Anorexia - signs and consequences for the body. Anorexia - signs and how to recognize its symptoms? All about anorexia

In the article we discuss anorexia. You will learn what this disease is, what symptoms and stages it has. We will tell you what causes the development of this pathology and consider medicinal, psychological and psychiatric methods of treating the disease. By following our advice, you will learn how to prevent it and follow a special diet. Let us highlight the topic of the features of treatment of childhood and adolescent anorexia.

Anorexia is a dangerous disease that often has psychological causes.

Anorexia is a degree of exhaustion of the body, while the patient himself does not recognize the presence of the disease and considers himself to be overly fat. Signs of anorexia include an obsession with losing weight and a fear of gaining weight. Most often, girls and women aged 14 to 25 years are susceptible to this disease.

Nowadays, this pathology is quite common. Most often this is due to a distorted perception of the beauty of the body. In an attempt to become like emaciated fashion models, girls torture themselves with diets.

The danger of the pathology lies in the rapid decrease in body weight. In this case, the body is deprived of the substances necessary for normal functioning, and this in turn leads to disruptions in the functioning of all organs and systems.

The consequences of anorexia include disruptions in the menstrual cycle, arrhythmia, digestive disorders, general weakness of the body, fainting, osteoporosis, weakening and hair loss. In extreme cases, death can occur.

You learned what anorexia is and how dangerous the disease is. Now let's take a closer look at the causes of this pathology.

Causes of anorexia

Depending on the reasons that caused the pathology, several types of the disease are distinguished. One of the most common is anorexia nervosa; it is triggered by psychological or mental disorders.

The second no less common form of the disease is medicinal. This pathology develops as a result of taking special medications that reduce body weight. They act by eliminating the feeling of hunger. At the same time, some of them are addictive, so it can be extremely difficult to stop taking them on your own, which leads to excessive depletion of the body.

Among the reasons for the formation of anorexia is a panicky fear of gaining excess weight. This fear is based on disturbances in the perception of one’s own body, which most often manifest themselves in adolescence, when girls begin to experience hormonal changes and more rounded hips and breasts appear.

Anorexia often develops in children and adolescents when parents force them to eat

In adolescence, the cause of anorexia is often pathological self-doubt and low self-esteem. Against the background of overprotection on the part of the parents, this turns into the impossibility of a calm reaction to any slightest criticism regarding the child’s appearance.

It is often possible to encounter the development of this pathology while expecting a baby. This is due to the fear of gaining excess weight and not returning to previous shape after childbirth.

Anorexia and pregnancy are incompatible concepts. During the period of bearing a child, the body requires a greater amount of nutrients, which, due to pathology, cease to be supplied at all, and the fetus has nowhere to take building material for growth and development.

Anorexia during pregnancy can lead to various pathologies of fetal development. These include gestational diabetes and miscarriage.

You learned what anorexia is and how it appears. Now let's look at the main symptoms and stages of development of the disease.

Symptoms and stages of anorexia

The first signs of how anorexia begins are quite difficult to determine. This is due to the fact that at the initial stage of the disease there is no pronounced thinness, and some signs can be observed in healthy people. However, with a detailed examination and careful attention to a loved one, you can notice changes in behavior.

There are behavioral and physiological symptoms of anorexia. And if physiological ones appear in later stages of the disease, then changes in behavior can be noticed immediately.

A person suffering from degree 1 anorexia first of all begins to express dissatisfaction with his own appearance, in particular his figure and weight. Such people begin to get carried away with all kinds of diets, regardless of their health status, they can strictly limit themselves in food, and cause vomiting after eating.

Physical signs of anorexia in women include irregularities in the menstrual cycle up to the complete cessation of menstruation. Digestive system disorders appear: bloating, pain, intestinal obstruction.

At stage 1 of anorexia, weight loss begins. Along with this, dizziness, a sharp deterioration in well-being and loss of strength appear. A loss of 20% of the total weight is an alarming signal and an indication for immediate medical attention.

You can only tell at what weight anorexia begins by calculating your body mass index. This indicator is individual for everyone. To determine it, it is necessary to divide the patient’s weight by the squared height in meters. The resulting numerical indicator should not go beyond 18.5 to 25 units. Modern medicine has established a critical BMI of 17.5 - this is the threshold for the development of anorexia. Look at the weight and height ratio in the table for anorexia.

Healthy conditionheight (m)/weight (kg)	Anorexiaheight (m)/weight (kg)
1,55/53	150/34
1,58/54	153/35
160/56	154/36
163/58	155/37
165/60	158/38
168/62	160/40
170/64	163/41
173/65	165/42
175/67	168/43
178/69	170/44

There are 4 stages of anorexia. They develop gradually, following one after another. Let's take a closer look at them.

Typically, the first stage of anorexia lasts from 2 to 4 years. This preparatory period is characterized by the formation of a critical opinion regarding one’s appearance. In this case, the positive opinion of others is not taken into account, but a carelessly expressed remark or criticism is perceived quite painfully and can serve as an impetus for the transition to the second stage of the disease.

If at the initial stage of anorexia the patient only has thoughts about improving his appearance, in particular his figure, then starting from the second stage he begins to take active action. A passion for dieting and strict restriction of food appears.

With degree 2 anorexia, visible and quite significant weight loss occurs - from 20% of the total body weight. This entails hormonal imbalances and disruption of the functioning of most organs and systems.

