How to determine anorexia by weight. How to recognize the development of anorexia in women, girls, teenagers How to understand if you have anorexia

Often, dreams of a slim and attractive body turn into terrible health consequences.. Oddly enough, most often those who don’t need to lose weight want to lose weight. Such girls are guided by the images imposed by modern canons of female beauty: exquisite sunken cheeks, clearly defined cheekbones and a slender figure. Such aspirations lead to a terrible disease called anorexia; we will look at what it is, how the disease manifests itself and why it is dangerous, in this article.

Anorexia is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by an obsessive desire to lose “extra” weight.

What is anorexia

Anorexia is a mental disorder characterized by a conscious refusal to eat food in order to normalize one’s own weight. The desire to find an ideal body can reach the point of mania; this leads to the girl reducing the amount of food she consumes, and subsequently giving it up altogether. For such women, the need to eat food causes cramps, nausea and vomiting, and even the smallest portion can be perceived as gluttony.

With this disease, the girl experiences a distortion of her own perception; it seems to her that she is fat, even when her weight reaches a critical level. Anorexia is a very dangerous disease that leads to pathologies of internal organs, mental disorders, and in the most severe cases, the death of the patient.

Causes of the disease

Despite the fact that there is more and more data on anorexia, it is quite difficult to answer the question of what kind of disease anorexia is and what causes it. There are a number of factors that can trigger the disease. The causes of anorexia may be the following:

Genetic. The study of information about human DNA has made it possible to identify certain loci in the genome that significantly increase the risk of developing anorexia. The disease develops after a powerful emotional shock, with excessive physical exertion or eating disorders. If there are no provoking factors in the life of a person with a similar genome, he will remain healthy.
Biological. This category includes: excess body weight, early regulation and pathologies of an endocrine nature. An important factor is the increased level of special lipid fractions in the patient’s blood.
Hereditary. The risk of anorexia increases in people with a family history of mental disorders. In addition, the chances of illness increase for those whose relatives suffered from alcoholism or drug addiction.
Individual. People with certain personal qualities are more susceptible to the disease. The desire to conform to the canons of beauty, the lack of a clear position in life, uncertainty and the presence of complexes increase the risk of mental disorder.
Gender and age. Most often, the disease manifests itself in adolescence, much less often after twenty-five years. In addition, in more than ninety percent of cases, anorexia affects the fair sex.
Social. Living in a society where the standard of female beauty is a slim body has a great influence on the diet. Young girls, trying to follow such criteria, refuse to eat a full meal.

Signs and symptoms of anorexia appear amid fear of perceived obesity

Stages of anorexia

First stage. At the initial stage, the girl thinks that she is overweight, because of which she is constantly subjected to ridicule and humiliation, which leads to depression. The young woman is fixated on the issue of losing weight, which is why the results of constant weighing occupy all her thoughts. It is very important not to miss the first symptoms of the disease, because at this stage anorexia can be successfully treated, without consequences for the woman’s body.

Second stage. With the arrival of this stage, the patient’s depressive mood disappears and is replaced by a firm conviction that she is overweight. The desire to get rid of extra pounds becomes stronger. Measurements of your own weight are made every day, and at the same time the bar for the desired weight becomes lower and lower.

Third stage. The onset of this stage is indicated by a complete refusal to eat; forced eating can cause disgust and vomiting. At this stage, a girl can lose up to fifty percent of her original weight, but she will be confident that she is still fat. Any talk about food leads her to aggression, and she herself claims that she feels great.

Types of anorexia

This disease can be preceded by various factors, in connection with this the following types of anorexia are distinguished:

Mental– occurs in mental disorders in which there is no feeling of hunger. Such pathologies include schizophrenia, paranoia, some types of depression, etc. In addition, the development of this type can be influenced by alcohol and drug addiction.

Symptomatic– develops against the background of a severe somatic illness. In particular, for diseases of the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, hormonal or genitourinary systems. Loss of hunger occurs due to the body’s need to direct all its forces to fight the disease, and not to digest food.

Nervous– another name for this type is “psychological”. In this case, the girl consciously refuses food, fearing to gain even one extra kilogram. This type is especially dangerous during puberty. We will look at the symptoms and treatment of anorexia nervosa below, but among the main signs of the disease we should highlight:

attempts to get rid of food taken by inducing vomiting;
intensive exercise for the purpose of weight loss;
taking fat-burning and diuretic medications.

More than 80% of all cases of anorexia appear between the ages of 12-24 years

Medicinal– this type of disease manifests itself with long-term use of medications aimed at weight loss. Anorexia can also be provoked by antidepressants, diuretics, laxatives, psychotropic drugs, as well as drugs that give a feeling of satiety with small portions eaten.

Symptoms and signs of anorexia

The following symptoms may indicate that the disease has already begun to have a destructive effect on a woman’s body:

regular conversations about losing weight;
exclusion of high-calorie foods from the diet;
hunger strikes;
frequent depression.

If it was not possible to determine anorexia at this stage, then more pronounced symptoms of the disease appear. The amount of food consumed is significantly reduced, but the volume of liquid drunk increases. Many girls artificially induce vomiting after every meal, which in most cases leads to bulimia. To quickly lose those hated pounds, enemas, diuretics and laxatives are often used.

By the beginning of the third stage of anorexia, changes occur in the girl’s appearance that cannot be ignored. The skin becomes thinner, begins to peel, and loses tone and elasticity. Muscle tissue degeneration occurs, and the subcutaneous fat layer completely disappears. The bony skeleton is clearly visible through the thin skin. Teeth deteriorate, hair and nails become brittle and lose their shine.

Significant disturbances also occur in the internal organs: blood pressure levels drop significantly, body temperature drops, and the pulse rate decreases, becoming below normal. Gastritis, ulcers and lazy bowel syndrome develop, and pathological changes occur in the heart muscle. The girl increasingly falls into despondency and apathy, and is haunted by fatigue and powerlessness.

Consequences of the disease

Conscious fasting leads to catastrophic consequences for all internal organs and systems.

Heart muscle. Blood flow slows down and blood pressure levels decrease. The level of essential minerals and trace elements in the blood drops. Such changes lead to electrolyte imbalance and arrhythmia, and in the most severe cases to complete cardiac arrest.
Hormonal system. The level of prolactin, the stress hormone, increases, and growth hormone, on the contrary, becomes less. The amount of hormones involved in a woman’s reproductive functions decreases. In this regard, there are interruptions in the menstrual cycle, in some cases there is a complete absence of it. In the later stages, it is not possible to restore it even after a course of treatment.
Skeletal system. A deficiency of calcium and vital minerals leads to a decrease in bone mass, mineral density decreases, and bones become fragile.
Digestive system. The functions and processes of digestion slow down, the body is in energy-saving mode. An ulcer and gastritis develop, and constipation and bloating can cause pain.
Nervous system. In the most extreme cases, nerve damage may occur, convulsions, seizures, and limbs may become numb. As a result, this becomes the cause of mental and thought disorders.
Blood. The blood becomes thicker and the blood supply deteriorates. Lack of vitamins and microelements leads to anemia.

In addition to the above problems, degenerative changes occur in the liver, the body becomes dehydrated, weakness and fainting appear.

The worst complication of anorexia is the triggering of the body’s mechanisms to self-destruct.

Treatment

Due to the fact that the first signs of anorexia in girls, as a rule, go unnoticed, and they themselves do not accept advice and deny the problem, therapy begins at the stage when the patient is taken to a medical facility in critical condition. There are often cases when relatives call an ambulance even when a woman is dying.

Therapeutic measures to stabilize the condition of an anorexic woman consist of force-feeding through a dropper. First of all, doctors must find out the reason that led to such a serious condition. Having determined the factor that caused the disease, a course of drug treatment is prescribed. After the patient’s condition has stabilized, psychologists and nutritionists begin working with her.

Anorexia is an extremely dangerous disease that can be fatal.

Girls who are faced with a problem are often unable to solve it on their own. It is very important that relatives and close people pay attention to the patient’s condition in a timely manner and begin treatment before pathological changes occur in the body.

