Post about anorexia. Anorexia - signs and how to recognize its symptoms? Is it possible to fully recover from anorexia?

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

There are the following The main symptoms of anorexia nervosa are:

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

decrease in body weight below normal levels

anxiety about your own weight

fanatical adherence to diet and exercise

Causes of anorexia nervosa

A number of social and biological prerequisites are required for anorexia nervosa syndrome to develop. A significant role in the emergence of anorexia nervosa is played by a hereditary factor, exogenous harm in the first years of life, personality traits, as well as microsocial factors, such as, for example, the importance of the family. Depression, exhaustion, aversion to food, stress are also important.

Exists risk factors that increase the likelihood of anorexia nervosa. These include:

In some cases, excessive concern for their own weight, increased interest in diets and other methods of losing weight can "help" develop anorexia.

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

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

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

Anorexia nervosa can 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's restriction of himself in food intake, while the patient almost never eats up to a feeling of satiety, after eating, he artificially provokes vomiting.

Second type- cleansing. Its difference is that the anorexic constantly eats up to a feeling of satiety, after which it provokes vomiting, bowel movement (by taking laxatives), uses diuretics, and so on. People with the cleansing type of anorexia nervosa usually eat a lot (more than a healthy person of similar build) because they have no internal control over their food intake.

Signs and symptoms of anorexia

Most people with anorexia nervosa, even though they are quite thin, become worried about being overweight and try to limit their food intake, until they become exhausted. It follows that a prerequisite for the onset of anorexia nervosa may be distorted perception of your body.

According to statistics:

• The number of patients with anorexia over the past 20 years in economically developed countries has grown significantly
• With a frequency of 1 in 90 cases, girls 16 years and older suffer from anorexia
• 10% of untreated anorexics die

There are several main symptoms and signs of the development of anorexia:
1) People suffering from anorexia nervosa devote a lot of time to food: they study diets and calorie content of certain foods, collect collections of recipes, prepare delicious dishes for treating others, while they themselves refuse to eat - they come up with what is wrong have eaten for a long time, are not hungry, can also simulate food intake (do not swallow food, hide it, etc.).
2) Usually, anorexic hides an obsession with their weight and tries not to declassify the fact that after each meal they artificially cause vomiting.
3) Approximately 50 percent of people with anorexia nervosa progress to severe, persistent hunger, which they can satisfy with large amounts of food (called bulimia). The person then removes the eaten food from the body, causing vomiting or using other methods.
4) Patients with anorexia nervosa pay great attention to physical exercise, remain active and mobile.
5) Usually, people with anorexia nervosa lose interest in sex.
6) Due to a lack of nutrients, hormonal imbalance occurs, which often leads to the termination of the menstrual cycle (amenorrhea appears - the absence of menstruation).
7) Patients with anorexia nervosa have low body temperature and blood pressure. There may be a feeling of interruptions in the work 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 have constipation, flatulence (bloating), and a feeling of discomfort in the abdomen.

Consequences of anorexia nervosa

Long-term, untreated anorexia nervosa can have serious consequences, such as:

Disruption of the heart muscle- a common cause of death among patients with severe forms of anorexia nervosa. The following characteristic symptoms of cardiac dysfunction in anorexic people are distinguished: a feeling of heart failure (arrhythmia), palpitations, a decrease in blood pressure, the pulse becomes rare (less than 55-60 beats per minute), short-term loss of consciousness, dizziness, etc.
It leads to a decrease in the production of thyroid hormones and female sex hormones. endocrine system disorder... As a result of these violations, the cessation of menstruation occurs, the disappearance of sexual desire, lethargy, infertility, etc.
Lack of calcium causes thinning and increased fragility of bones. For those with severe anorexia, even a minor effect on the bone can lead to a fracture.
Frequent artificial induction of vomiting in anorexic leads to the fact that the acidic contents of the stomach damage the esophagus and teeth: the lining of the esophagus becomes inflamed(esophagitis), tooth enamel is destroyed.
Anorexia nervosa is often accompanied by feeling of depression, depression, inability to concentrate. In some cases, it can result in suicide.

Often, people with anorexia nervosa do not perceive themselves to be sick and do not pay attention to their condition. However, anorexia nervosa is a serious illness that can lead to serious consequences, up to and including death. 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.