The cachectic stage or grade 3 anorexia is characterized by a worsening of the patient’s condition. At this time, somatohormonal disorders predominate: menstrual flow stops, the subcutaneous fat layer disappears, and degenerative conditions of the skin and muscles form.

With stage 3 anorexia, the heartbeat slows down, the pulse becomes weak, blood circulation is impaired and blood pressure decreases. The patient is constantly freezing, and the skin becomes bluish.

At the same time, the condition of hair, nails and teeth deteriorates significantly. They become more brittle and lifeless, bleeding and sore gums appear.

At this stage of the disease, medical intervention is necessary. It is impossible to cope with anorexia on your own without psychological help and medications.

The last stage of the disease is characterized by the return of obsessive thoughts regarding one’s appearance. Since after treatment the weight begins to return to normal, panic states appear about excess body weight. The last stage of anorexia can last up to 2 years. All this time the patient must be under close supervision, otherwise he will go on another hunger strike.

Depending on the stage of the disease, constant weight loss occurs. Look at the relationship between weight loss and stages of anorexia in the table.

Stages of anorexia	Weight loss from body weight	BMI		Health Risk
1	from 5%	less than 18.5		absent
2	from 10%	less than 17.5		high
3	from 20%	less than 16		very tall
4	from 50%	less than 14		critical

You learned the stages, symptoms and causes of anorexia. Now we will talk about methods of drug, psychological and psychiatric treatment of the disease.

Anorexia Treatment Methods

The success of treating anorexia lies in an integrated approach and the patient’s desire to recover. To return a person to his usual way of life, it is necessary not only to restore the functioning of all organs and systems of the body, but also to normalize and adapt his mental state.

Therefore, to the question - which doctor treats anorexia, one can definitely answer that consultation with many highly specialized specialists, including psychologists and psychiatrists, will be required. Let's consider individual methods of treating pathology.

Drug therapy

Before treating anorexia with drug therapy, a consultation with a therapist is necessary. As a rule, doctors are faced with the task of restoring the functioning of the digestive system, normalizing metabolic processes in the body and heart function, and gradually increasing body weight, preventing the development of dystrophy.

At the initial stage, the patient must remain in bed. Most often, treatment is carried out in a hospital setting, but sometimes, when the risk to life is not confirmed, the patient may be transferred to home care. Your doctor will also tell you how to treat anorexia at home.

At first, the patient requires constant supervision. To restore appetite and help digest food, the patient is administered insulin-containing drugs. The doctor may also prescribe a glucose solution to restore strength.

To normalize eating behavior, Frenolone is prescribed. Berpamin and Polyamine will help restore water-salt balance and metabolic processes. For comprehensive treatment and relief of the condition, the doctor may prescribe antidepressants: Zoloft, Eglonin, Coaxin.

You have learned how to treat anorexia with drug therapy. Let's consider the importance of psychological intervention in the recovery process.

Psychological treatment

Psychological treatment for anorexia consists of adjusting the perception of one’s own body, accepting oneself as an individual and social adaptation after therapy. The moment of accepting the problem and the desire to get rid of it is important.

The psychologist first conducts a test for anorexia, thereby determining the main cause of the disease. Loved ones play an important role in recovery and can either help or hinder therapy.

Thanks to the competent work of psychologists, behavioral habits are adjusted and a normal reaction to one’s own body and weight in particular is formed. Classes with a specialist are conducted both individually and in a group of patients with similar problems.

Psychiatric treatment

If anorexia develops against the background of severe mental illness, the intervention of a psychiatrist will be required. For example, schizophrenia, depressive and obsessive-compulsive disorders cannot be avoided without it.

Methods of group, family and individual psychotherapy are used to treat anorexia. If necessary, the doctor intensifies drug treatment, adding tranquilizers and antipsychotics to the list. Sometimes hypnosis is used.

Diet for anorexia

Nutrition is an important part of rehabilitation for anorexia.

For faster recovery from anorexia, it is necessary to maintain a special diet. It must be carefully calculated and balanced in order to help the body restore strength as quickly as possible, without placing excessive stress on weakened organs.

To determine the appropriate menu, it is necessary to conduct bioimpedance measurements. This study will assess deviations from normal body weight, muscle tissue and the degree of dehydration. Based on the data obtained, the nutritionist creates a suitable menu.

Food is introduced into the patient’s diet in small portions. As a rule, the patient should eat at least 5 times during the day. At the same time, it is equally important to drink enough clean water - at least 1.5-2 liters per day.

Features of the treatment of childhood and adolescent anorexia

Most often, adolescents with fragile psyches are at risk of developing anorexia. The child’s inability to calmly respond to stress, problems and criticism leads to lack of self-acceptance and, as a result, to an attempt to change his appearance, in particular his weight.

Parents and close relatives play an important role in the development of anorexia and recovery from the disease. If a child grows up in an atmosphere of constant criticism and misunderstanding, then in the form of a subconscious protest he may begin to try to change the attitude towards him by changing his appearance.

Attention to changes in a child’s behavior on the part of adults can eliminate the very cause of the formation of pathology. In this regard, it is especially important for adolescents to maintain trusting relationships with their parents.

A child in adolescence needs support and understanding, even if he denies it. Therefore, parents should be extremely careful about children who are in any way trying to artificially influence their own appearance. The sooner you pay attention, the less likely it is that the disease will develop into a serious pathology that will require specialized treatment.

Is it possible to fully recover from anorexia?

Doctors' opinions regarding the possibility of full recovery from anorexia are divided. Some believe that with effective psychotherapeutic treatment, complete recovery from the disease is possible.