In the 90s, it was very fashionable to diet to achieve certain physical parameters. These imposed, “fashionable” standards captured the minds of many women then and have not let go of some to this day. Literally driving themselves to the point of exhaustion, poor women did everything they could to provoke a sharp weight loss, striving for that cherished model thinness.

As a result, weight loss develops into the stage of the disease, showing signs of anorexia. A physically exhausted organism turns a person practically into a skeleton. As our mothers and grandmothers like to say – bones covered with skin. The complete absence of fat deposits and atrophied muscle tissue lead to exactly this condition.

Who is guilty

High demands on appearance, which are formed by childhood complexes, society’s stereotypes or one’s own suggestions, lead to an inadequate assessment of one’s physical characteristics. Starting with exhausting diets, a person brings himself to a state that can threaten not only health, but also life - anorexia. There are several reasons for the appearance of this disease:

Genetic inheritance of the disease;

Lack of proper education and care;

Imposed public opinion;

Oncological diseases;

Mental disorder.

The disease can be characterized as a complex of symptoms associated with poor nutrition and understanding of this. The physical state is achieved through the power of self-hypnosis, belief in a non-existent problem, contrived or imposed. It is extremely difficult to get out of this condition on your own, and it is very easy to make it worse. Experts have noted the fact that communication with other anorexics radically reduces the chances of recovery. In addition, the competitive spirit of such a community forces the patient to make even more efforts to achieve his goal, and therefore the condition worsens very quickly and sometimes irreversibly.

Obsessive state

This is the most common type of disease and is called anorexia nervosa. The cause of this type of disorder is an obsessive thought about losing weight, constant dissatisfaction with one’s appearance, and the physical condition of the body. Girls in the age range from adolescence to 20 years are most susceptible to this type of illness.

Signs of anorexia and videos about the disease:

At this stage of the body’s formation, the psyche is most vulnerable to such obsessive states. The slightest complexes related to the issue of weight can provoke anorexia nervosa. To achieve the desired goal, girls resort to various methods: strict diets, fasting, refusal to eat, artificially inducing vomiting, gastric and intestinal lavage. All these actions are nothing more than signs of anorexia in girls.

Despite belonging to a mental type of disease, anorexia nervosa can be easily overcome at the initial stage. A specialist and the attention and care of loved ones will help you correctly adjust your motivation and approach to the task. It is important to act carefully and calmly, not to provoke conflict situations, and to help the patient trust and listen.

Manifestation of anorexia

Observing patients with anorexia, the following irrefutable initial signs are noted:

Inadequate assessment of the fullness of one’s own body. The patient is sure that his body is too fat and ugly. Along with this comes denial of the disease. It is very difficult to convince an anorexic person that he is sick, because such people are sure that they are healthy and are simply unhappy with their own weight.
Obsessive fear of gaining weight, gaining weight. Because of this, food refusal occurs, its quantity is reduced to a minimum, or food is eaten while standing.
Refusal to share meals also characterizes anorexia. Often patients cook a lot, but in the end, they do not eat the prepared food.
Anorexics can collect images of food and convince themselves, when viewing it, that they ate it.
Depression, aggression and sleep disturbances are both symptoms and consequences of the disease.
Passionate about physical exercise and physical activity with minimal nutrition.
Among the physical manifestations, there is a violation of the cycle in women, heartbeat disturbances, arrhythmia, general persistent weakness, and muscle spasms.

Patients do not relate many factors as a complex of symptoms of anorexia, but consider them to be an independent disease. This attitude leads to the beginning of self-medication, primarily with hormonal drugs. These are the most severe cases of the disease, which are practically untreatable.

Types and stages of anorexia

Combining the causes and factors that contribute to the manifestation of the disease, the following types of anorexia are distinguished:

primary;
nervous;
Iatrogenic (medicinal);
mental.

Primary anorexia refers to eating disorder in childhood. We are talking not only about the time frame, but also about the quantitative and qualitative aspect of nutrition. Force feeding can also cause this disorder.

The dosage form is triggered by taking certain medications that interfere with the proper functioning of the part of the brain responsible for our nutrition. In this case, the patient may have no desire to lose weight at all.

Anorexia nervosa grows out of dissatisfaction with one's weight and the desire to lose weight quickly. By exaggerating such desires, you can bring them to an obsessive, painful state. This is the most common type of disease, which is typical for any age category.

Mental anorexia occurs due to a complex of other mental disorders: depression, anxiety, fear of the new, suicidal state, lack of self-control.

Stages of development

Each of these types is characterized by four stages. Each of them has characteristics, symptoms and signs that can be used to determine the presence of the disease and its condition.

The first stage, initial, lasts 2-4 years. During this period, unhealthy eating behavior is formed, complexes develop into phobias, and a clear dissatisfaction with one’s body weight develops. The impetus can be an incorrectly expressed opinion, a strict public assessment, or a careless remark about nutrition and weight. By the end of the first stage, the patient may lose up to 30% of his weight.

Next comes the stage of active actions. An obsession with weight loss appears. Moreover, this aspiration has no end point. At this stage, the patient begins to use all possible ways not only not to gain weight, but also strives for its dramatic loss. This occurs by inducing vomiting, washing the stomach and intestines, and taking drugs that promote weight loss. Anorexics tend not to follow the instructions for using the drugs, but act independently, increasing the prescribed dose and frequency of administration.

The anorectic stage is replaced by the cachetic stage. All possible physical manifestations of anorexia are visible here. Hormonal disruptions that provoke a complete stop of the menstrual cycle, there are no fat deposits on the body at all, the heart rate decreases, structural changes in the heart and motor muscles occur. Body pressure and temperature drop significantly, bones become brittle, and teeth and hair are lost. Mobility is lost, but the patient continues to refuse proper nutrition and is unable to adequately assess his situation. This stage leaves little chance for recovery, and often entails irreversible consequences.

The fourth stage is conditional and represents a relapse. After positive results of therapy and the return of normal weight, the state of dissatisfaction may return. After leaving the third stage, it is recommended to be under close observation for another two years, since it is during this period that the reduction stage may begin and the disease will return.

Identification and confirmation of diagnosis

Correct and timely diagnosis of the disease is the main step towards success in healing. Only a specialist can truly and accurately assess the presence of a disease. Anorexia is diagnosed based on the following parameters:

Reducing body weight by 15% of normal;
Body mass index is not higher than 17.5;
Significant weight loss was achieved through the efforts of the patient himself;
Inadequate perception of one’s physical characteristics;
Problems with the endocrine system.

Tests that will confirm the diagnosis are primarily a blood test for sugar levels and the content of endocrine hormones. Identifying the causes of menstrual irregularities and hormonal imbalances. In addition, psychologists have developed a test that helps assess the psycho-emotional state. Having compared all the data received, the doctor will make a conclusion and prescribe a course of treatment according to the stage of the disease.

Childhood anorexia

All parents have gone through difficulties with their child's food education. A huge number of factors can influence the appetite of children - this is the quality of the food offered, and psychological aspects, when parents exaggerate this issue, or the child may simply be sick. As a result, instead of a meal, parents end up with hysterics, spitting food, or a categorical refusal to eat. How to recognize anorexia in this variety of factors? What signs will prompt and indicate this disease?

Childhood anorexia has two types - somatogenic and dysthymic (nervous). The somatogenic type is provoked by various diseases. Among them: genetic abnormalities, infectious diseases, accumulation of toxins in the body, problems of the digestive system, discomfort in the mouth caused by thrush or stomatitis, helminths. If the examination does not reveal any such diseases, then dysthymic anorexia occurs.

Such a disease in a child can be caused by disturbances in sleep and eating patterns, a difficult psychological situation, insufficient or excessive care and attention of parents, and severe stress. Children from birth to 6-7 years are most prone to developing this type of disease. Childhood anorexia is easily treatable if you pay attention to its manifestations in time and eliminate the cause.

Teenage anorexia

The psychological state of a teenager in itself is a reason for strict control. During the “period of increased danger,” children are prone to maximalism and listen to the opinions of their peers and fashion trends. Very often, this attitude develops due to insufficient attention from parents, lack of their authority and trust in them. These same reasons can cause anorexia in teenagers. Family conflicts, a tense psychological atmosphere in the house can become a reason for trying to attract attention to oneself by refusing to eat. In this case, the child’s depressed and depressed emotional state is noted, complete apathy or, on the contrary, aggression.