Diagnosing anorexia

When the main symptoms and signs of anorexia nervosa appear, you should see a psychiatrist. He will make the 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 close people. During the conversation, the doctor asks those who come to the reception questions of interest to him. Usually, during such a conversation, a 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. Calculating body mass index (BMI) helps diagnose anorexia. To calculate BMI, use the following formula: body weight in kilograms is divided by height in square meters.
For example, the body weight is 65 kg and the height is 1.7 m, then the body mass index will be 22.5.
A normal body mass index can range from 18.5 to 24.99. If the BMI is below 17.5, this may indicate the presence of anorexia.
3. To identify the consequences of anorexia, such as a decrease in hemoglobin, electrolyte deficiency, lack of hormones, etc., the following tests are carried out: biochemical blood test, general blood and urine analysis, determination of the level of hormones in the blood. In addition, in order to diagnose the consequences of anorexia, the method of x-ray of the bones of the skeleton is used (they reveal thinning of the bones), fibroesophagogastroscopy (they show diseases of the esophagus and stomach), electrocardiography (determine heart disorders), etc.

Treatment for anorexia nervosa

Depending on the severity of the disease, a 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 adjustment of body weight, restoration of fluid and electrolyte balance in the body, and psychological assistance.

In patients with severe anorexia normalization of body weight 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 compiling an individual diet, the degree of exhaustion, body mass index, the presence of symptoms of a lack of any substances (for example, if bone density is reduced, calcium-rich foods are needed, etc.) are taken into account. The best option is a person's independent nutrition, but if the patient refuses to eat, it is possible to feed through a special tube that is inserted through the nose into the stomach (the so-called nasogastric tube).

Drug treatment for anorexia suggests all kinds of medications that eliminate the consequences of anorexia: for example, if there are no periods, hormonal agents are prescribed; if bone density is reduced, calcium and vitamin D preparations are used, etc. Of great importance in the treatment of anorexia nervosa are antidepressants and other medications that are used for mental illness: for example, Prozac (Fluoxetine), Olanzapine, etc. The duration and dosage of these drugs 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 options for psychotherapy used for anorexia: familial (used in adolescents) and behavioral (most effective in adults). Usually the duration of psychotherapy courses depends on the patient. It can last one year in patients who have regained their normal weight, and two years in patients whose weight is still below normal.

Treating an anorexic patient also involves the participation of close relatives and friends, who must be patient, but persist in continuing the treatment of this serious illness.

Anorexia in men has its own characteristics:

• Anorexia in men is often associated with various mental disorders - schizophrenia, neuroses.
• Men do not talk about their desire to lose weight. They are more secretive than women who are constantly discussing ways to lose weight.
• Men are more purposeful, they adhere to their given word to refuse certain products. They are less likely to have food breakdowns.
• A large percentage of sick men refuse food for ideological reasons. They are supporters of detoxification, raw food, veganism, sun eating, or other nutritional systems.
• Anorexia affects not only young men who strive to meet the standards of beauty, but also men over 40 who are fond of cleansing the body and various spiritual practices. You can often hear phrases from them that "food is an obstacle to spiritual development", "refusal of food prolongs life and purifies the spirit."
• Asthenic and schizoid traits prevail in the character of patients, in contrast to women, who are characterized by hysterical traits.
• Delusional ideas about imaginary obesity sometimes serve as a distraction for a man. At the same time, he is inclined to ignore the real physical disabilities, sometimes disfiguring his appearance.

Factors provoking anorexia in men

• Raising in a single-parent family in an overprotective atmosphere from the mother's side. The boy is afraid that with weight gain he will grow up and lose the love of his family. Remaining thin, he tries to avoid the responsibility and hardships of adulthood. Such men continue to live with their parents into adulthood.
• Criticism from others regarding excess weight. This can lead to psychological trauma.
• Specific sports requiring tight control over body weight - sports dancing, ballet, running, jumping, figure skating.
• Show business professions- singers, actors, fashion models. People employed in these professions sometimes pay excessive attention to their appearance, which causes thoughts of their own imperfection and excess weight.
• Self-punishment. Boys and men drive themselves to exhaustion by reducing guilt for undetected aggression towards their fathers or illicit sexual attraction.
• Schizophrenia in one of the parents, the propensity to which is inherited. The risk of anorexia nervosa is high in young men whose parents suffered from anorexia, phobia, anxiety depression, psychosis.
• Homosexuality. In specialized publications, a cult of lean male bodies is created, which encourages young men to refuse food.

Manifestations of anorexia in men and women are similar in many ways. In 70% of patients, the onset of the disease occurs at the age of 10-14 years. If the parents failed to notice and stop them, then the symptoms slowly build up.

