A Struggle With Anorexia Nervosa.
A report by the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) suggested that about 9% of people suffer from Eating Disorders globally, with 3 times the greater prevalence in females (adolescents and younger adults) than in males. It has also been reviewed that it is the second most deadly disorder after only opioid overdose, but this doesn’t at all mean that help isn’t available. Most of the grave consequences of such disorders occur due to the lack of diagnosis and treatment, and hence once the severity of any disorder is properly assessed, it becomes all the more possible to treat the same.
Anorexia Nervosa popularly termed as “Anorexia”, is an eating disorder that is characterized by extremely low body weight, intense fear of becoming overweight and body-image issues which constitutes a distorted perception of weight. People suffering from this disorder usually restrict the quantity of food consumed by them, which further leads to a lack of appetite and self-starvation. They may also indulge in extreme activities to reduce weight such as excessive exercise, misuse of laxatives and/or vomiting after eating. Irrespective of the amount of weight lost, there exists an intense fear of gaining weight. More than being a metabolic condition, Anorexia is a psychological disorder which is a dysfunctional way to cope with emotional distortions. Most of the time, such people equate their self-worth to being thin and in their mind, the thinner they are, the more value they have, thus no amount of weight loss is ever enough. This psychological distortion of their body-image can hence make them sicker and can even prove to be fatal. There can be biological (genetic predispositions towards perfectionism and sensitivity), psychological (having obsessive-compulsive traits, high levels of anxiety, etc.) and environmental (emphasis of an “ideal body image” by the society i.e, equating worth and success with being thin and the same being promoted by social media and other influences such as peers) predisposing factors that can lead to such disorders.
SYMPTOMS
Some individuals with Anorexia exhibit binging and purging behaviour which is quite similar to individuals who have another eating disorder known as Bulimia Nervosa. The primary difference between both of them is that the former involves abnormally low body-weight as compared to the latter in which a person typically maintains a normal weight. A person with Anorexia can have one or more of these symptoms, some of them are mentioned as follows:
Physical symptoms:
● Mostly related to starvation, extreme weight loss and starvation
● Abnormal blood counts and Amenorrhea (an abnormal absence of menstrual cycles)
● Development of thin body and face hair termed as lanugo
● Fatigue, insomnia, dizziness or fainting
● Dehydration, low body pressure and other associated physiological symptoms
● Intolerance of cold, dry/yellowish skin and bluish discolouration of extremities
Psychological and Emotional symptoms:
● Irritability and social withdrawal
● Severe dissatisfaction with their appearance
● Obsessive thoughts and behaviours concerning weight gain
● Anxiety and Depression as comorbidities
● Decreased interest in sex and emotional flattening (also called lack of emotion)
● Low self-esteem, self-worth and insecure feelings related to the way they look
● Suicidal ideations
Behavioural symptoms:
● Making excuses to not eat, not wanting to eat in public, denial of hunger and frequently skipping meals
● Perception of a flawed body image by frequently checking themselves in the mirror
● Eating only “low” calorie food, preoccupied with food and sometimes cooking elaborate meals for others but not consuming them
● Lying about their eating habits and any signs and symptoms that they feel either physically or emotionally
● Covering themselves up in layers of clothes, etc to name a few.
TREATMENT:
For the problem concerned, effective therapeutic tools are available that work towards developing healthy attitudes for weight and food as well as the way a person deals with adversities. A lot of effort is put in enhancing self-worth and self-esteem, and psychotherapeutic techniques such as CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) work wonders. CBT aims to change the cognitive distortions associated with weight and trains to practice behavioural modifications. ACT being an offshoot of CBT makes the person realize the importance of accepting these unwanted thoughts and committing to bring about a change in their way of responding to them. In addition to this, Insight oriented therapies and Mindfulness techniques can lead to relaxation and building interpersonal relations as well as an effective tolerance of distress. For younger clients, family/parents can be made in-charge of keeping a check on their eating activities and hence increasing the efficacy of psychotherapy.
Importance of Professional Counseling: A friend or family member may listen to you, but they aren’t professionally, technically qualified or experienced to offer you professional advice. If you wish you can contact us at MindTribe to receive help from our team of expert psychologists.
About MindTribe.in.
MindTribe Founder Dr. Prerna Kohli, India’s eminent psychologist, established the company to leverage the strength of the online to make counseling affordable and accessible to everyone. MindTribe provides counseling, workshops, support groups, forums, and eLearning.
About the Author.
Simran Aurora is a psychologist at MindTribe.in. You can learn more about her by clicking here
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of MindTribe.in, the Founders, or management team.
Acknowledgement: All images used are open source and from Unsplash.