Another reason is public opinion, lack of self-acceptance. The media everywhere cultivates the beauty of thinness, dictating and imposing beauty standards. Children and adolescents are most susceptible to such influence and suggestion. Failure to meet these imposed standards can give rise to a manic passion for losing weight. This onset of the disease is characterized by careful control over the amount of food consumed, calorie counting, and fasting.

A teenager spends a lot of time in front of the mirror, analyzing his shape, physical attractiveness or lack thereof. It is at this moment that it is important to direct the child’s thoughts and actions in the right direction, to prevent complexes and fears from taking over consciousness. Teenage anorexia has exclusively psychological motives, therefore the approach to changing the situation should begin from a psychological point of view.

Female anorexia

According to experts, anorexia is a woman’s disease, a disease of beauty. Many girls and women strive to conform to beauty stereotypes, which require clear, sometimes sharp facial features and figures. This can only be achieved by having a lean physique. To achieve the goal, lovely ladies are ready to do anything. It all starts with a regular diet and develops into an obsession. The desire to lose weight and achieve some ideal turns into an endless race to lose weight. If, to begin with, women set some kind of bar, a desired figure, then as the disease develops, it erases this line, leaving only the desire to lose weight.

Methods to combat the disease

The main point in getting rid of anorexia is working on yourself and your consciousness. Having a psychological basis, healing requires understanding the problem and accepting its fact. Along with psychological help, depending on the complexity and stage of the disease, medications are prescribed to improve the physical condition of the patient. In some cases, sedatives, psychotropic drugs, and antipsychotics are used to correct the perception of reality.

Treatment is a long and difficult process; the patient’s family and friends should be patient and make every effort to support their loved one at this difficult stage of life. Returning to a full-fledged diet is difficult and time-consuming. Discussing issues of weight loss and diets during the treatment period is strictly prohibited. Another important and radical point in the program to combat anorexia is a change in social circle.

Although the method of getting rid of an illness does not promise 100% results, this does not mean that one should put attempts aside and allow a person to ruin himself. Unfortunately, there is no absolute cure for anorexia. Regardless of the nature of its formation, the treatment process is monotonous; the same methods and medications are used for each type, while continuing to study ways to achieve complete recovery.

Conclusion

There are many different horrifying photos of people with anorexia. But they scare only healthy people; a person with anorexia will only envy the result in the picture and idealize it.

The patient himself is not able to get out of this obsessive state, and it is very difficult to bring such a person to the clinic for examination. Many sick people die due to the lack of a person who could take upon himself the courage and responsibility to join the fight. Having discovered the first signs of anorexia, it is important to respond immediately to prevent the development and worsening of the problem. You shouldn’t always attribute a demanding attitude towards yourself to self-criticism and fashion trends; often this is an alarm bell, a pathology.

Video on the topic:

How to recognize anorexia?

Many female representatives perceive weight loss as a certain factor in their success and willpower. It is important to understand the main signs of anorexia in order to be able to detect this disease in time.

In the last 30-40 years, the “fashion model disease” has become so widespread that doctors were forced to sound the alarm. Scientific works in the field of medicine and healthy nutrition began to be devoted to the signs of anorexia in women.

What is the occurrence of the disease associated with?

First of all, it is worth talking about the fact that anorexia nervosa in adolescents and adults, as a disease, is associated with eating disorders. But this is only a physiological manifestation of the disease. In fact, there is a deeper concept of “anorexia nervosa”, which is associated with mental disorders. The first signs of anorexia are usually associated with a pathological desire to lose weight and associated fears of obesity.

The reasons for all this may lie in the upbringing of a teenager, the lifestyle of his parents, family attitudes, in particular. As a result, the girl gets the wrong idea about possible weight gain and the difficulties associated with it.

At the same time, experts identify 3 factors that form anorexia as a disease and lifestyle:

Psychological, which is associated with the influence of upbringing and conflicts within the teenager himself.
Biological, associated with predisposition at the gene level.
Social– imitation, influence of environment, profession, etc.

Who is at risk?

Weight loss, as an apparent solution to the situation, can be achieved through strict diets and food restrictions, which are complemented by intense physical activity. Or another way of losing weight is possible, which consists of all kinds of cleansing procedures, such as therapeutic enemas and gastric lavages, and forced vomiting.

Signs of anorexia in Western developed countries are recorded in 2% of girls aged 12-24 years. Most often, anorexia begins to manifest itself in adolescents, and the above age limit is a risk group for girls in 90% of cases. More mature women and men make up the remaining 10% of patients.

How does the weight loss disease anorexia manifest itself?

The main symptoms of anorexia most often include the following:

permanent interest in losing weight, regardless of existing indicators;
a persistent feeling of completeness, constant soul-searching;
the presence of panic about weight gain;
sleep and routine disturbances;
habit of eating small portions;
self-isolation from society.

Chronic anorexia leads to much more serious disorders, the symptoms of which already look like irregularities in the female menstrual cycle, muscle weakness and spasms, arrhythmia, and dizziness. From an emotional point of view, irritability and resentment towards others increases, and unreasonable anger arises.

Social reasons for the demand for thin people

The treatment of this disease must be approached with the utmost responsibility, since in this case we are not just talking about weight loss. In almost all cases, the intervention of a psychiatrist or psychologist will be required, who will be able to determine the exact diagnosis of the disease. The nervous type of the disease requires psychological support from the patient’s relatives and family members.

Speaking about anorexia, the signs of which have long been successfully identified in the West, it should be said that it is especially common to find indecently thin girls and women among models of various fashion shows. The existing model images have made the rest of humanity hostage to the situation, because in recent decades beauty and thinness are synonymous. At first, the symptoms of anorexia may resemble the behavior of a typical woman on a diet.

In nature, it so happens that only a small proportion of women meet such standards of beauty and fashion. Therefore, the pages of magazines and websites are simply replete with a huge number of diets and diets for weight loss. At the same time, many representatives use not always harmless tools in pursuit of extra lost pounds. There is even less understanding about the value of one’s own health among adolescents, but many cases begin to be recorded precisely at this age.

What should relatives pay attention to?

Since the patients themselves in many cases prefer not to notice that they have this problem, the first signs of anorexia have to be identified by their close people. The first alarming symptom is a dramatic and significant weight loss in a relatively short period of time. At the same time, at first it may look from the outside like a completely harmless diet, until the condition reaches a critical point.

Sometimes a girl or teenager can explain the refusal to eat due to a physiological condition, such as stomach pain, fatigue, and so on. At the same time, such a person can dream about food every second, talk for a long time on topics related to food intake, discuss recipes, calories, and so on.

Once anorexia nervosa or another form of anorexia progresses, the patient's condition will gradually worsen. This can be noticed by a number of clinical symptoms in the functioning of the main systems of the body.

This is expressed in a decrease in vitality and general fatigue, which was not there before. Loss of energy can occur after doing normal everyday things, such as taking a shower or washing dishes. It is not surprising if you understand the reasons for what is happening, because the body spends its energy reserves on this, which is practically not replenished. Additionally, all this is accompanied by periodic fainting and drowsiness.

External changes of the patient

The condition of nails, hair, and skin in various parts of the body changes. These may also be signs that deserve the attention of others. Thus, hair often loses its shine and thickness, undergoes split ends, and becomes brittle. Lack of food automatically leads to a deficiency of essential minerals and vitamin complexes.

Similar symptoms appear in the appearance of nails. Often, a patient with anorexia becomes pale in complexion, and characteristic circles or bags appear under the eyes. Often this disease causes problems with health and kidney function.

Long-term deprivation of adequate amounts of nutrients leads to changes in the menstrual cycle. This is also related to the general mental state of the woman.

The lack of nutrients and minerals for the body during anorexia acts as a real stress, and therefore its reactions can be completely different. Some of them are difficult to predict even for treating specialists. In some cases, problems of the gastrointestinal tract are observed, in others there are neurological disorders, malfunctions of the thyroid gland and even cancer.