Others argue that this pathology is a cyclically arranged disease, in which stages of remission are replaced by relapses. In this case, a person can lead a normal life for several years, but eventually return to a sick state.

Prevention methods

In order to prevent anorexia, attention should be paid to the child’s nutrition from an early age. Never force feed or overfeed children. This can lead to excess weight gain and, as a result, dissatisfaction with one’s own body and a whole bunch of psychological disorders. Meals should be balanced and contain fruits and vegetables.

The formation of anorexia is greatly influenced by the atmosphere in the family in which the child grows up. If at home he finds constant support, care and words of love, then he will feel much more confident.

If your child is gaining excess weight, try to talk to him about it as carefully and tactfully as possible and offer your help. Do not leave children alone with this problem, otherwise it will develop into anorexia.

For prevention purposes, you should undergo annual medical examinations with a therapist (pediatrician), endocrinologist and gastroenterologist. Most educational institutions employ psychologists. It would be a good idea to contact them for advice on assessing your child’s behavior and timely warning of any deviations.

If you notice the first symptoms of the disease, do not delay your visit to a specialist. The sooner you see a doctor, the greater the chance of getting just psychological support without medications.

For more information about anorexia, watch the video:

What to remember

1. Most often, adolescents with fragile psyches and women under the age of 25 who are dissatisfied with their appearance are at risk of developing anorexia.
2. Symptoms of anorexia in women are most clearly manifested in disruptions of the menstrual cycle, up to the complete cessation of menstruation. Digestive system disorders appear: bloating, pain, intestinal obstruction, weight loss and weakening of the body.
3. The success of treating anorexia lies in an integrated approach and the patient’s desire to recover. Treatment includes medication, psychological and psychiatric treatment.

Anorexia. Today a lot is written about this disease in the media and spoken on television. The sight of the emaciated bodies of the sick frightens ordinary people no less than the photographs of prisoners of Buchenwald and Auschwitz. Experts call scary figures: the proportion of deaths from anorexia in the world reaches 10-20%. Moreover, about 20% of patients have suicidal tendencies and attempt suicide. Anorexia chooses young people: the age limit of those affected is 12-25 years, 90% of them are girls. And another statistical paradox: the higher the standard of living in a country, the more people are susceptible to the disease.

What kind of disease is this that forces physically healthy people to extinguish their natural feeling of hunger and bring the body to complete exhaustion? Why does the desire to eat food disappear when there is a need for it? Is it possible to somehow resist this pathological process? Let's talk about everything in order.

Table of contents:

The concept of "anorexia"

Note: The term “anorexia” is used in the wider literature and means both a symptom of decreased appetite and a separate disease – anorexia nervosa.

The name itself comes from Greek (ἀν- - “not-”, as well as ὄρεξις - “appetite, urge to eat”).

This syndrome accompanies a large number of other diseases and is a component of them.

Anorexia nervosa is a mental illness that manifests itself in the form of an eating disorder that is caused and maintained by the patient himself. At the same time, he has a pathological craving for weight loss, a strong fear of obesity and a distorted perception of his own physical form.

Considering anorexia as only a problem of excessive desire for thinness and slimness, which is fashionable today, is fundamentally wrong. Attempts to present everything in the light of excessive enthusiasm for diets only aggravate the situation with the prevalence of the disease. This is a pathology with a complex etiology, the development of which involves many causes, both internal and external, related to the body of a particular person.

In addition, social and cultural factors, as well as subtle connections between a person and society, also play a very serious role. That is why anorexia is considered a disease and medical measures are necessary to properly combat its development. After all, help not provided on time poses a serious threat to health and, unfortunately, often to human life.

A popular documentary film is devoted to the problems of the social background of anorexia. The authors try to answer the question about the global causes of the spread of such a disease as anorexia:

For quite a long time, it was believed that anorexia is a disease that affects exclusively representatives of the fair half of humanity, and many still adhere to such views. However, this is not entirely true.

There is some data regarding the prevalence of anorexia:

• On average, in women, anorexia occurs in 1.3-3% of cases among all diseases.
• The incidence rate among men is 0.2%.
• There are known cases of anorexia in childhood and adolescence
• If untreated, the mortality rate is 20%.
• Adequate therapy is prescribed only in 5-10% of cases.
• Among psychiatric diseases, anorexia is in the top three in terms of the frequency of deaths.

Anorexia, like any disease, has certain risk factors that increase the incidence of the disease.

Proven ones are:

Warning signs of anorexia

To make a clinical diagnosis of anorexia, certain reliable signs are necessary, but there is a group of symptoms, the appearance and combination of which should alert the relatives of the patient, or the patient himself, about the possibility of the onset of the disease process.

These include:

• a person’s feeling of his own completeness;
• expressed fear of weight gain;
• changing the way you eat;
• sleep disorders;
• constant low mood;
• unmotivated mood swings;
• tendency to solitude;
• passion for cooking with preparing luxurious meals without participating in meals;
• close attention to diets and methods of losing weight;
• a person’s obvious denial of the existing problem.

If these symptoms are present, especially when several signs are combined with each other, or when some are added to existing ones, a mandatory consultation with a specialist is necessary!

Note:A specially designed eating attitude test is used as an assessment of the risk of developing anorexia.

Important!When seeking medical help, the ultimate goal is to visit a psychiatrist. No nutritionists, endocrinologists, nutritionists, therapists or doctors of other specialties can provide truly adequate care for patients with anorexia, although during the process of examination and treatment you will have to consult with many specialists.