• Painful attention to one's appearance.
• The tendency to eat normally once and then go hungry for weeks.
• Hiding food. To convince relatives that the patient is “eating well,” he may hide or throw away his portion of food.
• Decreased sexual interest and potency, which is analogous to female amenorrhea (absence of menstruation).
• Traditional methods of losing weight - refusal to eat, excessive exercise and vomiting, enemas, colonotherapy. However, the painful attachment to vomiting is less common than in women.
• Unmotivated aggression. Rude attitude towards close people, especially parents.
• Refusal to be photographed. Patients argue that their "fullness" is more noticeable in photographs.
• Hypochondria. A man is overly worried about his health, suspects that he has serious illnesses. Natural sensations (especially the feeling of fullness in the stomach) seem painful to him.
• Changes in appearance appear after a few months - weight loss (up to 50% of body weight), dry skin, hair loss.
• Addiction to alcoholism is an attempt to cope with experiences and drown out thoughts about food and weight loss.

At first, losing weight is euphoric. There is a feeling of lightness and a feeling of victory when it was possible to curb the appetite, which causes deep satisfaction in the patient. Over time, appetite disappears, and the body's resources are depleted. Vigor is replaced by irritability and chronic fatigue. The way of thinking is changing, crazy ideas are formed that cannot be corrected. The body becomes painfully thin, but the man continues to perceive himself as fat. Malnutrition of the brain affects the ability to think well and process information. Prolonged abstinence from food leads to organic brain damage.

Men with anorexia do not perceive their condition as a problem. They in every possible way justify fasting by cleansing the body and striving for enlightenment. Their relatives are more likely to seek medical help. If this did not happen on time, then the man goes to a hospital with cachexia (extreme exhaustion) or to a psychiatric hospital with an exacerbation of mental illness.

Treatment of anorexia in men includes psychotherapy, medication and reflexology. Together, these activities lead to the recovery of over 80% of patients.

1. Psychotherapy- an obligatory component of treatment. It allows you to correct the patient's thinking and helps to eliminate the psychological trauma that led to an eating disorder. For anorexia in men, the following have been proven effective:

• psychoanalysis;
• behavioral therapy;
• family psychotherapy with the patient's relatives.

2. Drug treatment. Medicines can only be prescribed by a doctor, and the dosage depends on the severity of the symptoms of the disease.

• Antipsychotics Clozapine, Olanzapine are used for the first 6 months of treatment. They promote weight gain and reduce obesity delusions. The dose of the drug is determined individually. After reaching the therapeutic effect, it is gradually reduced. If an exacerbation occurs, then the dose is increased to the initial one.
• Atypical antipsychotics Risperidone, Risset eliminate the negative manifestations of the disease, but do not reduce performance, do not interfere with work and study. They take drugs constantly or only when symptoms of the disease occur. Treatment with atypical drugs can last from 6 months to one and a half years.
• Vitamin preparations... B vitamins normalize the nervous system, helping to eradicate the root cause of the disease. Vitamins A and E improve the production of hormones, contribute to the restoration of the skin and its appendages, as well as the mucous membranes of internal organs.

3. Reflexology(acupuncture). During the sessions, reflex points are affected, which stimulates appetite and restores disturbed metabolism.

4. Trainings on the organization of healthy food. Special training programs will help the patient to compose the menu in such a way that all nutrients enter the body, and there is no discomfort.

5. Intravenous or tube feeding. These methods are used in extreme exhaustion in patients who categorically refuse to eat.

Anorexia in a child, what to do?

Anorexia in a child is a more common problem than is commonly believed. 30% of girls 9-11 years old limit themselves to food and adhere to a diet in order to lose weight. Every 10th person has a high risk of developing anorexia (in boys, this indicator is 4-6 times lower). However, in childhood, the psyche is better influenced and in the early stages, parents can help the child avoid the development of the disease, while remaining slim.

Causes of anorexia in a child

• Parents feed the child by forcing him to eat too large portions. As a result, aversion to food is formed.
• Monotonous food that forms a negative attitude towards food.
• Postponed severe infectious diseases - diphtheria, hepatitis, tuberculosis.
• Psychoemotional stress - sudden acclimatization, death of a loved one, divorce of parents.
• The abundance of harmful and sweet foods in the diet disrupts digestion and metabolism.
• Excessive custody and parental control. It is often found in single-parent families where a child is brought up without a father by his mother and grandmother.
• Dissatisfaction with their appearance, which is often based on criticism of parents and ridicule of peers.
• Hereditary predisposition to mental illness.

What are the signs of anorexia in a child?

• Eating disorders - refusal to eat or a certain set of foods (potatoes, cereals, meat, sweets).
• Physical signs are weight loss, dry skin, sunken eyes, bruises under the eyes.
• Behavioral changes - sleep disturbances, irritability, frequent tantrums, decreased academic performance.