Teenage anorexia: first signs

Many teenage girls, wanting to achieve model parameters, go to extremes: they deliberately refuse food, induce vomiting after eating, drink laxatives, and exhaust themselves with physical exercise. This behavior indicates a serious mental disorder - anorexia nervosa. It is difficult to recognize it in the early stages, since the child tries to hide his disease from his parents.

The first signs of anorexia that parents should pay close attention to:

Extremely limited diet with calorie counting.

Eating separately from the whole family under any pretext.

Constantly talking about your figure, losing weight, despite your normal weight.

Absent-mindedness, fatigue, weakness, depression, or vice versa, high mood, excessive activity.

Brittleness, dullness, hair loss

The main danger of anorexia is the inevitable occurrence of disturbances in the body’s vital functions, which can lead to serious diseases of the digestive, endocrine, and reproductive systems.

If you notice the listed signs in your daughter, this is a reason to seek help from a specialist as soon as possible.

How to cure anorexia?

Treatment of anorexia should be comprehensive, involving doctors of various specialties. Inpatient treatment is considered the most effective, since only in a hospital setting is it possible to constantly monitor not only the adequate nutrition of patients, but also their general condition. One of the few institutions in Moscow that offers inpatient treatment for anorexia is the multidisciplinary European Medical Center. Especially for teenagers, doctors have developed a short program of hospitalization followed by outpatient treatment; it consists of four stages.

Thorough diagnosis of the body– allows you to assess the general and psycho-emotional state of health of a teenage girl and identify the cause of the disease. Patients with anorexia are observed by a psychiatrist, psychotherapist, clinical psychologist, nutritionist, endocrinologist, gynecologist and therapist. The diagnostic process ends with a professorial consultation, where an individual treatment plan is developed.

Cognitive behavioral psychotherapy and drug therapy throughout the entire treatment program. Psychotherapy allows you to normalize your diet, change your attitude towards your weight and yourself, and medications help relieve nervous tension, cope with symptoms of depression, and reduce negative attitudes towards therapy. For each patient, doctors select modern, safe medications, taking into account the characteristics of his body.

Outpatient therapy after inpatient treatment. For a long time, the teenager continues to be monitored by the same doctors who helped him cope with the disease in the hospital. Regular meetings with specialists allow you to consolidate the results of treatment and develop resistance to risk factors.

Family support throughout therapy– training parents to correctly assess the teenager’s condition, effective communication skills and the necessary psycho-emotional support for the child. This improves the prognosis of the disease and reduces the risk of repeated exacerbations, helps to adjust parent-child relationships, and restore harmony in the family.

How to recognize anorexia in yourself

DIETA.RU - July 2007

Patients with anorexia strive to reduce calorie intake to a minimum, avoiding food in every possible way. They consider themselves fat, are afraid of obesity and weight gain, and therefore strive to lose weight with all their might. They can be surprisingly resourceful, coming up with reasons for refusing treats: from food allergies and intestinal disorders to fasting. Sometimes they proclaim themselves to be committed to a healthy lifestyle, avoiding any and all foods that are not “green” or natural.

As a rule, people suffering from anorexia prefer to eat alone, avoiding noisy feasts or dining out. However, they enjoy cooking for others, paying serious attention to it. They themselves refuse to eat under the pretext that they have already eaten, exercise vigorously, and often take laxatives and diuretics in the hope of losing some more weight.

Over time, the character of people with anorexia changes; they suffer from frequent mood swings and a constant fear of gaining weight and getting fat. Gradually, a person becomes more and more emaciated, losing not only all fat, but also most of the muscle tissue, essentially turning into a walking skeleton covered in skin. Excessive thinness is often hidden under several layers of thick clothing, which anorexics need to stay warm. A layer of fat retains heat in the body, so exhausted people are constantly cold.

Of course, the disease does not leave its mark on the body. Patients begin to experience constipation, attacks of dizziness and fainting, stomach pain, gastritis and ulcers, the stomach swells, and the face and ankles swell. As a result of lack of nutrients, the skin becomes dry, nails crumble, and hair falls out. The chemical balance of the blood is disrupted, bones become brittle, muscle tissue is destroyed. Anorexia leads to a delay in the onset of puberty in girls, cessation of menstruation in women and the inability to conceive and bear a child. Patients constantly experience fatigue, cold and weakness. In the case of a prolonged course of the disease, disturbances in the functioning of the cardiac system occur, ultimately leading to premature death.

Successful treatment of anorexia can restore a person’s health and return him to a normal life. However, healing from the disease is impossible without psychological correction.

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Online test for anorexia nervosa

If food plays an important role in your life, you may be suffering from an eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa is a fairly common eating disorder these days. People with anorexia have a strong, almost overwhelming fear of gaining weight and are overly concerned with the shape or size of their body. They have a distorted image of their own body, which makes them feel like they weigh more than they should.

The main symptom of anorexia nervosa is deliberate weight loss. Typically, anorexics strive to have a body weight that is at least 15 percent below what is appropriate for their age, gender, and height. Such weight loss is usually achieved by first giving up certain foods and then giving up food altogether. Sometimes a person also engages in excessive exercise or uses laxatives and diuretics. Such problems affect millions of people around the world, and the situation is getting worse every day! Anorexics are ready to do anything to lose even more weight, which sometimes even leads to death.

Anorexia nervosa usually develops in girls and young women, although boys and men can also suffer from the condition. As a rule, this disease begins in adolescence. It is difficult to reliably estimate its prevalence, but anonymous surveys suggest that approximately 1 percent of young women have anorexia nervosa. We encourage you to take an online anorexia test to find out if you have or are susceptible to this serious eating disorder.

This test was based on the most common symptoms of people with this eating disorder, as well as anorexics’ own statements about themselves. By answering 20 questions of this test, you can independently and anonymously find out whether you have serious prerequisites for the development of anorexia nervosa, or whether your relationship with food is balanced and within normal limits.

However, remember that even if the test results reveal your predisposition to this disease, do not be upset! This is just a preliminary test. Only a specialist can confirm or refute the diagnosis of anorexia nervosa.

Girls are still coming to terms with their short stature, but the fight against supposedly extra pounds becomes for some of them the real meaning of life. It is against this background that anorexia usually occurs - a serious disease characterized by complete exhaustion of the body.

Why is anorexia so dangerous?

This is not just an ordinary eating disorder, but also a mental disorder. Women suffering from anorexia are terrified of gaining weight and are literally ready to starve themselves to death. At the same time, patients do not have a real assessment of the situation: they continue to consider themselves fat, even when their weight is much lower than normal.

Anorexia: symptoms of the disease

Symptoms of a “physical” nature usually include:

severe weight loss, exhaustion;
increased fatigue;
lack of menstruation (mostly girls suffer from anorexia);
disorders of the cardiovascular system;
damage to the musculoskeletal system.

In addition, anorexia (the symptoms of which are not difficult to detect) also causes serious mental disorders.

It only takes a short time to observe the behavior of a sick person to discover:

focusing all thoughts on food;
depression;
refusal to communicate with the usual circle of people (social isolation);
decreased sex drive;
inability to concentrate;
impaired ability to think logically.

By the way, patients with anorexia always show low results in tests of intellectual abilities. This shows that not only the body does not like fasting, but also the brain.

Often the body decides to take its toll, and the anorexic is attacked by attacks of uncontrollable gluttony. However, after them the patient still runs to induce an attack of vomiting so that the hated food cannot linger in the body.

How to detect anorexia in the early stages?

The disease anorexia (we listed its symptoms above) most often occurs in teenage girls who imitate their idols from the world of high fashion. The occurrence of this disease can be detected at the very beginning, focusing on the fact that the person began to eat much less than usual. In addition, constant conversations about food, diets or weight loss techniques can give away an anorexic person.

How can I tell if I have early symptoms of anorexia?

My friend at one time almost died due to anorexia - even at that stage when she was a walking skeleton, she did not have periods, she really did not understand that this was abnormal and that she was sick. . Only after persuading her did they drag her to a psychotherapist - she was treated for a long time, progress occurred only after she realized that she was sick! It was difficult, she could not eat for a long time, because her stomach was almost no longer functioning (she drank gastric juice, etc.), but the main thing was that she realized that she was sick and began to be treated! Now alive, healthy and looking great! And it was all because of unhappy love and depression.