Currently, reliable signs of anorexia in a patient are a combination of ALL of the following symptoms:

Important! All these symptoms of anorexia are diagnosed in seemingly healthy adolescents, whose thinness can easily be confused at first glance with the constitutional characteristics of the body itself.

The verification of the diagnosis of anorexia does not consist of an examination by a psychiatrist alone. To confirm the diagnosis and exclude other causes that may also occur, consultation with other specialists is necessary.

Stages of anorexia

Anorexia is a progressive disease and in its course goes through a number of specific stages that are connected with each other. Each of the subsequent ones is not only more severe in terms of clinical symptoms, but also reflects the evolution of the disease, its aggravation and the formation of increasingly destructive consequences for the body.

The main stages of anorexia nervosa include:

• dysmorphomania;
• anorexia;
• cachexia

Symptoms of the dysmorphomania stage

It is mainly characterized by the dominance of mental and psychological symptoms. The patient is dissatisfied with his own weight, considering it excessive, and the assessment is subjective. Very often such patients are depressed or anxious. Gradually their style of behavior begins to change. Their activity is quite intense in terms of searching for ideal diets and the most effective ways to lose weight.

It is believed that the full completion of this stage is noted with the beginning of the first attempts to change one’s own eating behavior (fasting, vomiting, exhausting training against the background of insufficient food intake).

Symptoms of the anorexia stage

It is considered the peak of the clinical picture and is observed against the background of persistent starvation. Each record of weight loss is considered an achievement and at the same time is a stimulant for even more tightening of the diet or the use of several methods of changing eating behavior.

Patients with anorexia, due to reduced food intake, can deliberately induce vomiting by taking pharmacological laxatives and intense physical activity. At this stage of anorexia nervosa, any praise for their thinness is perceived as a compliment and at the same time as “hidden mockery.”

Critical remarks can cause significant affective reactions with auto-aggression, or a maximum, unreasonable, repeated tightening of the “achieving ideal weight” regime. All the results achieved are never sufficient due to a persistent change in the perception of one’s own body. It is at this stage of anorexia nervosa that symptoms of changes in the functioning of all organs and systems begin to be observed.

Cachexia stage

In essence, it is the final stage. There is exhaustion of the body with irreversible changes in all organs and tissues. At this stage, treatment is ineffective due to multiple irreversible multisystem damage to the entire body. The average time for the onset of this stage is 1-2 years.

Important!With anorexia, absolutely all organs of the human body suffer, and damage to particularly important systems leads to an increase in the rate of progression of the disease and an early onset of death..

Treatment of anorexia

Curing anorexia is possible, but it is a rather complex, multicomponent and lengthy process that has many points of application.

The following are used in the treatment of anorexia nervosa:

• psychotherapeutic techniques;
• nutrition correction;
• emotional support;
• medicinal methods

Psychotherapeutic methods for treating anorexia

Various types of psychotherapy aim to normalize the patient’s mental background. Many experts consider them as a basis for recovery.

When implementing various mental correction programs, correction of previously distorted ideas about one’s own inferiority and excess weight is achieved.

Psychological methods for treating anorexia help normalize the perception of one’s own body. A separate area is the normalization of relationships in the family and immediate environment of an anorexic patient.

Creating a background of emotional support and assistance for anorexia.

In fact, this is one of the types of psychological help in the treatment of anorexia. Only it comes not from the doctor, but from the closest people, thanks to whom a positive emotional background is created, allowing patients to receive a positive response in response to difficult or unusual decisions for them. This helps resolve crises and relieve constant stress.

Nutritional therapy for anorexia

An extremely important point in the treatment of anorexia is the normalization of body weight, which requires a gradual increase in food intake. For this purpose, appropriate programs have been developed that allow you to restore weight without negative effects for the “practically atrophied” digestive system.

Pharmacotherapy in this situation is an additional factor and consists of correcting mental disorders with appropriate medications. Taking medications to increase appetite is also indicated. Some regimens also include medications to reduce the likelihood of possible relapses.

Disease prognosis

Anorexia is characterized by the following development options:

• Full recovery.
• Recovery from existing organic consequences of organs and systems.
• Recurrent course with varying frequency and duration of exacerbations.
• Death for various reasons - ranging from suicide to cachexia.
• In rare cases, the disease transforms into bulimia - uncontrolled overeating.

Remember! Therapy for cachexia is a long process and largely depends on its correctness and the time of initiation of adequate treatment for anorexia. Ignoring the problem, as well as self-medication, is detrimental not only to health, but often to the life of patients.

General practitioner, Sovinskaya Elena Nikolaevna

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by dietary restriction, atypical eating habits or rituals, an obsession with being thin, and an irrational fear of gaining weight. Accompanied by impaired body image and typically involves excessive weight loss. Due to fear of weight gain, patients with this disorder limit the amount of food they eat. Outside the medical literature, the terms "anorexia nervosa" and "anorexia" are often used interchangeably, however "anorexia" is simply the medical term for the symptom of lack of appetite, and in anorexia nervosa a dysregulation or alteration in the sense of fullness of taste is suspected. Anorexia nervosa is often accompanied by a disturbed self-image, which may be supported by a variety of cognitive distortions that alter the patient's assessment and opinion of their own body, food, and nutrition. Patients with anorexia nervosa often see themselves as overweight or underweight even though they are underweight. Anorexia nervosa is predominantly diagnosed in women. It caused approximately 600 deaths in 2013, compared to 400 in 1990. It is a serious health disorder with high comorbidity rates and mortality rates comparable to serious mental disorders.