What to do if you notice signs of anorexia in your child?

• Make your meal an enjoyable experience. Create a cozy kitchen. While the child is eating, take a few minutes to sit nearby, ask how the day went, what was the most enjoyable experience today.
• Start eating healthy with your whole family. For example, instead of pies, cook baked apples with cottage cheese, instead of frying potatoes or fish, bake them in foil. Focus not on the fact that this makes you lose weight, but that proper nutrition is the basis of beauty, health and vigor. Slimness is just a pleasant consequence of a healthy lifestyle.
• Observe family food rituals. Bake meat according to your grandmother's recipe, marinate fish, as is customary in your family. Share these secrets with your child. Rituals make the child feel like they are part of the group and give them a sense of security.
• Go shopping together. Make a rule: everyone buys a new, preferably "healthy" product. It could be yogurt, exotic fruit, or a new kind of cheese. Then you can try it at home and decide whose choice is better. In this way, you instill in your child the idea that healthy food is enjoyable.
• Don't insist on yours. Give your child a choice, strive for a compromise. This applies to all aspects of life. The child, who is overly controlled in everything, takes control of what remains for him - his food. Avoid categorical requirements. If you think it's cold outside, don't yell for your daughter to put on a hat, but offer the child an acceptable choice: a bandage, a hat or a hood. The same goes for food. Ask what the child will be by offering a choice of 2-3 acceptable meals. If your daughter flatly refuses dinner, reschedule lunch to a later time.
• Introduce your child to the cooking process... Watch cooking programs together, choose recipes on the Internet that you would like to try. There are tons of delicious, healthy, low-calorie meals out there that don't increase your risk of gaining weight.
• Encourage dance and sports activities. Regular physical training increases appetite and promotes the production of endorphins - "hormones of happiness". It is advisable that the child exercises for his own pleasure, since professional activities aimed at winning competitions can provoke the desire to lose weight and cause anorexia and bulimia.
• Consult a beautician or fitness trainer if the child is dissatisfied with his appearance and weight. Children often ignore the advice of their parents, but listen to the opinion of unfamiliar experts. These specialists will help you create a nutritional program that improves skin condition and prevents excess weight gain.
• Listen carefully to your child. Avoid categorical judgments and do not deny the problem: “Don't talk nonsense. Your weight is normal. " Give reasons for your reasons. Together, calculate the formula for the ideal weight, find the minimum and maximum values ​​for this age. Promise to help fight for the ideals of beauty and stick to your word. It is better to cook a dietary soup for your child than a rebellious daughter fundamentally skips a meal consisting of high-calorie roasts.
• Find areas where your child can fulfill themselves. He must feel successful, useful, and irreplaceable. Take your child to a variety of activities to generate interest in a variety of activities: exhibitions, dance competitions, and sports. Encourage him to try his hand at a wide variety of sections and circles. Praise sincerely for every little accomplishment. Then the adolescent will have an ingrained idea that success and positive emotions can be associated not only with physical attractiveness. And new acquaintances and vivid impressions will distract you from thoughts about the imperfection of your body.
• Help your child receive complete and comprehensive information. If your child wants to follow a diet, find detailed instructions on this topic. Be sure to read the contraindications together, read about the dangers and consequences of this diet. For example, proponents of protein diets have been shown to be at risk of cancer. The more your child knows, the better protected he will be. So, from a misunderstanding of the entire danger of the problem, many girls stubbornly search the Internet for advice "how to get sick with anorexia?" In their view, this is not a serious mental illness, but an easy path to beauty.

Remember that if within 1-2 months you have not been able to correct the child's eating behavior, then consult a psychologist.

How to avoid relapse of anorexia?

Recurrences of anorexia after treatment occur in 32% of patients. The most dangerous are the first six months, when patients are tempted to give up food and return to old habits and old way of thinking. There is also a risk that in an attempt to stifle their appetite, such people will become addicted to alcohol or drug use. That is why relatives should pay maximum attention, try to fill their lives with new impressions.

How to avoid relapse of anorexia?

Scientists agree that anorexia is a chronic disease characterized by periods of calm and relapse. This food addiction is compared with diabetes mellitus: a person must constantly monitor his condition, observe preventive measures, and begin drug treatment when the first signs of the disease appear. Only in this way it is possible to stop the return of anorexia in time and prevent relapse.

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

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

Today we will just talk about this disease: what it is, what are its first signs, what should be paid attention to by parents who are faced with a similar problem.