The initial period is the formation of dissatisfaction with appearance, accompanied by noticeable weight loss. This is followed by an anorectic period - a decrease in body weight by 20-30%. At the same time, the patient actively convinces himself and others that he has no appetite and exhausts himself with great physical exertion. Due to a distorted perception of his body, the patient underestimates the degree of weight loss. The volume of fluid circulating in the body decreases, which causes hypotension and bradycardia. This condition is accompanied by chilliness, dry skin and alopecia. Another clinical sign is the cessation of the menstrual cycle in women and a decrease in libido and spermatogenesis in men. The function of the adrenal glands is also impaired, leading to adrenal insufficiency.

Anorexia is a terrible disease, if left untreated, it can lead to dystrophy. There is no beauty in this, complete exhaustion of the body and, as a result, a breakdown of the immune system.

Online test for anorexia nervosa

I'm afraid I have signs of anorexia

I’ll start from afar, otherwise you won’t understand. The story will be long, I am very grateful to those who read to the end and give practical advice.

I am prone to being overweight; throughout my childhood and part of my youth I was chubby. But the very first trip to a children's camp (which took place after 9th grade) changed me radically. I began to take an interest in fashion, choose my own clothes (before I wore what my mother bought, I could go through the whole winter in just pants), cut my hair, began to put on makeup and learn to flirt with the stronger sex. The first fans appeared. The first stage of my weight loss dates back to this same period. I am of average height (166 cm), I used to weigh a little, I didn’t watch my diet and, like all children, I loved everything sweet and unhealthy. After the first vacation, that same summer I went to the second camp. But already a completely different person. I lost several kilograms, got fashionable rags and my own cosmetic bag. I also learned how to paint on my nails, which immediately raised my rating among girls. We were fed 5 times a day. So, I ate a maximum of 2 times... I gave lunch, dinner and the second dinner to my friends, actively went in for sports, gained authority with the counselors, looked after the little ones during nap time and managed to change as many as 2 gentlemen in 18 days of rest. I arrived from the camp weighing 1 kg (maybe less, I don’t remember exactly). Up until the 2nd year of college, my weight remained within this range.

In my second year, I met an adult man who completely fooled me. I won’t retell our relationship; this chapter is worthy of a separate book. He shoveled me to the fullest, his main condition was that his companion should be the weight of a feather. And the second stage of weight loss began. In the winter of the year I weighed 46 kg, ate practically NOTHING, drank hot tea, was freezing, smoked a lot to kill my hunger... In short, darkness. By spring, I still gained my rightful 50 kg. Then we broke up with this man, I was worried so much that I even signed up for a sports club for 4 days a week, killing myself there completely to drown out the pain. Alcohol didn’t appeal to me; I didn’t want to eat. In a week I lost 4 kg and again looked like a prisoner of Buchenwald. Then I met a positive young man who restored my peace of mind. In the end, I moved to live with him. Cohabitation made itself felt - I learned to cook well and got used to eating deliciously. The result was disastrous - out of all the pants, only jeans could hardly fit on me. I don’t know my weight, but I think kg for sure.

The third stage of weight loss occurred in the spring of 2009, when I broke up with that person, moved in with my mother, started taking long walks every day, and meeting more with friends. In a month I regained my 50 kg. Then I met my future husband, got pregnant, got married and family life began... I ate like... I can’t even find a comparison. I had breakfast with home-made cakes, dined with chocolate, indulged in chips, indulged in fresh pastries in the institute’s cafeteria, and at home, fried pies with all the fillings and all sorts of kulebyaks were permanent residents of our refrigerator. The result was not just deplorable - it was catastrophic! During pregnancy I gained 33 kg, 13 of which were lost after childbirth, another 5 were lost in the first 6 months of being a mother. By the fall of 2010, I weighed 65 kg. I didn’t consider myself fat, I didn’t refuse food. I could cook a full pot of pasta, fry it in butter, grate cheese and eat it all by myself... However, some remarks from my husband’s friends made me look at myself from the outside. I began to feel complex and desperately envy young girls with slender figures. As a result, I developed a hatred for my figure, for my weakness of will, I often refused intimacy with my husband, scandals began... In November-December, I almost came to a divorce. And I gave myself my word of honor - from the New Year until the summer season, I must get my figure back!

And the 4th stage began, which continues to this day. On January 3, I went on the Kremlin diet, which I stayed on for exactly 2 weeks. I was so hungry, I beat myself on the hands! There was no effect, the weight did not decrease one gram. Then a friend suggested going to a sports club. My husband and I discussed that, in principle, we have a couple of thousand spare for sports. And on January 17, I came to the gym. We studied 3 times a week for 2 hours. The first month we walked on our own. There was no particular effect - the weight stayed the same, but the volume began to fall. For the next 2 months, we began training under the guidance of an experienced coach - a prize-winner in bodybuilding. She drove us mercilessly, we literally dragged our feet after her training. We did the same, but now it was 1 hour on our own and 1 hour with a trainer. I bought myself a Vulcan belt, and on March 8 my husband gave me Artemis pants. It became warmer outside, and the frequency and duration of walks with the baby increased. The weight suddenly started down. If at the beginning of March I could fit into only one pre-pregnancy jeans, then at the beginning of April there were 3 of them, and at the beginning of May I fit into all my clothes, including summer ones. I had to stop training because... there were no available funds. But I walked a lot with the child, ate almost nothing (coffee and kefir are about my diet). By mid-May I weighed 50 kg. Very pleased with the result, I began to allow myself some excesses such as a pack of chips, a piece of Uzbek flatbread, and removed kefir from my diet... The weight continued to fall. Slowly but surely. It was probably then that I experienced a phase shift. I began to reduce food portions, preferred to take small bites, and was very happy if I spent the whole day on the street without an ounce of food in my mouth. One fine hot day, I almost fainted... When my husband came for me and took my son and me home, he said that I was sick, and my behavior already smacked of anorexia. I went online, read the signs of this mental illness and was horrified, because... I found some signs in my behavior. Namely:

“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.

2. Purification – i.e. through various procedures: gastric lavage, enemas, artificially induced vomiting after eating.

Denial of maintaining a minimum weight, no matter how low it may be. (at first I was pleased with the weight of 50 kg, then 49, and 50 was already considered excessive, then the bar dropped to 48, now to 47...)

A constant feeling of fullness, particularly in certain parts of the body. (I always feel like my belly and fat thighs are hanging)

Eating method: eat standing, break food into small pieces. (I noticed that I tear one pancake into several pieces and eat it in pieces several times a day. I always leave a small piece of a piece of flatbread, I can take out a jar of sour cream and eat just a couple of spoons.)

Sleep disturbances (this is not observed, but there is constant fatigue, by the end of the day I fall off my feet)

Isolation from society (not my case, I enjoy walking and meeting friends)

Panic fear of gaining weight (but this is mine, I’ll explain below)

Having once been in the body of an overweight woman, I am simply terribly afraid of repeating the situation. I’m ready to give up all excesses, I eat grapefruits and green peas. I calculated in one calculator that the percentage of fat in my body is 18%. It seems still uncritical... But there is a deficiency of body weight. another sign of anorexia, but this time physical - unreasonable weight loss, my weight is still falling, although I seem to be eating... My husband says that I am thin, it was better before.

I'll post a few photos taken in the summer of 2009 and taken a few minutes ago (please don't judge too harshly, I'm not very comfortable taking pictures of myself).

So, summer 2009:

The last photo is not very good, but you can see a small belly, which I didn’t pay attention to then.

Here's a photo from today:

Belly that always seems fat to me:

My “fat” thighs:

Once again sorry for the quality of the photos.

Girls, do I look like an anorexic? From my husband’s friends I hear compliments like “skeleton”, “skinny”, “thin”, etc. My husband seems to like it... but he thinks that I’m too obsessed with my figure. In principle, I don’t want to lose any more weight; I already have problems with my menstrual cycle. But as soon as I think that I need to eat, it’s as if a block appears in my head, a panicky horror of food. But the growling of a hungry stomach is the best music for me. Even when I just drink water, a few sips, and feel my stomach filling, I feel guilty - and this is another sign of anorexia - a feeling of guilt and self-hatred when eating food. I can’t do this anymore, I think I’m going to go crazy soon! I’m terribly afraid of gaining weight, but I don’t want to ruin my health either. What should I do? Maybe before it’s too late, go to a psychotherapist?

