearance, they are hostages of self-depleting ideas.

At the same time, the girl perceives slight excess weight either on an exaggerated scale or completely far-fetchedly, and as a result, painful thoughts fill all the hours that could be occupied with developmental activities.

The perception of her body changes dramatically - a girl weighing 38 kilograms “really” feels like 80 of herself.

Naturally, no arguments from loved ones can change this. A mirror reflecting what the girl thinks is an ugly body is becoming worst enemy.

Many researchers agree on the idea that the prerequisite for the development of thoughts about one’s own “ugliness” in a child is formed by parents in early childhood.

When food becomes the main instrument of reward/punishment, the girl develops the idea that food is a kind of trophy that she can reward herself with in the future.

However, social standards, which parents agree with, do not welcome “fat” people. The child cannot understand this duality and, feeling guilty, seeks ways to resolve this already intrapersonal conflict.

General risk factors

Considering anorexia as a disease that has worsened in the 21st century, several important socio-cultural points should be noted.

1. The influence of Western canons of beauty.

Mostly teenage girls, who have not decided on the image in which they want to present themselves to others, strive to find a suitable format.

Opening the magazine, looking up at the billboard, the teenager sees an emaciated, beautiful girl, whom many admire, and makes a decision.

Just who would have told her that the model is also a hostage to the life situation.

2. Accelerated emancipation of women.

Appearance A girl who wants to occupy leadership positions in the future must still correspond to society’s formed ideas about a leader.

Female version Such an image today includes: a fit, somewhat emaciated figure, the appropriate condition of the skin of the face and hair, high-quality appropriate makeup, a consistent style of clothing and behavior.

3. Economic and cultural level of development of the country.

Anorexia is a disease of developed countries. The starving countries of Africa do not know such a problem, since the thoughts of these people are occupied with everyday issues:

how to earn more money;
how to feed yourself and your family.

And not to think that I should (should) conform to something or, even worse, refuse food that is already on the table. Such people are more down to earth and, probably, this is their salvation.

Determining risk factors

Now we move on to the more determining factors of anorexia: family microclimate and special personal characteristics that predispose a girl to this state of the body.

Childhood experiences in a person's life have a dominant influence throughout life.

Many researchers and practitioners agree that many mental illnesses are the result of a dysfunctional family situation, including schizophrenia, neurotic disorders, and depressive-manic predisposition.

Anorexia is no exception. Without insisting on the truth of the descriptions of family members of anorexic girls, through long studies of patients, following features their parents.

The mother of such a girl is usually despotic, with her dominant position she deprives the child of all initiative and constantly suppresses his will.

Usually such women hide their desire for self-affirmation behind their hyper-concern. They, having not realized themselves in their time, try to make up for lost time at the expense of their family members.

At the same time, they have sufficient energy reserves and emotional strength, which has such a terrifying effect on the “victims”.

The spouses of such wives, respectively the fathers of the girls, play secondary roles.

They usually have passive characteristics:

not active;
lack of sociability;
gloominess.

Some researchers define them as “tyrants.” However, there are also oppressive fathers, as part of this disease, who play an overly active role in the child’s life and his treatment system.

In conclusion of this subsection, it must be said that often a child, seeing a dysfunctional situation in the family, from childhood tries in every possible way to normalize the relationship between parents.

Often this method is “the child going into illness.” According to the logic of a child’s still immature consciousness, parents will become one team in saving their child, they will forget grievances and complaints against each other, help the child and ultimately become a happy family.

In some families that reject both their own feelings and the experiences of other family members, food for the child becomes the main means of communication with parents, in particular with the mother, where love and respect can be expressed through an empty plate. Sad.

It seems very cruel to bring a child to such a selfless decision, because experience shows that family problems only get worse.

Girls as the main risk factor

It’s time to analyze the main character – a girl with anorexia.

What special qualities do they possess, what disorders characterized their childhood, what social status do they generally occupy?

From a psychological point of view, such a girl is endowed with the following characteristics:

obsessions exaggeration of one's own abilities;
emotional immaturity;
high degree of suggestibility;
dependence on parents;
hypersensitivity;
touchiness;
there is no desire for independence.

There is an opinion that anorexia is a “disease of excellent students.” Indeed, often such girls are very obedient, impetuous, and lack the spirit of rebellion.

According to the personal characteristics of girls susceptible to anorexia, they can be divided into three types:

Too sensitive, with a predominance of anxious, suspicious thoughts;
Girls with hysterical reactions;
Purposeful, they always strive for “first place.”

Talk to your child, actively listen to his problems and experiences. Perhaps you can stop the disease at an early stage.

The first signs of anorexia

This subsection should attract the attention of those people with whom the girl is in constant contact: parents and close friends.

Only a close, caring look from one of them can prevent a teenager from developing the disease.

