Anorexia
Anorexia is a complex and highly misunderstood disorder. Individuals struggling with anorexia are often unfairly characterized as self-obsessed, manipulative and stubborn.
Anorexia is a Greek word meaning “loss of appetite.” This furthers the misunderstanding associated with anorexia because only in the late stages of starvation do people lose their appetites.
Anorexia is much more than a diet gone awry, and the sufferer more than an attention seeking, skinny person. Unfortunately, with so many misunderstandings about anorexia, it often gets ignored or seen as a “rebellious stage” one is going through. In fact, it is a very serious problem with deep psychological roots. If left untreated, anorexia can have serious medial consequences.
With a mortality rate of 10%, it is absolutely essential that an individual with anorexia seek treatment as soon as possible.
In order to formally diagnose an individual with anorexia nervosa, clinicians turn to the fourth edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV, 1994). The DSM-IV lists four criteria that an individual must meet in order to be diagnosed as anorexic, generalized as follows:
- 1. The individual maintains a body weight that is about 15% below normal for age, height, and body type.
- 2. The individual has an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though they are underweight. Paradoxically, losing weight can make the fear of gaining even worse.
- 3. The individual has a distorted body image. Some may feel fat all over, others recognize that they are generally thin but see specific body parts (particularly the stomach and thighs) as being too fat. Their self-worth is based on their body size and shape. They deny that their low body weight is serious cause for concern.
- 4. In women, there is an absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles. A woman also meets this criteria if her period occurs only while she is taking a hormone pill (including, but not limited to, oral contraceptives).
What does treatment for anorexia involve?
Treatment for anorexia is more complex than simply coercing a person to gain weight. While healthy weight restoration is an essential feature of recovery, so too is understanding the underlying issues that led to anorexia in the first place.
In most cases, a multi-disciplinary team approach is the most effective way to comprehensively treat anorexia. Depending on the stage and severity of the disorder, this may include medial, nutritional, psychiatric and psychological intervention.
Is recovery from anorexia possible?
I believe a full recovery is possible. Recovery will depend on many factors, but the most important one is the individual’s willingness, desire and determination to be free from their disorder.
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“Joy is the will which labors, which overcomes obstacles, which knows triumph" - William Butler Yeats