Classification

Anorexia nervosa is classified as an Axis I disorder in the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition), published by the American Psychiatric Association.

Signs and symptoms

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by attempts to lose weight to the point of self-depletion. Individuals with anorexia nervosa may have a variety of signs and symptoms, the type and severity of which may vary in each case and which may be present but not obvious. Anorexia nervosa and associated malnutrition, which is caused by voluntary wasting, can lead to serious complications in each of the body's major organ systems. Hypokalemia, a decrease in potassium levels in the blood, is a sign of anorexia nervosa. Significant decreases in potassium levels can cause irregular heart rhythms, constipation, fatigue, muscle damage, and paralysis. Symptoms of anorexia nervosa may include:

Diagnostics

The diagnostic evaluation includes an assessment of the patient's current circumstances, biographical information, current symptoms, and family history. The assessment also includes a mental status examination, which is an assessment of the patient's current mood and thinking, focusing on weight and eating behavior patterns.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria, 5th edition

Compared to the previous edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, revised), the 2013 edition (5th edition) reflects changes in the criteria for anorexia nervosa, specifically noting the removal of the criterion for amenorrhea. Amenorrhea was removed for several reasons: this criterion does not apply to men and women who are pre- or post-menstrual or taking contraceptives, and for some women who meet other criteria for anorexia nervosa who are still menstrually active.

Subtypes

There are two subtypes of anorexia nervosa:

Purging type (binge eating/purging): Patients use binge eating or purging behavior as a means of losing weight. It differs from bulimia nervosa by the weight of the patients. Patients with purging anorexia do not maintain a healthy or normal weight but are significantly underweight. Patients with bulimia nervosa, on the other hand, may be somewhat overweight.

Restrictive type: Patients restrict food intake, fast, take diet pills, or use exercise as a means of weight loss; they may engage in excessive exercise to lose weight or prevent weight gain, and some patients eat only to survive.

Severity

Analyzes and research

Medical tests to check for signs of physical decline in anorexia nervosa:

CBC: counting white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets, is used to evaluate the presence of various disorders such as leukocytosis, leukopenia, thrombocytosis and anemia, which may be caused by malnutrition.

Urinalysis: Various urine tests are used in the diagnosis of medical disorders to determine chemical dependency and as an indicator of general health.

Blood Chemistry Test (20 Tests): Chem-20, also known as SMA-20/Sequential Multiplex Test, is a panel of twenty separate blood serum tests. Tests will include cholesterol levels, proteins and electrolytes such as potassium, chloride and sodium, and tests specific to liver and kidney function.

Glucose tolerance test: An oral glucose tolerance test is used to evaluate the body's ability to metabolize glucose. May be useful in identifying various diseases and conditions such as diabetes, insulinoma, Cushing's syndrome, hypoglycemia, and polycystic ovary syndrome.

Serum cholinesterase test: A test for liver enzyme levels (acetylcholinesterase and pseudocholinesterase) is useful as a test of liver function and for assessing malnutrition.

Liver test: A series of tests to evaluate liver function, some tests are also used to evaluate malnutrition, protein deficiency, kidney function, coagulopathies, etc.

Luteinizing hormone response to gonadotropin-releasing hormone: Luteinizing hormone (LH) response to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH): Testing the pituitary gland's response to GnRH, a hormone produced in the hypothalamus. Hypogenitalism is often observed in anorexia nervosa.

Creatine kinase test: measures blood levels of creatine kinase, an enzyme found in the heart (cardiac fraction of creatine kinase), brain (creatine kinase-brain fraction), and skeletal muscle (creatine kinase-muscle subunit).

Blood urea nitrogen test: Urea nitrogen is a byproduct of protein metabolism, first formed in the liver, then excreted from the blood by the kidneys. Blood urea nitrogen testing is primarily used to evaluate kidney function. Low blood urea nitrogen levels may indicate the effects of malnutrition.

Blood urea nitrogen to creatinine ratio: Used to predict various conditions. A high blood urea nitrogen/creatinine ratio may occur with severe hydration, acute renal failure, congestive heart failure, and intestinal bleeding. A low blood urea nitrogen/creatinine ratio may indicate a low protein diet, celiac disease, rhabdomyolysis, or cirrhosis.

Electrocardiogram (ECG): measures the electrical activity of the heart. Can be used to detect various disorders such as hyperkalemia.

Electroencephalogram (EEG): measures the electrical activity of the heart. May be used to identify disorders such as those associated with pituitary tumors.

Thyroid Screening TSH, T4, T3: A test used to evaluate thyroid function by assessing the levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine (T4), and.

Differential diagnosis

Many diseases and psychological conditions can be misdiagnosed as anorexia nervosa, in some cases the correct diagnosis may not be made for more than ten years. Distinguishing between the diagnoses of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and other eating disorders is often difficult because there is significant overlap between patients at diagnosis. It appears that even minimal changes in the patient's general behavior or attitudes can change the diagnosis of purging anorexia to bulimia nervosa. The main factor differentiating purging anorexia from bulimia is the difference in physical weight. Patients with bulimia nervosa are usually of normal or slightly overweight. Patients with purging anorexia are usually underweight. Patients with this type of anorexia may be significantly underweight and usually do not eat much food, although they purse the small amount of food they eat. In contrast, patients with bulimia nervosa tend to be normal to overweight and eat large amounts of food. It is common for patients with eating disorders to “go through” multiple diagnoses as their behaviors and beliefs change over time.