The first signs of anorexia:

the girl spends more time in front of the mirror than usual;
the topics of her daily conversations are limited to issues of calories and unattractiveness;
frequent constipation and the desire to get rid of what you eat. This manifests itself in a long stay in the toilet;
increased interest in the parameters of female models and an unhealthy desire to find the ideal diet;
the nail plate becomes thinner, the teeth crumble and become sensitive;
hair may fall out;
crash occurs menstrual cycle;
emotional condition characterized by increased fatigue.

There is no need to sound the alarm if you find one of the listed signs; perhaps this indicates a completely different type of disease or a situational passing condition.

The first signs of the disease should be considered in their entirety.

Symptoms of the disease, how to diagnose

Many foreign and domestic psychiatrists and psychologists dealt with this issue and worked hard to reduce the symptoms to a single list.

We will present a generalized list of the brightest and significant symptoms.

They were developed primarily to avoid confusion, since anorexia is often seen as an addition to various other mental illnesses.

So, 5 main ones diagnostic symptoms diseases:

Refusal to eat;
A loss 10% body weight;
Amenorrhea (absence of menstruation), which lasts at least 3 months;
No signs of diseases such as schizophrenia, depression, organic lesions brain.
The disease should appear no later than 35 years of age.

Stages of the disease

Domestic scientists distinguish 3 stages of the disease, which are presented in order of deepening of the disease in the girl’s body.

Stage 1 - dysmorphophobic (lasts 2-3 years).

At this stage, the girl has a clear conviction, a logically justified attitude that her body is full.

Characteristics of the stage:

high sensitivity to the assessments of others;
cutting food into small pieces, chewing it for a long time;
Daytime fasting can be combined with nighttime overeating.

Stage 2 – dysmorphomanic.

At this stage, girls move on to active actions to reduce your weight:

they pretend to eat their food (in reality they spit it out, feed it to the dog, after eating the food they induce vomiting, etc.);
eagerly studying recipes various dishes while overfeeding loved ones;
When sleeping, lie down as high as possible awkward positions;
dependence on appetite-reducing pills develops;
drink a lot of coffee and smoke cigarettes to prevent sleep.

Stage 3 - cachectic.

The body is deeply exhausted:

the skin loses elasticity and flakes;
subcutaneous fat disappears;
there is a failure in the perception of their body (having lost half of their previous weight, they continue to perceive themselves as full);
deformation of the gastrointestinal tract;
pressure and temperature decrease.

Possible social consequences

Anorexia deprives a girl of many social roles.

Due to her emaciated state, she is unable to communicate with children. Marital relationships and communication with parents become conflict-ridden, since no one understands her experiences, everyone only wants to put her in the hospital.

Study and work become inaccessible, since all thoughts are occupied only with the problem of weight.

Being an excellent student in childhood, showing top scores, now she is incapable of creativity and abstract thinking.

The circle of acquaintances with anorexia has specific features. Basically, the girl refuses old friends and prefers to communicate with her friends due to, as it seems to us, misfortune.

There are entire groups on networks, entry to which is strictly limited. The main topic of discussion is calories, kilograms, etc.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW: What is the relationship between anorexia and.

Treatment of the disease

Many experts are unanimous that a person with anorexia should be isolated from early life, placed in a hospital setting, with rare visits from relatives.

In almost every developed country there is a specialized clinic for such patients, where they are under the supervision of professionals of various qualifications (nutritionist, physiologist, psychotherapist, psychiatrist, etc.).

Treatment within the hospital is carried out in two main stages:

1. The first stage is called “diagnostic”.

It lasts approximately 2-4 weeks. Its goal is to maximize weight restoration, eliminate mortal danger.

Here the emphasis is on psychotherapeutic influence: finding out the cause of the disease, understanding which methods of work are suitable for this particular patient.

During this period, the patient tries not to fix his attention only on food, his diet consists of high-calorie cocktails, he is given a free leisure schedule, and relaxation sessions are held before eating.

IN ideal, correctional work In parallel, it should be carried out with all family members.

It will be successful to use it, developed in Western countries and gaining momentum in our family therapy.

One of the areas of work in this case will be to develop in each family member a desire for emotional intimacy and to work with fear in this area.

Unfortunately, statistics show that for most patients, treatment does not have the desired effect. Many return to restrictive eating, and a small percentage of patients commit suicide.

The reason may lie in an incomplete course of treatment (many people can’t stand it and return to their previous lives).

There is evidence that therapy is more effective the earlier the disease began. Anorexia, which began in more than late age more difficult for therapeutic correction.

Treatment at home

In addition to inpatient treatment in a hospital, it is possible at home in the initial stages to redirect the girl’s condition away from painful condition.