Magnitude of the problem

Let us turn to statistics about the scale of the problem:

• for every 100 girls from developed countries, there are two with anorexia;
• in the United States, out of 5 million girls who suffer, one in seven dies;
• 27% of girls aged 11-17 in Germany are 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 reports a negative outlook.

What is anorexia

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

The result is a complete depletion of the body (cachexia), with a possible fatal outcome.

Anorexia is the most 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. Do not confuse this disease with, there are differences between them.

It is important not to confuse the concept 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 weight loss occupies a dominant position in the worldview of the individual, all activities of which 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 a lethal outcome can “calm down” a potential patient if the necessary measures are not taken.

This disorder (condition, disease) is widespread, understand what you want, among girls of puberty.

However, cases of the disease have been noted both in women at a more mature age and in men, which will be discussed below.

Medical history, first mention of anorexia

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

1. Late 19th early 20th centuries. The attention of medicine was attracted by the phenomenon of schizophrenia and it was suggested that anorexia was one of the first signs of this disease.
2. 1914 - anorexia was defined within the framework of endocrine disease, its close relationship with Simmonds disease (hormonal disruptions in the brain structures) was determined.
3. 30s - 40s of the 20th century. It was decided nevertheless 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 recent years, the problem of anorexia in adolescent girls has become more and more common, and as the researchers report, the number of reported cases would have been higher if patients with a mild form of the disease, which is no less dangerous, came to clinics.

It would be incorrect to say that anorexia is an exclusively female disease. By 1970, the literature described 246 namely 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 developing in the man's body itself triggered the mechanism of schizophrenic illness, often with delusional ideas.

Consequences of the disease in a man:

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

Usually, in childhood, such boys were overweight, physically lagging behind their peers, for which the latter reprimanded them.

They became overly fixed on thoughts of their excess completeness and took action.

Disease predisposition

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

In most cases, girls who are in puberty are susceptible to the disease.

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

The peculiarity of puberty, regardless of gender, is characterized by the fact that the adolescent's attention is focused on his appearance.

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

In parallel, the psyche of this period directs the adolescent'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 outside assessments and statements in their direction from the reference group of people. That is, people who are of significant importance in the perception of a child, and whose opinion is very weighty for them.

Accordingly, a careless joke can give rise to tremendous worries in a teenager about his importance, rationality, attractiveness.

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

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

The perception of her body changes dramatically - a girl weighing 38 kilograms "really" feels like she is 80.

Naturally, no arguments from loved ones can change this. The mirror, reflecting the ugly, according to the girl, body becomes the worst enemy.

Many researchers agree that the prerequisite for the development of thoughts about their own "ugliness" in a child is formed by parents in early childhood.

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

However, the social standards that parents agree with do not welcome the "fat" ones. The child cannot understand this duality and, feeling guilty, is looking for ways to resolve this already intrapersonal conflict.

Common risk factors

Considering anorexia as a disease aggravated precisely in the 21st century, several important socio-cultural aspects should be noted.

1. Influence of Western beauty canons.

Mostly teenage girls who are undecided in the way in which they want to present themselves to others, tend to find a suitable format.

Opening the magazine, looking up on the billboard, a teenager sees an emaciated, beautiful girl who is admired by many and makes a decision.

Only who would have suggested to her that the model is also a hostage of a life situation.

2. Accelerated emancipation of women.

The appearance of a girl who wants to occupy leadership positions in the future must nevertheless correspond to the formed ideas of society about a leader.

The female version of such an image today includes: a fit, somewhat emaciated figure, an 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 questions of an everyday nature:

• how to make more money;
• how to feed yourself and your family.

And not to think that I should (should) correspond 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 turn to the more defining factors of anorexia: the family microclimate and special personal characteristics that predispose a girl to such a 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 an unfavorable 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, the following features of their parents were identified.

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

Usually, such women hide the desire for self-affirmation behind their hyper-concern. They, not having realized in due time, are trying to catch up at the expense of their family members.

At the same time, they have a sufficient energy reserve 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 activity;
• lack of communication;
• gloom.

Some researchers define them as "tyrants". However, there are also oppressive fathers, within the framework of this disease, who play an overly active role in the life of the child and his system of treatment.

In conclusion of this subsection, it must be said that often a child, seeing an unfavorable situation in the family, from childhood tries in all possible ways to normalize relations between parents.

Quite often this method is “child's leaving for illness”. According to the logic of the still immature children's consciousness, parents will become one team in saving their child, they will forget grievances and claims to each other, help the child and eventually 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 was the turn of the analysis of the main character - a girl with anorexia.

