Eating Disorders: Types, Symptoms, Risk Factors & Treatment

Anorexia, often known as anorexia nervosa, is a complicated brain illness that seriously affects the link between food and the body. As a result of anorexia, an extreme dread of gaining weight might develop, making eating appear dangerous.

Anorexia comes with a high risk of suicide and is the second most fatal mental illness after opioid addiction, as it can lead to serious physical harm.

Anorexia nervosa is a form of an eating disorder that affects body weight due to the person's dietary restrictions. This is also a result of crippling anxiety about putting on weight and an incorrect perception of their body type.

An eating disorder like anorexia nervosa is not a personal preference or way of life. As this condition might lead to possible fatality, early detection of anorexia nervosa symptoms is crucial. Also, in more severe cases, this illness can result in starvation or suicide if left untreated.

Anorexia nervosa is primarily divided into three categories –

• Restricting Type: People who suffer from this form of anorexia nervosa limit the quantity and type of food they consume. This type could also elicit restricting particular foods (for instance, carbohydrates), skipping meals, calorie tracking, and adhering to compulsive restrictions, similar to preferring foods of a certain colour. Furthermore, these behaviours sometimes go hand in hand with excessive exercise.
• Binge Eating or Purging Type: The quantity or amount of food consumed by those who suffer from this variety of anorexia is severely restrictive. However, this is complemented by watching a film or bingeing and clearing it out. When a person binges, they are likely to devour food and can experience an uncontrollable urge to regurgitate food. After that, the person substitutes this overeating by taking diuretics, laxatives, or enemas or emesis.
• Atypical Anorexia Nervosa: In atypical anorexia nervosa, a subclass of OSFED (Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders), a person loses substantial weight from their slashed calorie intake. Still, their body weight remains within the acceptable weight range. These individuals also have an incorrect perception of their bodies and a strong phobia of putting on weight. In addition to falling within the recommended limits, they exhibit every other symptom and problem associated with anorexia nervosa.

If you are suffering from anorexia nervosa, here are a few symptoms to look for –

• Weight loss.
• Anxiety towards food.
• Unrealistic body image or severe angst about weight gain.
• Disliking previously enjoyed foods.
• Negation of hunger, skipping foods or consuming a tiny amount of food.
• Rigidity towards eating.
• Eating aloof instead of enjoying with family or friends.
• Preparing foods for others without consuming them.
• Serious fatigue.
• Wearing many layers of clothing or baggy clothes.
• Always feeling cold.
• Performing excessive workouts or stringiness around exercise.
• Negative mood changes.

The exact causes behind the cause of anorexia nervosa are still not perspicuous. However, medical professionals believe there could be a mix of several factors. Also, it's conceivable that certain personality factors make some people more susceptible to anorexia.

Regardless, anorexia nervosa can be brought on by various factors, including–

• Being overweight since childhood.
• Hormonal imbalances.
• Living in a group society or workplace that demands one to become slim (e.g. modelling, dance group, athletics).
• Showing an inclination towards perfectionism.
• Having depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem.
• Criticism or bullying about eating habits or body shape.
• Previous experience of sexual abuse.

A few risk factors associated with anorexia nervosa include the following –

• A high degree of obsessive-compulsive personality or perfectionism traits, a propensity for depression and anxiety, and a poor stress response.
• Start of puberty, harsh life circumstances, and interpersonal conflict.
• Ideas generated from the media and popular culture, including movies, TV shows, and periodicals.
• Jobs requiring a lean body, such as those in ballet, some sports, and the television and fashion sectors, may raise the risk of anorexia nervosa.
• Excessive dieting.
• Genetic propensity, which results from genes passed down from parents.

Your psychiatrist or another medical or mental health expert may diagnose anorexia nervosa depending on your thoughts, feelings, and eating behaviours. They will infer this after ruling out other medical or mental health conditions as the reason for your weight loss. Additionally, they might also look for associated physical or mental issues.

Treatment for anorexia nervosa can help individuals avoid long-term issues. In this regard, enhancing weight gain is one of the key therapy goals. However, a specialist may also recommend vitamins, minerals, and dietary recommendations to aid weight gain. Other therapies can include:

• Anorexia-Nervosa-Focused Family Therapy: To help a child resume regular eating habits, this therapy engages the parents in a significant way. First, the problem is explained to parents, who then collaborate with the therapist to control meals and refeeding at home. In most cases, this takes 18 to 20 sessions for a year.
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: If family counselling is not possible, the person is typically treated for eating problems using specialised cognitive behavioural therapy. The therapist will collaborate with the child's parents and other family members to alter unhelpful attitudes and food-related actions. In general, this takes place for 40 sessions spread over 40 weeks.
• Medication: To help the patient deal with physical ailments and other mental conditions like depression and anxiety, medication may be recommended along with other treatments. However, young persons under 18 are not typically prescribed medicine.

You must consult a doctor immediately if you feel disgusted with foods and are overly concerned about your looks. Also, you might be admitted to the hospital if the problems from anorexia nervosa are severe and life-threatening.

In the hospital, they will receive treatment related to bodily ailments, weight gain, and mental well-being. By doing so, you can feel secure and start to recover from the severe effects of malnutrition.

The three critical components of managing anorexia nervosa include the treatment of the psychological issues associated with anorexia nervosa, the elimination of actions or beliefs that contribute to bad eating, and the prevention of relapse.

Also, inpatient treatment is only recommended if there is a risk of mortality from a medical problem or suicide, extreme weight loss (for example, less than 65% of normal), or both. In this regard, treatment is typically provided on an outpatient basis. Finally, although individual psychological treatments, particularly cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and family therapy, are employed, there is a paucity of research to support their utility.

The psychological and behavioural implications of anorexia nervosa can be pretty harmful. For example, the person may develop depression, become agitated, find it challenging to engage with others, and withdraw socially. In addition, having trouble sleeping can make you feel tired all day. Therefore, getting medical help as soon as possible is crucial.