What to pay attention to:

first of all, the girl and her family need to realize that something has gone wrong; Knowing about your deviation at the initial stage, you can jointly consciously try to find the cause and devote all your efforts to making it less noticeable;
area of interest. As a rule, when choosing this method of getting rid of excess weight as cleansing, a girl finds satisfaction of her needs in vomiting; it often becomes an end in itself. You need to find a suitable activity, directing energy in a direction that is interesting for the girl. Thus, devoting a lot of time to hobbies, she will gradually forget about vomiting, which previously brought her pleasure;
disorders of this kind do not appear in a healthy family environment. Parents should be more attentive and understand that the child wants to convey something to you in this way of behavior;
if there is a significant decrease in appetite, you can use high-calorie cocktails, as well as teas that will increase appetite;
It will be useful to play sports. Your body will acquire greater resistance to stress, and in addition, it will help you acquire the desired shape in a healthy way;
To relieve existing tension and anxiety, you can learn meditation and relaxation techniques yourself, using visual images.

And most importantly, despite external assessments, which may be caused by the momentary bad mood of the offender, the patient must understand that he is an individual.

He has specific external and internal traits and should not rush to conform himself to a social standard.

Need to go more complicated, but in an efficient way: independently evaluate your positive traits, direct energy into activities that are useful to him and develop, learning all the delights of the world.

Bottom line

To summarize, we can say that anorexia is a very dangerous, but treatable disease.

Here, a lot depends on how ready the person susceptible to the disease and the people around him are to realize this and prevent the occurrence of irreversible processes in the patient’s body that can lead to his death.

Anorexia, the symptoms and causes of which everyone should know, is a dangerous disease, most often caused by stereotypes modern society about the ideal figure, beauty in general. The disease in the vast majority of cases affects young girls, so it should be considered from this perspective. It is necessary to examine in more detail what signs can be used to identify anorexia, and to establish the causes of its occurrence.

1 Causes of anorexia

Anorexia is a disease in which, for some reason, the part of the brain that controls a person’s eating behavior malfunctions, resulting in a restriction of food intake to the point of complete refusal. Negative consequence This eating disorder is an uncontrolled decrease in body weight, leading to protein-energy deficiency and the appearance of various concomitant serious diseases of a mental, neurological, somatic, endocrine, and oncological nature. Often, particularly severe cases of anorexia end in death. It is very important to recognize fatal dangerous disease at an early stage and return a person to a full life.

The causes characteristic of anorexia should be named. All of them can be formed into several large groups:

medical;
psychological;
mental;
social.

The medical group of causes of anorexia includes some serious diseases internal organs, including a tumor of the hypothalamus, in which the human body is depleted due to disorders associated with the absorption of food.

U psychological anorexia the reasons have a slightly different direction. This may include:

problems communicating with others;
low self-esteem due to rejection of your body;
dissatisfaction in love;
perfectionism and many others.

The unformed personality of a teenager with a fragile psyche often falls into the web of illness.

The emergence and development of mental anorexia is facilitated by various disorders psyche: delusions, depression, schizophrenia, etc.

Causes of anorexia social sphere should be sought in society itself. Currently, concepts such as beauty and thinness are equated. The concept of beauty is constantly dependent on body weight. The image of an ideal figure measuring 90x60x90 is widely promoted by television, the Internet, and fashion magazines. Manifestations of anorexia are especially common in girls and young women who strive to lose weight and become as close as possible to their ideal.

2 Stages of the disease

Before considering the symptoms of the disease in detail, you should understand its stages. Scientists identify 3 main stages in the development of anorexia:

dysmorphophobic;
dysmorphomaniac;
cachectic.

The dysmorphophobic stage is the initial stage that a patient with anorexia goes through. She has thoughts about being overweight. It seems to her that others notice this and laugh at her, which makes her depressed. A patient with anorexia begins to lose weight by practicing all kinds of diets. But, unable to withstand the acute feeling of hunger, she often breaks down, emptying the refrigerator at night.

In the dysmorphomanic stage, a patient with anorexia is probably already confident in her obesity and dreams of an ideal figure. The depressive state is replaced by activity and readiness to fight extra pounds. The patient, secretly from others, uses various means: diets, fasting, physical activity, medications that suppress appetite. After a sudden breakdown, she can use cleansing enemas and artificial vomiting.

The cachectic stage threatens the patient with anorexia with death. Gradually she develops a persistent aversion to food. The body stops accepting any food. The patient's weight decreases by almost 2 times, but she does not notice it. Negative irreversible transformations begin in the body, and dystrophy of the most important organs develops. Blood pressure and body temperature drop, and the pulse slows down noticeably. Only an experienced psychiatrist can save the patient from imminent death.

3 Signs of the initial stage

It is very important not to miss the moment when anorexia begins. At this time, the patient's health suffered minor damage. Here, the main role in detecting the disease is given to relatives, friends, acquaintances, because the girl or woman herself does not admit the presence of the disease.

