Anorexia nervosa, popularly called anorexia, is a disease that causes fear of gaining weight and a totally wrong perception of our body, which leads to an obsession with not gaining weight. To achieve this, the anorexia patient is willing to do anything.
They usually eat little and vomit after eating. They can also become addicted to exercise and no matter how underweight they are, they never consider themselves thin enough. In reality it is an emotional problem and anorexia can be the result of a situation of low self-esteem.
Causes of anorexia nervosa
The exact cause has not been identified
It is not clear what causes anorexia and what is most accepted by the medical community is that it is a combination of physical and psychological factors. It may also be that the genetic factor sometimes comes into play, but it has not been identified which gene is involved. On the psychological aspect, various disorders can influence the patient to want to control their weight obsessively, especially if their environment is highly influenced by physical appearance. Anorexia occurs much more in women than in men and especially in girls and adolescents.
Sometimes, anorexia develops after having followed several diets that make the person on them starve. This can influence the brain and predispose the person to take their diet to the extreme. Another trigger may be a daily life event that has had a very strong emotional impact.
Anorexia is a serious disease, difficult to cure and that can have very serious consequences, even causing death in extreme cases due to physical or mental dysfunctions caused by a state of dehydration and malnutrition. Obsessive weight control behavior can cause anemia, muscle loss, and heart problems. Extreme malnutrition can cause the body’s organs to collapse. On the mental side, the patient is prone to developing episodes of depression that can lead to suicide attempts.
Symptoms of anorexia nervosa
Symptoms caused by poor diet
The symptoms are a consequence of lack of nutrition. The first and most obvious is weight loss and extreme thinness. It is also common for them to live in a permanent state of fatigue due to poor nutrition and to have problems sleeping normally. It is normal for dizziness and fainting to occur because blood pressure is very low.
All this obsession with weight control forces the patient not to eat, but to hide this habit. Sometimes they eat a lot, but immediately afterwards they make themselves vomit (bulimia). They also tend to abuse physical exercise. A common habit is to look in the mirror many times a day and try to hide your thinness by covering yourself with excess clothing.
Diagnosis of anorexia nervosa
A complex analysis to accurately diagnose
There are various medical tests to determine if the patient has anorexia. The first of these tests is to perform a general physical examination that includes knowing the patient’s weight and measuring all his vital signs. This will be accompanied by a blood test. On the other hand, the person’s mental state must be evaluated.
Treatment and medication of anorexia nervosa
A complex treatment with the intervention of various specialists
The treatment of anorexia involves various specialists in the health field, such as general medicine professionals, nutrition specialists, psychologists, psychiatrists and dieticians. The treatment must be constant and extend over a long period of time. It may be necessary to admit the patient to a specialized center to be able to carry out detailed monitoring of the disease.
Obviously, what the treatment seeks is for the patient to regain her usual weight and do so of her own volition. A therapy must be carried out that includes the participation of the family and people around the sick person. Most likely, the sick person does not want to receive the treatment, which represents an added difficulty. There are no suitable medications for anorexia and those prescribed are to treat collateral disorders such as depression or heart problems.
Prevention of anorexia nervosa
Pay attention to early symptoms
There is no effective way to prevent anorexia nervosa. The only thing that must be done and that can help treatment is to be aware of possible symptoms that allow an early diagnosis. This helps make the treatment more effective.
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