Accompanying illnesses

Various other psychological problems may contribute to the development of anorexia nervosa, some meeting the criteria for a separate diagnosis of Axis I or personality disorders that fall under Axis II and are thus considered comorbid with the diagnosed eating disorder. Some patients have pre-existing disorders that may increase their susceptibility to developing eating disorders, and some subsequently develop them. The presence of Axis I or II psychiatric comorbidities has been noted to influence the severity and type of symptoms of anorexia nervosa in adolescent and adult patients. (OCD) and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders are highly comorbid with anorexia nervosa, in particular the restrictive type. Obsessive-compulsive personality disorders are associated with more severe symptomatology and worse prognosis. The cause-and-effect relationship between personality disorders and eating disorders is still not fully understood. Other associated conditions include depression, alcoholism, borderline and other personality disorders, anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and body dysmorphic disorder. Depression and anxiety are the most common comorbid conditions, with depression associated with the worst prognosis. Autism spectrum disorders are more prevalent among people with eating disorders than in the general population. Zucker et al. (2007) proposed that conditions in autism spectrum disorder constitute a cognitive endophenotype underlying anorexia nervosa.

Causes

There is evidence of biological, psychological, developmental, and sociocultural risk factors, but the exact causes of eating disorders are not known.

Biological reasons

Research hypothesizes that long-term eating disorders may be an associated symptom of burnout. Results from the Minnesota Wasting Experiment showed that the normal control group reflected many of the behavior patterns of anorexia nervosa in the wasting pattern. This can be caused by numerous changes in the neuroendocrine system, resulting in an endless cycle. Another hypothesis is that anorexia nervosa is more likely in populations in which obesity is prevalent and as a result of the sexually selected evolutionary drive to look young in populations in which figure becomes the primary indicator of age. Anorexia nervosa most often occurs in people of puberty. Some hypotheses to explain the increasing prevalence of eating disorders in adolescents are "increased body fat in girls, hormonal changes during puberty, social expectations of increased levels of independence and freedom that are particularly difficult for adolescents to achieve [and] increased influence from peers and their values."

Psychological reasons

Early theories about the causes of anorexia linked it to childhood sexual abuse or living in dysfunctional families; The evidence is inconsistent and a well-designed study is required.

Sociological reasons

The number of diagnoses of anorexia nervosa has increased since the 1950s; the increase was associated with receptivity and internationalization of the ideal figure. People in occupations where there is social pressure to be thin (such as models and dancers) are most likely to develop anorexia, and these anorexics also have greater exposure to cultural sources that promote weight loss. This trend can also be tested for people who participate in certain sports, such as jockeys and wrestlers. There is a high incidence and prevalence of anorexia nervosa in sports, especially in aesthetic sports where lower body fat is an advantage, and sports in which being lighter is a competitive advantage.

Media influence

Treatment

There is no clear evidence that any specific treatment for anorexia nervosa is better than others; however, there is sufficient evidence that earlier intervention and treatment are more effective. Treatment for anorexia nervosa focuses on three main aspects:

Although restoring the patient's weight is the primary goal, optimal treatment also includes and monitors changes in the patient's behavior. Some agents have little value in the treatment of anorexia; hospitalization is a worse option compared to voluntary treatment. Psychotherapy for patients with anorexia nervosa is challenging because they may assert thinness as a value in life and seek means to maintain control and resist change.

Diet

Diet is the most significant factor when working with patients with anorexia nervosa and must be tailored to the needs of each patient. When developing a diet, a variety of foods is important, as is the consumption of foods with higher energy value. Patients should consume the optimal number of calories, start their food intake slowly and increase it at a moderate pace.

Medicines

Medications have limited benefit in treating anorexia itself.

Therapy

Family therapy has been shown to be more successful than individual therapy. Various forms of family therapy have been shown to work in treating adolescents with anorexia nervosa, including conjoint family therapy, in which parents and children are seen by the same therapist, and separated family therapy, in which parents and children attend therapy separately from different professionals. Proponents of family therapy for adolescents with anorexia nervosa argue that it is important to involve parents in the adolescent's treatment. A long-term 4-5 year study of Maudsley Family Therapy, an empirical practice model, showed complete recovery rates of up to 90%. Although this model is recommended by the National Institute of Mental Health, critics say it has the potential to create power struggles in intimate relationships and can undermine equal partnerships. Cognitive behavioral therapy is appropriate for adolescent and adult patients with anorexia nervosa; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is part of cognitive behavioral therapy and appears to be useful in the treatment of anorexia nervosa. Cognitive restoration therapy is also used in the treatment of anorexia nervosa.

Forecast

Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any mental disorder, being 11–12 times higher than expected, and the risk of suicide is 56 times higher; Half of women with anorexia nervosa achieve full recovery, while another 20-30% may have partial recovery. Not all patients with anorexia nervosa recover completely: approximately 20% develop chronic anorexia nervosa. If anorexia nervosa is left untreated, severe complications can develop, such as heart and kidney disease, which ultimately lead to death. The average period from onset to remission of anorexia nervosa is seven years for women and three years for men. After 10-15 years, 70% of patients no longer meet diagnostic criteria, but many still continue to experience problems associated with eating behavior. According to the Morgan Russell criteria, patients can have a favorable, intermediate or unfavorable outcome. Even when patients are classified as having a “favorable” outcome, only the weight must be within 15% of the average weight and the women must have normal menstruation. A favorable outcome also excludes mental illness. Recovery for patients with anorexia nervosa is undoubtedly positive, but recovery does not mean a return to normal.