It is worth mentioning the first signs of anorexia, which should alert others. These include:

Fear of getting fat. The main topic of conversation for a patient with anorexia is the problem of excess weight and means of getting rid of it: all kinds of diets for weight loss, physical exercise, dietary supplements, etc.
Changing the way you eat. Can be used various variations food consumption: only vegetables and fruits, cut into small pieces, or only liquids, significant reduction in portions, etc.
The belief that you are overweight in general or in any part of the body. The ability to constantly prove to others the need to lose weight to get an ideal figure.
Refusal to eat, the use of various excuses and tricks: stomach pain, fatigue, etc. Despite this, a patient with anorexia is able to cook a variety of dishes for others, long time be in the kitchen.
Frequent release from food consumed by inducing vomiting or using an enema.
Exhausting activities physical culture and sports, pursuing only one goal - to lose weight.
Limiting your social circle. Fear of having to eat at various events and an obsession with discussing the problem of excess weight force an anorexic patient to spend most of her time alone.

Knowing how the disease begins, and suspecting the first signs of a loved one, you need to persuade him to seek help from a professional psychologist.

4 How the pathology progresses

While not everyone can identify the first signs of anorexia, the symptoms of an advanced disease are visible and understandable to everyone. The patient inadequately assesses her condition even when exhaustion becomes life-threatening.

The main signs of anorexia in women are complete refusal to eat and significant weight loss over time. short period time.

You can note general symptoms anorexia:

feeling of guilt when consuming food in any quantity;
panic fear of gaining weight;
sleep disturbance;
decrease in body temperature and blood pressure.

As the disease progresses general state the patient's health is deteriorating, harmonious work The body's main systems collapse.

You can make out the following additional symptoms of anorexia, which has gone quite far:

Many serious diseases develop due to the fact that the patient’s body does not receive the necessary nutrients for a long time. nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates, proteins. More often than others, people suffering from anorexia experience serious violations in kidney function, endocrine system, central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, osteoporosis develops, Iron-deficiency anemia and etc.
Severe fatigue, weakness, frequent fainting states. This is due to a lack of energy due to a semi-starved state for a long time.
The skin becomes pale and acquires a bluish tint. Normal skin microcirculation is disrupted.
Serious changes occur in the emotional sphere of the patient: irritability, sudden mood swings, memory impairment.
Hormonal disruption in a woman’s body, leading to the cessation of menstruation.
The condition of hair and nails noticeably worsens. Due to a lack of minerals, vitamins and nutrients, they become dull and brittle.
Violation electrolyte balance the body occurs due to the body not receiving magnesium and potassium in full. In particularly severe cases, signs of cardiac arrest can be diagnosed.

If the development of the disease is not stopped in a timely manner and proper treatment is not started, the patient may pass the point of no return, reaching the cachectic stage of anorexia, which means degeneration of internal organs and leads to death.

Thus, knowing the causes and main symptoms of anorexia, it is important to be attentive to yourself and others, promoting the correct eating behavior, in order to prevent the occurrence of this dangerous disease.

Beautiful slim model with ideal forms And long legs- ideal for almost every schoolgirl. Sometimes in pursuit of slim body girls torture their bodies so much that all sorts of diseases begin to develop. Weight loss, weakness, fainting are not all the signs of anorexia, which cannot end in anything good for a person.

What is anorexia?

Anorexia is a disorder of the eating tract, which is accompanied by a sharp decrease in body weight due to insufficient nutrition. This disease mostly refers to psychological illnesses, since a person constantly seems to be overweight. Patients no longer see their true reflection in the mirror and continue to torture the body, often completely refusing to eat.

The fear of gaining weight greatly outweighs the feeling of hunger. People suffering from anorexia develop muscle atrophy and problems with hair and skin. Bones become fragile, teeth fall out, and nausea, weakness and dizziness are perceived as a normal state.

How to recognize the disease?

In the early stages, the disease is easier to identify and treatment will be more effective. After all, anorexia often ends in death, that is, death.

So, the first symptom is that a person begins to eat less. Whenever possible, he uses every possible means to get rid of food. Skin color changes, eyes become sunken - all due to poor blood circulation and insufficient quantity nutrients. Exhaustion of the body leads to sudden and noticeable weight loss.

How to treat?

First of all, it should be remembered that the disease occurs in mental level. Therefore, in addition to proper nutrition, consultations with psychologists are necessary. In other words, treatment of anorexia is a complex therapy that consists of two stages - physical recovery and psychotherapy.

Experts prescribe a balanced high-calorie food, as well as drugs that stimulate appetite. Food should be taken in small portions. It is possible to use medications such as Chlorpromazine, Amitriptyline, Cyproheptadine. There are often cases when hypnosis is used for treatment. Sometimes the patient may also be prescribed strong antidepressants.

Apply and folk remedies. These are mainly decoctions and infusions of rowan, yarrow, mint, lavender, nettle, and oregano.