Anorexia - signs and how to recognize its symptoms?

The last century brought not only outstanding discoveries, Nobel Prize winners and computer technology, but also new diseases, one of which is anorexia. The pursuit of fashion and the ideal of painful thinness became the reason that many young people sought to lose weight, sometimes even at the cost of their health.

You might be interested to immediately read:

Why does anorexia occur?

Anorexia refers to a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by an obsessive desire to lose “extra” weight and a 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 one year, 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 the expectation of attention to one’s person. Psychologists have concluded that the symptoms of anorexia appear at a time when a person is unsure of himself. Add to this dissatisfaction with your appearance, hormonal changes, 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 assessing the successful people around him. At the same time, they usually do not let parents and friends know about their plans, and when it becomes clear to them that something wrong is happening 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, depending on the stage of the disease, which can be characterized as follows:

2. Dysmorphomanic – in patients, thoughts begin to prevail that they are inferior due to excess weight. 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 decreases 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 – a period when internal restructuring of the body and irreversible processes begin. Weight deficiency is more than 50%.

How to identify the signs and symptoms of anorexia?

Among all nervous disorders and diseases associated with mental changes, mortality from anorexia ranks first. And the statistics today are that 8 out of 10 girls of age 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 eat through vomiting, laxatives and enemas. According to this criterion, all patients with anorexia are divided into 2 types - restrictive and purifying.

The main difference is that some do not eat until they feel full, 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 one's 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.

Irregularity or cessation of menstruation.

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

Frequent fainting conditions.

Increased chilliness and cold intolerance.

Staying on the toilet for a long time, which can be caused by constipation or attempts to get rid of food using the gag reflex.

The appearance of body hair (due to changes in hormonal levels).

Also in the section: Psychology of weight loss: “excess weight” sits in the head

If at this stage parents or loved ones fail to recognize the signs of anorexia, the disease progresses to the next stage.

Later signs of anorexia include the following symptoms:

People suffering from anorexia try to treat and feed other people delicious food, while refusing it themselves. The methods that patients resort to at this stage are the method of simulation (they ate not so long ago) or a demonstrative refusal to eat.

Exercising intensely, to the point of exhaustion and exhaustion.

Hair loss and tooth damage.

Disruption of the digestive process, as well as the appearance of symptoms of vitamin deficiency and diselementosis. An anorexic person experiences flatulence, a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen after eating, and a tendency to constipation.

Persistent decrease in blood pressure and body temperature.

Cardiac dysfunction (irregular rhythm and bradycardia).

Symptoms associated with impaired nervous activity - increased irritability, anger, aggressiveness, sudden mood swings, sleep disturbances.

The appearance of blood vessels on the face (due to frequent bouts of vomiting).

Violation of relationships with the opposite sex.

Signs of anorexia in women who are sexually active are manifested by a decrease in interest in sex or a complete refusal of it.

Tendency to loneliness and lack of desire to communicate with other people, depression.

The signs of anorexia nervosa at this stage are easily recognized, but it is almost impossible to force patients to see a doctor for medical help. If treatment for the disease is not started, patients develop a terminal stage, which leads to disruption of the functioning of all organs and systems, and in some cases to death.

The first signs of anorexia

Anorexia is a mental illness that results in a person’s eating disorder. The disease manifests itself as a conscious restriction in food up to complete refusal of it in order to achieve the goal of losing weight. The danger of the disease is that the patient’s vision of his body is distorted, even when weight indicators reach critically low levels, he continues to consider himself fat and loses weight in all possible ways.

The disease develops mostly in adolescents and young girls, but can also occur in children, women, and men. The onset of anorexia can be triggered by somatic or mental illnesses, psychological trauma received in childhood, an inferiority complex, and stressful situations.

Stages of the disease

There are three main stages of anorexia:

The first stage of anorexia (initial) is characterized by an active expression of criticism towards one’s body and an irresistible desire to bring it to ideal proportions. Interest in diets and intensive physical activity programs begins to appear. The first steps in correcting your body are being taken.

The anorectic stage of the disease is characterized by weight loss in amounts dangerous to health. The cachectic stage of anorexia manifests itself in the gradual depletion of the body to a state of organ degeneration. At this stage of the disease, the stomach refuses to accept and digest food, rejecting it. The cachectic stage of the disease causes the greatest harm to the body, affecting all vital organs, which can lead to death.

First signs of illness

The symptoms of how anorexia begins are quite difficult to determine. This is due to the fact that they can be observed separately from each other in almost every one of your friends. The most elusive to define is anorexia in the 1st degree of development.

One of the main problems in defining the disease is that anorexics themselves do not consider their condition a problem at all. The desire for standard, from the point of view of modern times, parameters of weight and figure is actively encouraged by society, the media, and even close people of the patient. The fact of achieving your goal encourages you not to stop there. As a result, the body’s physiological needs for nutrients, minerals, and vitamins are relegated to the background. And the understanding that the disease is progressing in the body comes only when exhaustion reaches a life-threatening level.

However, by carefully studying a person’s behavior and appearance, it is possible to identify the disease even in its first stages of development. At the initial stage of anorexia, signs of the disease appear, first of all, in a person’s behavior, and only then in changes in his weight. Signs of the disease are divided into: physiological and behavioral. The first behavioral signs of stage 1 anorexia include:

dissatisfaction with one's own weight and figure;
constant fear of weight gain;
passion for strict diet programs;
limiting your diet to low-calorie foods only;
periodic fasting to achieve results;
refusal to eat in public places and in company;
food caches from ourselves;
spitting out chewed food or provoking vomiting to cleanse the body of what has been eaten;
physical activity, regardless of how you feel.

The first signs of the eating disorder anorexia do not appear clearly and can be taken over a short period of diet to bring the body back to normal. However, there are also physiological manifestations of anorexia at stage 1.

The first physiological symptoms of anorexia manifest themselves in the form of significant weight loss (not due to illness) over a short period and deterioration in well-being (dizziness). An alarming signal is weight loss of 20% of body weight.

At what exact weight anorexia begins is determined individually for each person. To do this, it is enough to calculate the body mass index, which is defined as the ratio of weight in kilograms to height in meters squared (55 kg / 1.702 m = 19.03). The norm is a body mass index in the range from 18.5 to 25, the critical indicator is at 17.5. It is not difficult to calculate how many kilograms anorexia begins at; it is enough to know your height and understand that the disease develops at a body mass index of 17.5 and below.

In order to understand how anorexia begins, you need to understand the mental nature and causes of the disease. In some cases, anorexia can be instilled in a child who is constantly reproached for not being slim enough. And later, already at a conscious age, such a person may find himself in a similar stressful situation, which will give impetus to the development of the disease.

Often, the first symptoms of anorexia appear in the behavior and appearance of the patient as a result of experiencing a stressful period or in an attempt to take control of their life. In search of distraction or a goal of control, patients choose their own weight. Changing it for the “better” gives you a feeling of control over one of the areas of your life, brings confidence and satisfaction in the form of the opportunity to wear clothes in smaller sizes.

If you detect the first symptoms of the disease, you should immediately seek medical help. Timely treatment can save the patient’s health and life.

Found 25 doctors treating the disease: Anorexia

How can you tell if you have anorexia?

In our difficult times, there are millions of stereotypes that many strive for. These patterns are present in all areas of our lives. The created parameters of female and male beauty haunt many girls and boys, and sometimes the desire to achieve them goes beyond all boundaries. The frequency of anorexia has increased, especially for nervous anorexia, which develops against the background of psychoneurological disorders.

Anorexia

In fact, every person has had anorexia at least once for a short period of time. After all, this is a lack of appetite and a feeling of hunger when there is a certain need for nutrition. This condition can occur when:

This is a very rough list of reasons when anorexia may occur.

What to do?

If you suspect you have anorexia, then you need to find out the reason. During acute viral and bacterial infections, the lack of hunger is quite normal. The body, as it were, redistributes its forces and sets priority tasks. In the acute period of such diseases, it is more important to spend resources on developing immunity rather than on digesting food. Many, especially mothers of sick children, are worried about this and try in every possible way to fight it.