What special qualities do they have, what disorders characterized their childhood, what social status they mostly occupy.

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

• obsessions with exaggerating one's own abilities;
• emotional immaturity;
• a high degree of suggestibility;
• dependence on parents;
• hypersensitivity;
• resentment;
• there is no desire for independence.

There is an opinion that anorexia is an "excellent pupil's disease". Indeed, often such girls are very obedient, impetuous, they lack the spirit of rebellion.

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

1. Too sensitive, with a predominance of anxious, suspicious thoughts;
2. Girls with hysterical reactions;
3. Purposeful, always strive for the "first place".

Talk to your child, actively listen to his problems and concerns. Perhaps you will 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, indifferent gaze of one of them can warn a teenager against the development of the disease.

The first signals of anorexia:

• the girl spends time in front of the mirror more than usual;
• the topics of her daily conversations are limited to issues of calorie content and unattractiveness;
• frequent constipation and the desire to get rid of what has been eaten. This is manifested in a long stay in the toilet room;
• an increased interest in the parameters of female models and an unhealthy desire to find the perfect diet;
• the nail plate becomes thinner, teeth crumble and acquire sensitivity;
• hair may fall out;
• the menstrual cycle fails;
• the emotional state is characterized by increased fatigue.

Do not sound the alarm if you find one of the listed signs, perhaps this indicates a completely different type of disease or a situational passing state.

The first signs of the disease should be considered in combination.

Symptoms of the disease, how to diagnose

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

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

They were developed primarily to avoid confusion, as anorexia is often viewed as an adjunct to various other mental illnesses.

So, 5 main diagnostic symptoms of the disease:

1. Refusal to eat;
2. A loss 10% body weight;
3. Amenorrhea (absence of menstruation) that lasts at least 3 months;
4. Absence of signs of diseases such as schizophrenia, depression, organic brain damage.
5. The manifestation of the disease must be no later than 35 years.

Stages of the disease

Domestic scientists distinguish 3 stages of the disease, which are presented in the order of the 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 logical setting that her body is full.

Stage characteristics:

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

Stage 2 - dysmorphic.

At this stage, the girls switch to active steps to reduce their weight:

• pretend to eat their own food (in fact, they spit it out, feed it to the dog, after absorbing food they induce vomiting, etc.);
• enthusiastically study recipes for various dishes, while overfeeding loved ones;
• during sleep, lie down in the most uncomfortable positions;
• dependence on appetite-lowering pills develops;
• drink a lot of coffee and smoke cigarettes to prevent sleep.

Stage 3 - cachectic.

There is a deep depletion of the body:

• the skin loses its elasticity, flakes off;
• 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 drop.

Possible social consequences

Anorexia deprives the girl of many social roles.

Due to her emaciated state, she is unable to communicate with children. Marital relations and communication with parents acquire a conflict, since no one understands her experiences, everyone just wants to put her in the hospital.

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

As an excellent student in childhood, showing the best results, 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 out of, as it seems to us, misfortune.

In networks, there are entire groups, the entrance 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 the early way of life, placed in hospital conditions, 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.).

Inpatient treatment is carried out in two main stages:

1. The first stage is referred to as "diagnostic".

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

Here the emphasis is on the psychotherapeutic effect: 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 mode of leisure, relaxation sessions are held before eating.

Ideally, corrective work should be carried out in parallel with all family members.

The application developed in Western countries, which is gaining momentum in our family therapy, will be successful.

One of the areas of work in this case will be the development of each family member's desire for emotional closeness, work with fear in this area.

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

The reason may lie in the not fully completed course of treatment (many do not stand it and return to their former life).

There is evidence that therapy is more effective the earlier the disease begins. Anorexia that begins at a later age is more difficult for therapeutic correction.

Home treatment

In addition to inpatient treatment in a hospital, it is possible at home at the initial stages to redirect the girl's condition not to a painful state.

What you should pay attention to:

• first of all, you need to realize the girl and her family that something went wrong; knowing about your deviation at the initial stage, you can jointly consciously try to find the cause and throw all your strength into making it less noticeable;
• area of ​​interest. As a rule, choosing such a way to get rid of excess weight as cleansing, a girl in vomiting finds satisfaction of her needs, often she becomes an end in itself. You need to find a suitable activity, directing energy in an interesting direction for the girl. Thus, devoting a lot of time to a hobby, 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 in this way the child wants to convey something to you;
• with a significant decrease in appetite, you can use high-calorie cocktails, as well as teas, which will increase your appetite;
• going in for sports will be useful. Your body will acquire greater resistance to stress, and besides, it will help to acquire the necessary forms in a healthy way;
• to relieve existing tension and anxiety, you can master the techniques of meditation and relaxation yourself, with the connection of 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 features and should not rush to drive himself under the social standard.