Anorexia in children

Most parents are very concerned about their child's appetite. Everything is delicious, everything is healthy - but the child, as luck would have it, refuses. Games of catching up with a spoon or feeding during a cartoon begin, which only makes the situation worse. There are often cases when a mother, suspecting anorexia in a child, tries to stuff as much food into him as possible, which causes hatred and aversion to food in the baby, independently programming the disease.

In fact, a child’s refusal to eat can be quite justified - the baby is sick, tired, he doesn’t like the food... When a child refuses food enough for a long time, then it’s time to “sound the alarm.” It should also be remembered that signs of anorexia in adolescents are accompanied by growth retardation. It is best to visit a specialist if you notice symptoms.

Losing weight correctly

Whatever one may say, but even knowing the difficult and sometimes irreversible consequences anorexic, obsessed slim figure will deplete their body with diets and starvation. However, diets can sometimes be beneficial. The main thing is to use them without fanaticism.

Rules for losing weight:

You need to lose weight slowly. Weight that has been gained over the years cannot be lost in a few months.
If used high-calorie foods, you need to do physical activity.
Meals should be frequent, but in small portions.
You should forget about fast food. Eat as if you are in a restaurant and there is no rush.
Don't forget about vitamins and minerals.

A proper diet will not only help you lose weight, it will also have a beneficial effect on your health.

Be healthy!

Sudden weight loss, dizziness, nausea and fainting are the main signs of anorexia. A person suffering from this disease is often unable to help himself. Therefore, relatives should be vigilant and, at the slightest suspicion, contact a specialist together with the patient.

Treatment of the disease is carried out using integrated methods stationary. Therapy should not be delayed, because anorexia can result in death.

Anorexia (anorexia nervosa) is a serious mental illness distinctive feature which is an obsession with losing weight, refusing to eat and having a pronounced fear of gaining weight. Typically, anorexia nervosa progresses in girls and young women who have low self-esteem and at the same time place too high demands on their own appearance.

The following are distinguished: The main symptoms of anorexia nervosa are:

self-restraint in food intake or consumption large quantity food, after which the patient induces vomiting artificially

weight loss below normal levels

worry about your own weight

fanatical adherence to diets and physical exercise

Causes of Anorexia Nervosa

For anorexia nervosa syndrome to form, a number of social and biological prerequisites are necessary. Plays a significant role in the development of anorexia nervosa hereditary factor, exogenous hazards in the first years of life, personal characteristics, as well as microsocial factors such as the importance of family. Also important depressive states, exhaustion, aversion to food, stress.

Exist risk factors, increasing the likelihood of anorexia nervosa. These include:

In some cases, excessive concern about one’s own weight, increased interest in diets and other methods of losing weight can “help” the development of anorexia.

There is a certain type of personality that is more prone to the appearance of anorexia: usually these are meticulous, pedantic, people who make high demands on themselves and others, they have low self-esteem.

In the development of anorexia, a hereditary factor plays a role: if a parent has anorexia, this increases the risk of developing of this disease in children.

Living in an environment where there is an obsession with ideals of beauty, maintaining a certain weight, and being thin is more conducive to the development of anorexia nervosa.

Anorexia nervosa may be caused by: psychological trauma, such as the loss of a loved one, rape.

Types of Anorexia

First type- restrictive, which is characterized by the patient limiting himself in food intake, while the patient almost never eats until he feels full, and after eating he artificially provokes vomiting.

Second type- cleansing. Its difference is that an anorexic person constantly eats until he feels full, after which he provokes vomiting, bowel movements (by taking laxatives), uses diuretics, etc. People with the purging type of anorexia nervosa tend to eat a lot (more than a healthy person of similar size) because they do not have internal control over eating.

Signs and symptoms of anorexia

Most people with anorexia nervosa, even though they are quite thin, begin to worry about overweight and try to limit themselves in the food they eat, until they become exhausted. It follows that a prerequisite for the appearance of anorexia nervosa may be distorted perception of your body.

According to statistics:

The number of people with anorexia has increased significantly over the past 20 years in economically developed countries.
With a frequency of 1 in 90 cases, anorexia affects girls 16 years of age and older.
10% of anorexia patients who do not seek treatment die

There are several main symptoms and signs of the development of anorexia:
1) People suffering from anorexia nervosa spend a lot of time on food: they study diets and caloric content of certain foods, collect collections of recipes, prepare delicious dishes to treat others, while they themselves refuse to eat food - they figure out what’s wrong have eaten for a long time, are not hungry, and can also feign eating (they do not swallow food, hide it, etc.).
2) Usually an anorexic person hides his obsession with his weight and tries not to declassify the fact that after each meal he induces vomiting artificially.
3) About 50 percent of people with anorexia nervosa progress to severe constant feeling the hunger they satisfy big amount food (so-called bulimia). The person then removes the eaten food from the body by inducing vomiting or using other methods.
4) Patients with anorexia nervosa great attention devote themselves to physical exercise, remain active and mobile.
5) Usually, patients with anorexia nervosa lose interest in sex.
6) Due to lack of nutrients, a disorder occurs hormonal balance, which often leads to the cessation of the menstrual cycle (amenorrhea appears - absence of menstruation).
7) In patients with anorexia nervosa there is reduced temperature bodies and arterial pressure. There may be a feeling of interruptions in the functioning of the heart muscle, this is due to a lack of necessary electrolytes in the body (during vomiting, a large amount of potassium is lost).
8) Patients with anorexia nervosa often experience constipation, flatulence (bloating), and a feeling of discomfort in the abdominal area.