In case of infectious diseases, you should not insist on eating rich food.

It is better to include more drinks in your diet that provide energy value. Liquid is the best remedy for intoxication, and vitamins and minerals can be dissolved in it. You can drink milk, compote, jelly, even low-fat chicken broth. If anorexia persists after illness, then this is not very good and requires attention from the attending physician.

Metabolic and endocrine diseases most often these two groups of problems arise together or are a consequence of each other. In this case, a patient with anorexia will not be able to cope on his own, since an examination is necessary to determine the level of the problem, and corrective drug treatment is necessary.

With cancer, taste sensations are often distorted, and the desire to eat certain foods, for example, meat or milk, disappears.

Almost always, along with this, obvious signs of a tumor of one or another organ appear. You shouldn’t wait if you have concerns about your or a loved one’s health; it’s better to play it safe and consult, at least with a therapist.

Anorexia nervosa

In previous cases, lack of hunger and appetite was one of the symptoms of some pathology, but there is anorexia nervosa, which is an independent disease.

Anorexia nervosa is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by a pathological desire to lose weight.

On the one hand, it seems like a normal desire of any person, but in this case the desire to reduce one’s weight becomes absurd.

Anorexia nervosa is rare in men; it is more often a problem of young girls who suffer from complexes about their appearance. First, they go on a diet, induce vomiting after eating, then their appetite and feeling of hunger disappear. Having reached a certain weight, which initially seemed ideal to people with anorexia, they do not stop and lower the bar.

Stereotypes of modern industrial society, combined with mental characteristics, have become the main cause of this disease. No matter how much weight decreases, people with anorexia still consider themselves not thin enough. If you conduct a test and ask them to draw approximately their outlines on the wall, then they are much wider than the true size of girls and boys suffering from this mental disorder.

In addition to almost one hundred percent refusal to eat and unnatural thinness, there are other symptoms:

Denial of the problem. Patients believe that they are striving for an ideal and that others simply do not understand them or are jealous.
No matter how much weight a patient with anorexia loses, he is still fat in his eyes. Moreover, a phobia (fear) of gaining at least 100 g is formed.
Sleep disturbance and depression. All cells, including the brain, experience pathological starvation.
With all this, there is often an increased interest in cooking. Anoreticians prepare grand dinners for loved ones, but do not sit down at the table themselves.
A feeling of resentment because, again, they do not want to recognize their body as ideal.
Isolation, distance from loved ones and friends. The desire for loneliness.
Bouts of euphoria, probably associated with low blood glucose levels.
Girls experience amenorrhea.
Constant weakness, fatigue, fainting.
Cardiac arrhythmia.

There are three stages in the development of this disease.

At first, a person, due to a feeling of inferiority, begins to try diets, gradually reducing the amount of food. On the second, when the weight is reduced by approximately 25%, euphoria sets in, which potentiates the tightening of ideal weight criteria with a subsequent reduction in food consumption. Having reached the third stage, organ dystrophy develops, which is almost irreversible.

Treatment and prognosis

The symptom of anorexia disappears along with recovery from the underlying disease. It does not require any special treatment, but in case of a protracted variant, doctors select an individual diet that allows you to replenish the body’s energy reserves.

In case of anorexia nervosa, the intervention of doctors, especially psychotherapists, since the nature of the disease is psychoneurological. Attempts at self-medication can result in lost time. The third stage, from which it is almost impossible to return to normal life, develops after 1.5-2 years.

How to understand that a person has anorexia

An eating disorder is a serious problem that affects more people than you might imagine. Most often, this disease affects young girls, but men or older women can also experience it. One recent study found that 25% of people suffering from anorexia are men. Anorexia is a serious disease, the characteristic symptom of which is the loss of significant body weight. Anorexia is primarily associated with the fear of gaining weight. Anorexia is based on psychosocial problems, more precisely social and personal factors. Anorexia is a serious disorder and can have dangerous consequences. Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. This article will give you some tips on how to figure out if you or a friend has an eating disorder.

Steps Edit

Method 1 of 5:

Observe a person's habits Edit

Anorexia: causes, stages, symptoms, treatment

This is a disease to which a person dooms himself; in fact, he himself organizes it. Anorexia nervosa (under this name it is included in the international classification of diseases) is a meaningful and deliberate refusal to eat, purposeful weight loss beyond all reasonable limits. This is an obsession, a behavioral disorder, so the characteristic “nervous” is very appropriate here.

Anorexia nervosa is common in young girls during puberty (rarely in boys: nothing is impossible in this world); with age, the likelihood of developing anorexia decreases. The disease manifests itself as an obsessive phobia of being overweight, forcing you to sharply reduce your diet and preventing you from taking a sober look at yourself from the outside. The number of people with anorexia has increased significantly over the past quarter century. This was greatly facilitated by the introduction into the immature teenage souls of the cult of slender fashion models, forcing thousands and thousands of unlucky followers from the pages of fashion magazines to adapt the phenotypic characteristics of thousands and thousands of unlucky followers to their appearance.

Causes of anorexia

Don't expect any specifics here, because... There are more than one or two theories trying to explain the reasons that provoke a mental disorder in the form of anorexia. The vulnerable soul of a teenager keeps many secrets. During this period, serious physiological and psychological changes occur in the body; there is such a phenomenon as a disharmonious teenage crisis, i.e. exaggeration of one’s problems and experiences. Thus, the seeds of potential anorexia are planted in fertile soil. And here it is more appropriate to talk not about the causes, but about the factors that can provoke the development of the disease:

hereditary factors. Scientists have found that there is a special gene that induces a tendency towards anorexia. In the presence of other unfavorable factors (psycho-emotional overload, unbalanced diet), carriers of this gene are more likely to develop anorexia nervosa. Of no small importance is the presence in the family of people who suffered from anorexia, depressive disorders or alcoholism;
physiological factors (excess weight, early onset of menstruation);
personal factors (low self-esteem, self-doubt, feelings of inferiority, perfectionism). Anorexics are characterized by such character traits as excessive punctuality and accuracy;
sociocultural factors. Anorexia is more common in developed countries, where the primary needs of the population are fully satisfied, and the desire to comply with fashion trends and aesthetic trends comes to the fore.

Stages and symptoms of anorexia

In its development, anorexia goes through 4 stages.

The initial stage lasts from 2 to 4 years. It lays the foundations of those overvalued and delusional (this is a psychiatric, not an abusive term) ideas that will later lead to such disastrous consequences for the body. The patient is dissatisfied with his own appearance, and this is due to actual changes in it, which is characteristic of puberty. The positive opinions of others have virtually no weight for a potential anorexic. A careless remark, on the contrary, can give rise to a mental disorder.

The beginning of the next stage - anorectic - can be identified by the patient’s active desire to correct his own imaginary shortcomings, which leads to a significant loss of body weight (up to 50%), the development of somatohormonal abnormalities, and a decrease or cessation of menstruation.

A variety of methods are used to lose weight: exhausting exercise in the gym, limiting the amount of food consumed, taking laxatives and diuretics, enemas, artificially induced vomiting, smoking, and excessive coffee consumption.

The anorectic stage is followed by the cachectic stage of anorexia, in which somatohormonal disorders predominate. Menstruation stops completely, no traces remain of the subcutaneous fatty tissue, dystrophic changes in the skin, cardiac and skeletal muscles develop, the heartbeat slows down, blood pressure drops, body temperature decreases, due to a decrease in peripheral blood circulation, the skin turns blue and loses elasticity, the patient constantly feels cold, nails become brittle, hair and teeth fall out, anemia develops.

Even in the phase of extreme exhaustion, patients continue to refuse proper nutrition, being unable to adequately look at themselves (literally and figuratively). Mobility is lost, and the patient spends more and more time in bed. Due to water-electrolyte imbalance, convulsions are possible. This condition, without any assumptions, should be recognized as life-threatening and forced inpatient treatment should begin.

Anorexics constantly consider themselves fat. The last stage of anorexia is the reduction stage. In essence - the return of the disease, its relapse. After therapeutic measures, weight gain is observed, which entails a new surge of delusional ideas in the patient regarding his appearance. His previous activity returns again, as well as the desire to prevent weight gain using all the “old” methods - taking laxatives, forced vomiting, etc. It is for this reason that anorectics, after leaving the cachectic stage, must remain under constant supervision. Relapses are possible within two years.