Complications

Anorexia nervosa can have serious complications if its severity and duration are significant and if the disease begins before the patient has completed growth, reached puberty, or reached peak bone mass. Complications specific to adolescents and children with anorexia nervosa may include the following conditions:

Relapses

Relapses occur in about a third of hospitalized patients, with the highest rate occurring in the first six months and up to one and a half years after the patient is discharged from the hospital.

Epidemiology

Although anorexia is widespread among many patient groups in the United States, the disease is more limited to Western countries. Anorexia has an average prevalence of 0.9% in women and 0.3% in men in developed countries. Women get sick three times more often than men. The lifetime prevalence of atypical anorexia nervosa, a form of other eating disorders in which all diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa are not met, is much higher, ranging from 5-12%. Whether the prevalence of anorexia nervosa is increasing is controversial. Most studies show that the prevalence of anorexia nervosa in adult women has been fairly constant since at least 1970, while there is some indication that the prevalence may have increased among girls and young women aged 14 to 20 years. It is difficult to compare increases in incidence at different times and perhaps in different locations due to changes in diagnostic methods, reporting, and population sizes reported after 1970.

Insufficient representation

Eating disorders are less common in pre-industrial, non-Westernized countries than in Western countries. In Africa, not including South Africa, data on eating disorders are provided only in case reports and isolated studies, rather than in prevalence studies. Research data shows that in Europeanized cultures, ethnic minorities have very similar rates of eating disorders, compared with the belief that eating disorders occur predominantly in Caucasian patients. Due to different beauty standards for men and women, men are less likely to be diagnosed with anorexia. Typically, men who change their body shape do so to become leaner and more muscular, not skinny. Additionally, men who may otherwise be diagnosed with anorexia may meet the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Revision criteria for body mass index because they have increased muscle mass but very little body fat. Anorexia in athletes is often overlooked. Research highlights the importance of looking at athletes' diet, weight and symptoms when diagnosing anorexia, rather than simply measuring weight and body mass index. For athletes who turn training into a ritual, such as focusing on weighing before competition, this may contribute to the development of eating disorders. While women use diet pills, which are indicators of unhealthy behavior and eating disorders, men use steroids, which contextualize gender ideals of beauty. It is also noted that men are preoccupied with their body image, which is an indicator of eating disorders. In a Canadian study, 4% of ninth grade boys used anabolic steroids. Men with anorexia are sometimes called manorexics.

Story

The term anorexia nervosa was coined in 1873 by Sir William Gull, one of Queen Victoria's personal physicians. The term is of Greek origin: an- (ἀν-, a prefix expressing negation) and orexis (ὄρεξις, “appetite”), which literally translates as nervous loss of appetite. The history of anorexia nervosa begins with descriptions of religious fasts of the Hellenistic era and continues into the Middle Ages. The medieval practice of self-exhaustion by women, including some very young women, in the name of religion and purity is also associated with anorexia nervosa, sometimes called anorexia miraculous. Early medical descriptions of anorexic diseases are generally attributed to the English physician Richard Morton in 1689. Case reports of anorexic illness continued into the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. At the end of the 19th century, anorexia nervosa became widely recognized among doctors. In 1873, Sir William Gull, one of Queen Victoria's personal physicians, published the original article using the term anorexia nervosa and presented several detailed case reports and treatment regimens. In the same year, the French physician Ernest Charles Lasegue published similar data on several cases in a work entitled De l "Anorexie Histerique. Awareness of this disease was greatly limited to the medical field until the second half of the 20th century, when the German and American psychoanalyst Hild Bruch published the article Golden The Cage: The Mystery of Anorexia Nervosa in 1978. Despite major advances in neuroscience, Bruch's theory tends to predominate as popular teaching.The next major event was the death of popular singer and drummer Karen Carpenter in 1983, which attracted widespread, ongoing media interest in the disorder eating behavior.

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2 Nowadays, excessive thinness is still in fashion, so many girls spend a lot of effort to turn their appetizing forms into a pile of bones. Although it is worth noting that fashion in the West is already moving away from the 90-60-90 standards. In this short article we will talk about girls who dream of being like a piece of paper, both in weight and thickness, they are popularly called Anorexic, which means you will read a little lower.
However, before continuing, let me recommend a few more popular publications on the topics of girls and women. For example, how to understand the word Pihwa, what does Vagina mean, who is called Kulema, what is PMS, etc.
So let's continue What does Anorexic mean?? This term was borrowed from the Greek language "anorexia", and is translated as "without the urge to eat." In Russia, girls with a similar build have long been called Sikildami.

Anorexic- this is an insult, this is what very thin girls are called, although they themselves are proud of such a nickname

How to determine whether a girl is really sick anorexia? One of the first points that you should pay attention to is the young lady’s excessive enthusiasm for all kinds of diets, despite the fact that her weight is already low. And the more a woman loses weight, the more she worries about her weight, which she allegedly finds. What is surprising is that even with advanced anorexia, patient continues to claim that she is absolutely healthy. Some individual females sometimes bring themselves to such a state that only hospitalization can save them. Unfortunately, in these advanced cases, nutritionists are no longer able to do anything; here you need to turn to either psychologists or psychiatrists.