The past century has brought not only outstanding discoveries, Nobel laureates and computer technologies, but also new diseases, one of which is anorexia. The pursuit of fashion and the ideal of painful thinness have become the reason that many young people strive to lose weight, sometimes even at the cost of their health.

It will be interesting for you to immediately familiarize yourself with:

Why does anorexia occur?

Anorexia refers to neuropsychiatric disorders, which are characterized by an obsessive desire to lose "excess" weight and deliberate refusal to eat. Signs and symptoms of anorexia appear against the background of fear of imaginary obesity, and the disease can reach an irreversible stage in its development, when even modern medicine cannot help such patients.

It has been proven that more than 80% of all cases of anorexia appear at the age of 12-24, that is, at the time of personality formation. All causes of the disease are conventionally divided into genetic, social and psychological.

Of all the reasons, social factors and the influence of the environment on the unformed psyche of a teenager are distinguished, as well as the desire to imitate and expect attention to oneself. Psychologists have come to the conclusion that the symptoms of anorexia appear at a time when a person is not confident in himself. Add to this dissatisfaction with your appearance, hormonal changes, the presence of stress, low self-esteem, unrequited love and family problems ...

The picture is presented in such a light that the teenager has no choice but to take care of his appearance after evaluating the successful people around. At the same time, they usually do not inform their parents and acquaintances about their plans, and when it becomes clear to them that something is wrong with the child, it is usually too late.

The most terrible complication of anorexia is the triggering of the body's mechanisms for self-destruction, when, due to a lack of nutrients, cells feed on the same cells, that is, they eat themselves. How to identify anorexia and recognize its signs in time?

Stages of anorexia

1. Signs of anorexia manifest themselves in different ways, it depends on the stage of the disease, which can be characterized as follows:

2. Dysmorphomanic - in patients, thoughts that they are inferior due to excess weight begin to prevail. It is during this period that it is important to be able to recognize the first signs of anorexia.

3. Anorectic - when patients no longer hide the fact that they are starving. The weight of patients at this stage of the disease is reduced by 25-30%. At this time, it is not difficult to make a diagnosis, since there are obvious symptoms of a nervous disorder.

4. Cachectic - the period when the internal restructuring of the body and irreversible processes begins. The weight deficit is more than 50%.

How to identify the signs and symptoms of anorexia?

Among all the nervous disorders and diseases associated with mental changes, mortality from anorexia ranks first. And the statistics today are that 8 out of 10 girls aged 12-14 are trying to reduce their weight through diet or dietary restrictions.

Some of them simply refuse to eat, while others try to get rid of the food they have eaten with the help of vomiting, laxatives and enemas. On this basis, all patients with anorexia are divided into 2 types - restrictive and cleansing.

The main difference is that some do not eat up to the feeling of satiety, while others eat as much as they want, but at the same time try to remove the eaten food from the body in any way. From the point of view of mental disorders, both of these signs indicate the presence of a disease.

In addition, the first symptoms of anorexia in the early stages of the disease include:

- Decreased appetite caused by dissatisfaction with their appearance.

- Increased time spent in front of the mirror.

- Abdominal pain (especially after eating).

- Increased fragility and dryness of hair, as well as hair loss.

- Violation or cessation of menstruation.

- Increased interest in diets, calories, famous models in the fashion world.

- Frequent fainting.

- Increased chilliness and cold intolerance.

- Prolonged use of the toilet, which can be caused by constipation or trying to get rid of food using the gag reflex.

- The appearance of body hair (due to changes in the hormonal background).

Signs of anorexia nervosa at this stage are easily recognizable, but it is almost impossible to get people to see a doctor for medical help. If you do not start treatment of the disease, then the patients develop the terminal stage, which leads to disruption of the work of all organs and systems, and in some cases to death.

The pursuit of beauty and weight loss in the modern female half of humanity has turned into an epidemic that captures an increasing number of women of any age. With the same swiftness, the terrible disease anorexia “mows” many of those uncontrollably losing weight. You will read about the causes of its appearance, visible symptoms, types and treatment in this article.

Today it is difficult to find someone who does not know about anorexia. Most of us can easily name what kind of disease it is, but not everyone can overcome it themselves. Even the help of specialists does not always help. And it can also be a symptom of a certain mental disorder, or another, no less dangerous disease.

What is anorexia disease?

Anorexia is a disease in which a person develops improper eating behavior, lack of appetite, which poses a serious danger to health and life.