Treatment of anorexia

As a rule, treatment of anorexia begins at the junction of the anorectic and cachectic stages (of course, ideally it should begin much earlier and with an emphasis on the psychological component, but the patient in the preliminary stages of the disease simply does not fall into the hands of a doctor). In the cachectic stage, treatment sets itself three main goals: to prevent irreversible dystrophy and restore body weight, to prevent massive fluid losses, and to restore electrolytic balance in the blood.

The treatment regimen is bed. The diet is increased gradually, splitting food into small portions: a sharp increase in calories overloads the digestive tract. After eating, the patient should not be allowed to burp.

To increase appetite, insulin is administered daily. Sometimes a 40% glucose solution is added intravenously to insulin. Over time, appetite increases, which makes it possible to increase the caloric content of the diet.

Gradually the patient is transferred from bed to normal mode. The psychological component of treatment consists of taking tranquilizers, psychotherapy sessions and (sometimes) hypnosis.

Symptoms of anorexia

Meet the disease: anorexia. Well known to psychiatrists and psychotherapists, anorexia neurotic is a pathological eating disorder that most often occurs in adolescents. It manifests itself in voluntary and persistent restriction of food intake for the purpose of losing weight, which ultimately leads to a complete refusal to eat.

Anorexia neurotic syndrome occurs in a number of diseases: neuroses, psychopathy, schizophrenia. There is also a separate disease - anorexia of adolescence, as a special type of pathological personality development. Anorexia in adolescence often occurs after traumatic comments from others about the teenager’s obesity or conversations about the ugliness of an obese figure.

Girls get sick more often than boys; the ratio of women to men is 10:1. The onset of anorexia most often occurs between the ages of 14-18 years, but sometimes it begins in people 20-28 years old.

What causes anorexia? Anorexia nervosa is considered as a disease whose development is influenced by both biological and psychogenic factors. Hereditary burden is rare. The development of anorexia is facilitated by emotional conflicts in a person of a special type and overprotection on the part of the mother.

From a psychological point of view, people with anorexia are often distinguished by the following character traits: punctuality, pedantry, perseverance in achieving goals, accuracy, painful pride, rigidity, uncompromisingness, a penchant for overvalued ideas, and hysterical traits are also possible. In childhood, people prone to anorexia are strongly attached to their mother and react heavily to separation from her.

There are clear criteria for understanding how anorexia manifests itself. The most common symptoms of anorexia are:

Refusal to eat is always associated with an overvalued idea of being overweight and a strong desire to correct this “defect.” Dysmorphophobia and the desire to lose weight are carefully hidden. At first, food restrictions happen from time to time. In the future, the fight against “excessive obesity” becomes more and more persistent. Anorexics throw away or hide food, secretly induce vomiting, take laxatives, and do gastric lavage.
Patients strive for constant physical activity. They willingly do jogging, gymnastics, and do housework that requires physical activity. Girls sometimes tie their waists or wear a tight bandage.
Perversions of eating habits are noted; anorexics like to prepare food for others, but do not eat anything themselves.
Anorexia is often accompanied by depression. In the initial stages, irritability predominates, combined with anxiety, tension and low mood, sometimes hyperactivity; later depression is accompanied by exhaustion, lethargy, physical inactivity and a narrowing of interests.

The first stage of anorexia (dysmorphophobia) is characterized by the fact that the patient thinks that he is fat. He begins to think that this imaginary fatness is the reason for the bad attitude of others, and that everyone around him is laughing at him. A person is in a depressed state, he constantly monitors his weight and stops eating high-calorie foods. Hunger is still present, so patients often sneak to refrigerators at night to eat.
The second stage of anorexia (dysmorphomania) - a person is firmly convinced that he is very fat. People get obsessed with being overweight and that's all they talk about. At the same time, they secretly fast and drink large amounts of water in public. Food eaten is often removed from the body by artificially inducing vomiting or using enemas. You may also become dependent on diuretics or laxatives.
Third stage (cachexia). At this stage, there is no appetite, since frequent induction of vomiting leads to the development of a gag reflex when food enters the stomach, and an aversion to food develops. The phenomena of dystrophy begin, the person loses 50% of the initial weight, but does not notice it. The symptoms of anorexia become more and more noticeable: fat disappears completely, muscles become thin and flabby, skin dries out and flakes, teeth deteriorate, hair and nails become brittle and dull. Amenorrhea develops (in women), blood pressure and body temperature decrease. The heart muscle suffers from dystrophy, and the pulse becomes rare. Gastritis, intestinal lethargy, and prolapse of some organs are observed. Often patients at this stage of the disease begin to visit therapists or gastrologists. Although only a psychiatrist will help them in this case.

The prognosis for treatment of anorexia is usually favorable, although more and more fatal cases are now occurring. In men, the prognosis is less favorable. Symptoms of anorexia diagnosed in men always indicate schizophrenic processes.

Relatives of patients often wonder whether anorexia can be cured at home. Outpatient treatment of patients with anorexia includes the same methods as inpatient treatment, but is possible in cases where these patients do not have cachexia. Cases of cachexia clearly require treatment in a clinic. For the success of treatment, explanatory work with relatives and friends, the correct regimen for patients and control over treatment are very important.

Learn about eating disorders. It is very easy to judge people with anorexia. Perhaps such a person is not so easy to understand. Understanding the reasons why eating disorders occur can help you be caring and attentive to your loved one.

Understand the risks associated with anorexia. Anorexia can lead to serious health problems. The disease is most common among women, especially those aged 15 to 24 years. In this age category, the mortality rate from anorexia is 12 times higher than from other causes of death combined. In 20% of cases, anorexia can lead to death. In addition, it can cause serious problems:

Lack of menstruation in women
Lethargy and fatigue
Inability to regulate body temperature
Slow or irregular heart rate (due to weakened heart muscles)
Anemia
Infertility
Memory loss or confusion
Disease of certain organs
Brain damage

Find a good time to talk to the person alone. An eating disorder is a reaction to more complex personal and social problems. You may feel awkward discussing this issue with someone. If you decide to discuss the behavior with the person, be sure to do so in private and at an appropriate time.

Use "I" to convey your feelings. If you are talking to someone who has anorexia, use “I” instead of “you.” For example, you could say, "I've been noticing something lately that's really bothering me. I love you and I'm worried about you. Can we talk?"

Your loved one may become defensive. He may deny the problem. He may accuse you of interfering in his personal life. You can reassure your loved one and tell them that you care about them and want them to be happy.
For example, don't say, "I'm just trying to help you" or "You should listen to me." After such words, a person is unlikely to want to listen to you.
Instead, you can say, “When you're ready, I'd like to talk to you,” or “I love you and want you to know that I want to help you.” Let the person make his own choice.

Don't blame the person. Using the pronoun “I” will help you with this. In such circumstances, it is very important not to blame or judge the person. Exaggerations, threats and accusations are unlikely to help a person cope with the problem.

For example, avoid phrases like "You're making me worry" or "You need to stop acting like that."
Avoid phrases that may make a person feel guilty. For example, don't say things like, "Think about what you're doing to your family" or "If you really cared about me, you wouldn't do that." People with anorexia may already feel shame about their behavior, and saying such things may only make the problem worse.
Don't threaten the person. For example, avoid phrases like "You will be punished if you don't eat better" or "I will tell everyone about your problem if you refuse to get help." This can only make the problem worse.

Don't rush your loved one. He will likely need some time to reflect on your words.
Repeat that you are not judging or criticizing your loved one.

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Why does anorexia occur?

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

Stages of anorexia

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

4. Cachectic – a period when internal restructuring of the body and irreversible processes begin. Weight deficiency is more than 50%.

How to identify the signs and symptoms of anorexia?

Among all 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 years are trying to reduce their weight through diet or dietary restrictions.

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

- Decreased appetite caused by dissatisfaction with one's 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.

— Disruption or cessation of menstruation.

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

- Frequent fainting conditions.

- Increased chilliness and intolerance to cold.

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

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