There are groups on social networks that widely promote anorexia, where girls concerned about their kilograms share ways to lose even more weight. These babies, in the literal sense of the word, even developed their own special jargon, which we will present below.

Dictionary Anorexic

Kcal- kilocalories, that is, the calorie content of the product.

300, 500 - these numbers in diets show the number of calories.

PP- abbreviation for "Proper Nutrition".

ABC- the abbreviation “Ana Boot Camp”, this is the name of a very powerful diet that is suitable for the most advanced cases, or for those who are “not on friendly terms with their heads.”

ZhP- abbreviation for "Hard Drinking".

Exchange is slang for the phrase "Metabolism."

Plateau- this is what anorexics call a situation when the weight does not change for a long time, either in one direction or the other, although you are on a diet.

KP- an abbreviation for “Compulsive Overeating Disorder” (this is the uncontrolled consumption of large amounts of food).

Weight gain- slang for weight gain on the scale.

Plumb- slang for decreasing weight on a scale.

Butterfly- this is an obsessive desire to associate oneself with moths, since these insects are so weightless and light. Among anorexics, this nickname is perceived as a compliment.

Butterfly - the same as "moth", is a compliment in the ano-circle.

Rem- an abbreviation for the word "Remantadine" (a cold remedy), with prolonged use contributes to the development of anorexia.

FLU- short for the drug Fluoxetine, is an antidepressant that suppresses appetite, and as a result causes anorexia.

ECA- this is how anorexics call a whole range of medications, “Ephedrine Caffeine Aspirin” (they are used during fitness and bodybuilding to get sculpted muscles and lose weight).

Bisak- short for Bisacodyl (strong laxative).

Bronchus- an abbreviation for the word Bronholitin, is a cough syrup that contains ephedrine, which in turn is a constituent of ECA.

Hairdryer- abbreviation for the word Amphetamine (is a narcotic substance and psychostimulant).

Blue or blue thread on the wrist- this symbol shows that a person has Bulimia (this is periodic or frequent fluctuations in weight, with periods of uncontrollable bouts of overeating and subsequent forms of purging).

Red thread on the left wrist - the girl has become anorexic.

Red thread on right wrist- the girl wants to become anorexic.

Purple thread on the wrist- is a symbol of the anorexic community, or a sign that you are a PA.

Mia is an abbreviation for the word Bulimia.

Ana is an abbreviation for the word Anorexia.

MJ- stands for “Low Eating”, that is, the girl limits herself in getting calories.

Pro-ana- the abbreviation can be deciphered as “professional anorexic”, that is, one who monitors her weight and figure, and tries to achieve complete perfection, as she understands it.

Calorie- slang for a diet that is based on counting calories.

SG- the abbreviation stands for “Dry Hunger”.

OB- an abbreviation for the phrase "Metabolism".

MCC- an abbreviation that stands for “Microcrystalline Cellulose” (a substance that helps cleanse the body and effectively lose weight).

Chitting- this is the name given to a pre-planned break in the diet, during which one usually eats exclusively healthy food. Sometimes a necessary measure when a “Plateau” occurs, when the weight mark stays in one place for a long time.

KD- a fairly common abbreviation for "Critical Days".

I wish you plumbs- this is a benevolent wish in ano-circles, a person wishes you greater plumb lines, that is, a decrease in weight on the scales (I apologize for the tautology).

More and more often we have to deal with a disease that has become “popular” over the past 30 years. What is anorexia? What are the causes of its occurrence and how dangerous is it?

Anorexia is considered an eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa is neither a “mania” nor a “bad” behavior of an individual, it is.

With anorexia, there is a pathological desire to lose weight, accompanied by a strong fear of obesity. The patient has a distorted perception of his image, namely concern about imaginary weight gain, even if this is not observed. A similar disease is, with the difference that significant weight loss is not observed.

Typically, patients suffering from anorexia achieve weight loss in two ways:

1. Restrictions - weight loss through strict diets with a decrease in the amount of food taken every day and excessive exercise.
2. Cleansing - i.e. through various procedures: gastric lavage, enemas, artificially induced vomiting after eating.

Causes of anorexia

There is no single reason that can affect the occurrence of anorexia. Typically all three factors are involved:

1. Biological (biological and genetic predisposition)
2. Psychological (family influence and internal conflicts)
3. Social (environmental influence: expectations, imitation framework)

When working with a patient with anorexia, all three factors are always taken into account to achieve a successful result.

How common is this disease?

In developed countries, every 2 girls out of 100 aged 12 to 24 years suffer from anorexia.

Anorexia is considered to be a female disease that manifests itself in adolescence.
In percentage terms, we can say that 90% of cases of anorexia patients are girls aged 12-24 years. The remaining 10% includes older women and men.

Symptoms of anorexia

1. Denial of maintaining a minimum weight, no matter how low it may be.
2. A constant feeling of fullness, particularly in certain parts of the body.
3. Eating method: eat standing, break food into small pieces.
4. Isolation from society
5. Panic fear of gaining weight

As a consequence of this disease, certain disorders may occur at the physiological level, such as menstrual irregularities, arrhythmia, constant weakness, and muscle spasms. As well as increased irritability, unreasonable anger, resentment towards others.

How to treat anorexia?

To treat anorexia, you need to contact your doctor for a referral, or contact a psychiatrist directly to get an accurate diagnosis of the disease and a treatment plan.

For anorexia, a necessary condition is psychological support in the form of.

Psychologist, psychoanalyst R. R. Akopyan