How do you get anorexia? The disease process starts as soon as a person stops eating foods necessary for normal life.

Very often girls who dream of losing weight suffer from anorexia. It's just that they were once told that they were fat and ugly. This saying gets stuck in their heads and they just refuse to eat. Often, girls with anorexia form small groups. There they support each other, forcing them to lose weight even more.

Their own skeletal body seems sexy and damn attractive to them. Every gram of weight they gain terrifies them. But, then they cannot stop and lose weight to the state of living skeletons. Watch a movie about anorexia with real examples of 5 star girls, and how this disease ends.

Causes of the disease

No specialist can name the exact reasons for the development of this disease. However, they are conventionally divided into: cultivated, unconscious, independent. The main reasons include the following:

• hereditary diseases;
• wrong upbringing;
• the influence of society;
• diseases of an oncological or surgical nature;
• mental disorders.

Pain in the internal organs, the absence of any organ can lead to such consequences.

Symptoms of anorexia

To distinguish this disease from others is quite simple, even visually - the first signs of anorexia are immediately striking:

1. Severe loss of brain and muscle mass.
2. Frequent bone fractures due to lack of calcium.
3. Hungry fainting and dizziness.
4. Heart rate failure.
5. Dry and pale skin.
6. Brittle hair and nails.
7. Constipation, vomiting.

Types of anorexia

Look at the photo of the article, how disgusting girls with anorexia look.

Let's look at what types and diseases are and what they lead to.

Primary anorexia

Improper feeding during childhood can lead to this type of anorexia. For example, the parents fed the baby with unnatural products, forcibly, did not follow the diet. All this will cause natural food rejection.

Anorexia drug

As the name suggests, anorexia is caused by certain medications. Antineoplastic, pain relieving, antihistamines can lead to this disease. Very often, this type of disease can be found in drug addicts - frequent irritation of receptors in the brain gradually leads to dulling of reactions.

Anorexia nervosa

It is here that girls who want to lose weight are referred. Most often, there are sick girls from 14 to 20 years old. They achieve their goal in several ways:

• induce vomiting;
• use enemas;
• observe the most severe diets;
• take various medications to reduce appetite;
• lean on sports;
• take strong diuretics, fat burning and other drugs.

If you turn to a specialist in time, you can quickly return a person to normal life.

Mental anorexia

You can recognize it by the following reactions:

• anxiety, fear of the new;
• constant feelings of guilt;
• vulnerability and indecision;
• states of passion;
• thoughts of suicide.

This type of illness is considered the first sign of the development of schizophrenia.

Anorexia disease and pregnancy

It is worth saying that with a weight of 40 kg, a woman stops menstruation, ovulation does not occur. Even if pregnancy has happened, the child will not be able to develop normally in the body, which lacks the necessary vitamins and other useful substances. A pregnant woman suffering from anorexia should be monitored by specialists around the clock. There is a constant threat of miscarriage and death of the mother.

Men rarely suffer from this disease. It can only occur as a result of schizophrenia, depression, or alcohol use.

Treatment of anorexia

It is almost impossible to cope with the disease on your own. This requires complex treatment with the obligatory consultation of a psychologist and psychotherapist. It will take a long time to get back to normal. Treatment includes psychological and medical assistance. On a mandatory basis, patients are injected with vitamins, trace elements, psychotropic substances.

A person begins to recover only when he begins to adequately assess his own body. This means that his psyche is returning to normal. It is impossible to cure a person if he has lost more than 50% of his own weight. Here irreversible consequences already begin in the internal organs. Without the necessary vitamins and nutrients, they are simply not able to work, and gradually fail one after another.

Therefore, stop torturing yourself with weight loss in the pursuit of beauty and male attention - you yourself are causing damage to your death, driving a destructive program, a virus into your subconscious. And there is no antivirus for the subconscious. Therefore, the once laid down weight loss program, having passed the point of no return, will be unconditionally carried out by the subconscious for the rest of your life, destroying you from the inside until it leads to death.

Our body is given to us by the Universe once, as a home for our Soul, and it must be protected, not dried to the bone. Imagine hugging and kissing a skeleton. Feeling not pleasant? And what is it like for men to do this with emaciated women? Better to be a healthy appetizing donkey than a tortured, sick skinny mummy. It is not for nothing that since ancient times there has been a popular saying:

Men are not dogs - they don't throw themselves on the bones!

Smile more often. After all, people, especially men, first of all perceive your charm and femininity, not noticing the extra pounds and flaws you have invented. Love your body the way Nature created it - and you will be happy!