Consequences of anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa that lasts for a long time, untreated, can have serious consequences, such as:

Cardiac muscle dysfunction- a common cause of death among patients with severe forms of anorexia nervosa. The following characteristic symptoms of cardiac dysfunction in anorexics are identified: a feeling of disruption of the heart (arrhythmia), palpitations, decreased blood pressure, pulse becomes rare (less than 55-60 beats per minute), momentary loss consciousness, dizziness, etc.
To reduce hormone production thyroid gland and female sex hormones leads endocrine system disorder. As a result of these violations, menstruation ceases, disappearance sexual desire, lethargy, infertility, etc.
Lack of calcium causes thinning and increased fragility bones. For those suffering from severe forms of anorexia, even minor impacts on a bone can cause a fracture.
Frequent artificial provocation of vomiting in anorexics leads to the fact that the acidic contents of the stomach damage the esophagus and teeth: the mucous membrane of the esophagus becomes inflamed(esophagitis), tooth enamel is destroyed.
Anorexia nervosa is often accompanied by feeling depressed, depressed, inability to concentrate. In some cases it can end in suicide.

Often, patients with anorexia nervosa do not perceive themselves as sick and do not pay attention to their condition. However, anorexia nervosa is serious illness, which can lead to serious consequences, up to fatal outcome. That is why relatives and friends of people with symptoms of anorexia need to recognize this disease in time and persuade the patient to see a doctor.

Diagnosis of anorexia

When the main symptoms and signs of anorexia nervosa appear, you need to consult a psychiatrist. He will put correct diagnosis and determine the course of treatment.

The main methods for diagnosing anorexia are as follows:
1. Conversation with the patient or his relatives and loved ones. During the conversation, the doctor asks those who come to the appointment questions that interest him. Typically, during such a conversation, the specialist determines the existing risk factors for the development of anorexia, the presence of certain signs and symptoms of the disease, as well as complications of anorexia.
2. Calculation of body mass index (BMI) helps diagnose anorexia. To calculate BMI, use the following formula: body weight in kilograms divided by height in square meters.
For example, if your body weight is 65 kg and your height is 1.7 m, your body mass index will be 22.5.
Normal index body weight can be in the range from 18.5 to 24.99. A BMI below 17.5 may indicate anorexia.
3. To identify the consequences of anorexia, such as decreased hemoglobin, electrolyte deficiency, hormone deficiency, etc., the following tests are performed: biochemical analysis blood, general blood and urine analysis, determination of hormone levels in the blood. In addition, to diagnose the consequences of anorexia, the method of radiography of skeletal bones is used (detect thinning of the bones), fibroesophagogastroscopy (shows diseases of the esophagus and stomach), electrocardiography (detects cardiac disorders), etc.

Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa

Depending on the severity of the disease, the form of treatment for anorexia nervosa is chosen. In most cases, treatment of patients with severe anorexia is carried out in a specialized institution under the supervision of specialists. The main goals of treatment for anorexia are: gradual normalization of body weight, restoration of fluid and electrolyte balance in the body, and psychological assistance.

In patients with severe anorexia normalization of body weight It is carried out gradually: from half a kilogram to one and a half kilograms per week. Patients are prescribed an individual diet that contains the required nutrients in sufficient quantities. When drawing up an individual diet, the degree of exhaustion, body mass index, and the presence of symptoms of deficiency of any substances are taken into account (for example, if bone density is reduced, you need rich in calcium food, etc.). The best option - self-catering person, but if the patient refuses to eat, feeding is possible through a special tube that is inserted through the nose into the stomach (the so-called nasogastric tube).

Drug treatment anorexia involves all kinds of medications that eliminate the consequences of anorexia: for example, if there are no periods, they are prescribed hormonal agents; if bone density is reduced, calcium supplements and vitamin D are used, etc. Great importance in the treatment of anorexia nervosa, antidepressants and other medications that are used for mental illnesses are used: for example, Prozac (Fluoxetine), Olanzapine, etc. The duration of use and dosage of these medications can only be determined by the attending physician, based on knowledge of the existing symptoms.

