2. General
• Eating disorders are psychological illnesses defined by abnormal eating
habits that may involve either insufficient or excessive food intake to
the detriment of an individual's physical and mental health. Bulimia
nervosa and anorexia nervosa are the most common specific forms of
eating disorders. Other types of eating disorders include binge eating
disorder and OSFED.
• Although eating disorders are increasing all over the world among both
men and women, there is evidence to suggest that it is women in the
Western world who are at the highest risk of developing them and the
degree of westernization increases the risk. Nearly half of all Americans
personally know someone with an eating disorder.
3. Anorexia Nervosa
• Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by food
restriction, inappropriate eating habits or rituals, obsession
with having a thin figure, and an irrational fear of weight gain
[citation needed]. It is accompanied by a distorted body self-
perception, and typically involves excessive weight loss. Due to
their fear of gaining weight, individuals with this disorder
restrict the amount of food they consume. Outside of medical
literature, the terms anorexia nervosa and anorexia are often
used interchangeably; however, anorexia is simply a medical
term for lack of appetite and the majority of individuals
afflicted with anorexia nervosa do not, in fact, lose their
appetites.
4. • Anorexia statistics are shocking. Many people do not realize until they
look at the statistics on anorexia just how prevalent the potentially
deadly eating disorder is. This page will provide you with an insight into
the numbers behind anorexia. According to Anorexia Nervosa and Related
Eating Disorders, Inc., without treatment, up to 20% of people with
serious eating disorders die. With treatment, 2 – 3% of people with
anorexia die, demonstrating just how effective professional treatment
can be. Statistics show that mortality rates from anorexia are the highest
of any psychological disorder.
Related Anorexia Statistics Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness
among adolescents.
• 40 – 60% of high school girls diet.
• 50% of girls between the ages of 13 and 15 believe they are overweight.
• 80% of 13 year old girls have dieted.
• 40% of 9 year old girls dieted.
5. Therapy
• Family-based treatment (FBT) has been shown in
randomized controlled trials to be more successful than
individual therapy in most treatment trials.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence
based approach which in studies to date has shown to
be useful in adolescents and adults with anorexia
nervosa.
• Acceptance and commitment therapy is a type of CBT,
which has shown promise in the treatment of AN"
participants experienced clinically significant
improvement on at least some measures; no
participants worsened or lost weight even at 1-year
follow-up.
6. Bulimia nervosa
• Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by binge
eating and purging, or consuming a large amount of food in a
short amount of time followed by an attempt to rid oneself of
the food consumed (purging), typically by vomiting, taking a
laxative, diuretic, or stimulant, and/or excessive exercise,
because of an extensive concern for body weight. Many
individuals with bulimia nervosa also have an additional
psychiatric disorder. Common comorbidities are mood disorders,
anxiety, impulse control, and substance-misuse disorders.
Patients with bulimia nervosa often have impulsive behaviors
involving overspending and sexual behaviors as well as having
family histories of alcohol and substance abuse, mood and
eating disorders.
7.
8. Treatment- Recovery
• Treatment for bulimia involves psychological counseling and sometimes
medicines such as antidepressants. Treatment does not usually require
staying in the hospital, although this is sometimes needed. Both professional
counseling and antidepressant medicine can help reduce episodes of binging
and purging and help you recover from bulimia. Both are long-term
treatments that may require weeks or months before you notice significant
results. You may need treatment with counseling and possibly medicines for
more than a year. Bulimia that occurs with another condition may take longer
to treat. And you may need more than one type of treatment. If you have
another condition that commonly occurs with bulimia, such as depression or
substance abuse, your doctor may want to treat that condition first.