Psychotherapy is an extremely important component of the treatment of anorexia nervosa. There are two main types of psychotherapy used for anorexia: family (used for adolescents) and behavioral ( greatest effect gives in adults). Typically, the duration of psychotherapy courses depends on the patient. It may last one year for patients who have regained their normal weight, and two years for patients whose weight is still below normal.

Treatment of a patient with anorexia also involves the participation of close relatives and friends, who must be patient, but persevere in continuing treatment of this serious disease.

Content:

Anorexia (translated from Greek as “no appetite”) – mental illness, characterized by complete refusal of food, lack of appetite when the body needs to consume food. Since 1870, this disease was recognized and began to be considered independent, with its own diagnostic criteria. But it was popularized not so long ago, about 30 years ago. Although the first patient was registered in Ancient Greece.

The emergence of a new disease was associated not only with changes in medicine, but also with a change in the idea of female beauty. Anorexia is inextricably linked with the social and cultural sphere of human life.

Most often, anorexia occurs in girls who deliberately cause a lack of appetite, due to imaginary excess weight and the desire to lose weight. The main causes of the disease include a distorted perception of one’s own personality and physical fitness.

Anorexia is a mental illness that has nothing to do with a “bad” lifestyle. With this disease, the guardian of gaining extra pounds is accompanied by pathological desire reset excess weight.

Losing excess weight can happen in two ways:

Reasons for the development of the disease

There is no strictly one specific reason for which a patient can get sick - they mostly occur in combination:

Genetic predisposition;
Psychological and social factor(impact on self-esteem within or outside the family);
Influence of biological factors.

When working with a patient, the doctor takes into account all three factors in order to achieve a cure for the patient.

Symptoms of anorexia:

Weight loss. Often, girls suffering from anorexia do not notice that their weight loss is critical, thinking that they have not lost enough weight yet. This causes degeneration of internal organs, which often leads to death;
Feeling of fullness. Often certain parts bodies;
Eating in a certain way: standing or eating small pieces of food;
Insomnia or constant fatigue;
Fear of gaining extra pounds;
Withdrawal from society;
The opinion that everyone around looks much better.

As a result, due to insufficient food intake for normal functioning the body may develop concomitant diseases, such as: arrhythmia, menstrual irregularities, irritability, spasms, depression.

Male/Female - Half of me. Anorexia:

Types of anorexia

The development of the disease can be caused by various factors, therefore medical specialists It is customary to distinguish several forms of development of the disease:

Psychological. It can begin to develop during a mental disorder, the likelihood that appetite disappears. For example, it often happens with advanced depression and schizophrenia. It may also occur due to long-term use psychotropic drugs;
Symptomatic. It is not an independent disease, but only a consequence of the course of another disease. For example, it occurs in people with lung and stomach diseases. Typically occurs during alcohol intoxication. This happens due to the focus of the body’s forces on fighting the disease, and not on digesting food;
Anorexia associated with nervous system, is completely different from the mental one. It is characterized by the patient’s obsessive desire to lose weight, complete and conscious refusal to eat, and restrictions on food consumption. Impaired perception of one’s own beauty, thoughts of needing to lose weight;
Medicinal. It may occur when using psychostimulants and medications for depression.

Why does anorexia occur in women, what accompanies the disease?

Anorexia begins with an attempt to lose weight and get your body in order, however, the diet drags on and, even having reached the desired indicator on the scale, the girl does not stop losing weight. During weight loss, patients with anorexia do not have an adequate assessment of their figure. Even when loved ones say that losing weight is enough, there is no reaction. This is how a serious weight loss addiction begins.

Of course, the desire to make your dreams come true is very important for any person. Dependent people have an inadequate assessment of their condition. Often patients do not even know what they want from life: who to live with, where to work, how to dress, etc. They are completely dependent on other people’s ideals and attitudes. Initially, this position can be observed in childhood, when the baby is constantly monitored, at home and at school.

Psychologists associate many cases of anorexia with such character traits:

Low self-esteem, the opinion that no one needs the girl, no one loves her. If a person feels this, then he begins to give himself an inadequate assessment.
Stressful situations. Nervousness also provokes refusal to eat. It also happens that when stressful situation a person forgets or gets out of the habit of eating;
Loneliness;
The desire to show one's superiority;
Fashion and stereotypes about beauty.

Consequences of diets/Anorexia:

When to start sounding the alarm?

If you notice the following signs in your family and friends, you should immediately consult a doctor:

Refusal to eat;
Thin layer of fat;
Sunken stomach and eyes;
Unhealthy thinness;
Flabby muscles;
Dry hair;
Brittle nails;
Tooth loss;
Bruises and bruises;
Depression;
Menstrual irregularities;
Decreased libido.

Anorexia causes irreversible changes at the cellular level. Cells do not receive the necessary nutrients, as a result of which they cease to perform their functions correctly, which leads to bad work organs. It is important to take measures in the early stages of anorexia to prevent complications.

Don't make a mistake / Anorexia:

Treatment of anorexia

Basically, treatment for anorexia is carried out on an outpatient basis, only in serious cases when the patient completely refuses to eat (catechsia) they resort to treatment in an inpatient setting.

Therapy includes various drugs, depending on the causes of the disease. The doctor prescribes antidepressants and drugs to correct calcium deficiency. In the hospital, the patient is prescribed a high-calorie diet, and if he refuses, he is prescribed parental (intravenous) administration of nutrients.

Anorexia has a very strong effect not only on the body, but also on the human psyche, his social behavior and way of thinking. Therefore, the recovery process is quite complex, even if necessary help was provided on time. (In some cases recovery is not possible).

During the treatment process, due to psychological problems, include not only restoration of normal weight, but also psychotherapy. Throughout the treatment, the patient should be provided with professional psychological support, it is advisable to conduct family therapy.
Treatment of anorexia takes from 3 months to six months.

During treatment, special attention is paid to patients who artificially induce vomiting; they very often return to their previous state. The most effective healing method for such patients is hypnosis therapy.

The psychological approach to anorexia is very important and helps to correct eating behavior.

The following methods are used as therapy::

Rational. It is effective in severe stages of the disease and involves convincing the patient that he needs to fight for his life and gain weight. In this therapy, conversations are held about correct weight, in relation to growth, about proper healthy eating. The social background, the need to work, to be useful to society, etc. are explained;
Behavioral. Integrated impact on personality. At the first stage, the doctor teaches the patient special techniques, after which he corrects the social problem;
Hypnosis. A method suitable for a person with mental disorder. Gives better results with complex therapy;
Family. This method allows you to improve relationships within the family, allow you to throw out accumulated negativity and solve all problems.

In a hospital setting, it is very difficult to establish contact with the patient. The patient is depressed and experiences nervous tension, so psychotherapy is very important for a comprehensive cure for anorexia.

Treatment at home

The disease can be treated at home if it is not life-threatening and has not taken severe form. The most important thing is to recognize the presence of the disease. Then set the goal to overcome it. It is very important to pull yourself together and engage in treatment; you can involve relatives or friends who would motivate and not allow you to weaken your efforts.

Treatment at home:

Pregnancy with anorexia

Does it really happen that a girl suffering from anorexia is preparing to become a mother? Yes, and this happens - in most cases, pregnancy is unplanned, since patients under no circumstances want to gain weight, even for such a happy occasion. Most often, pregnant women have an abortion, but some still agree to keep the child. There are also cases when anorexia subsides after treatment, but during pregnancy the girl again begins to experience the fear of gaining weight.

If a patient with anorexia finds out that she is pregnant, she should immediately seek advice from her doctor to check the condition of the fetus.

If you are just planning a pregnancy, then it is worth considering that if your weight is below normal, then carrying a child or getting pregnant will be quite difficult, and in some situations impossible.

Dangers during pregnancy

If you are diagnosed with anorexia, there is a high risk of miscarriage or premature birth. It is also possible to carry and give birth to a child without experiencing difficulties, but after birth, the baby may be diagnosed with congenital diseases.

If a girl suffers from anorexia, it is advisable not to plan a pregnancy, but to immediately gain weight and psychological condition back to normal. After all, depression during pregnancy negatively affects not only the mother, but also the baby. It can manifest itself due to a lack of nutrients or due to the fear of gaining excess weight. People with anorexia constantly need support and supervision from a doctor.

Anorexia in guys

Until recently, a disease such as anorexia was extremely rare among the male population. Today, a quarter of all anorexics are men. Anorexia is very rarely an independent disease in men; it is mainly a consequence of mental disorders.

Predisposition to anorexia (risk factors):

The development of the disease is based on the opinion about the completeness and extra pounds. For some, it is essentially delirium even at the initial stage of the disease and is completely unrelated to reality. Even with a lack of mass, men do not notice shortcomings, but attribute to themselves invalid flaws.

The methods of weight loss for men are no different from those for women. Refusal to eat is also absurdly stated; the desire to lose weight occupies all thoughts. There may be signs of the development of schizophrenia, self-absorption, refusal to communicate, and isolation may occur.
Men very rarely go to the doctor with symptoms; they mostly wait until the last minute, and their relatives already turn to them for help in order to prevent them from dying.

The appearance of men suffering from anorexia can only cause concern when the disease is already in a severe stage. They look very exhausted and tired, they are poorly fed and have a pale, unhealthy complexion.

The disease is treated by psychologists and therapists. The causes of anorexia in men are often only psychological, so the support of a psychotherapist is very important at any stage of the disease.

But without medicines still can't do it. The patient is prescribed antidepressants and tranquilizers. This therapy is intended to help the patient adapt to society and return to familiar image life, normalize nutrition.