Anorexia Nervosa

What is Anorexia Nervosa?

The term Anorexia Nervosa means “appetite loss of nervous origins”. In fact, the person has not lost her / his appetite for food. On the contrary she / he may have a great appetite and be very hungry but refuses to eat due to a pathological fear of gaining weight, or even a fear of having normal weight and tries to keep body weight as low as possible. She / he tries to limit caloric intake, as much as possible, or spend as much energy as possible through exercise. She / he resorts to self-imposed starvation and avoids social gatherings that include food.

Physical effects of Anorexia Nervosa due to long-term fasting and the body’s complete exhaustion:

• tendency to get sick frequently due to lowered resistance to illness
• physical weakness
• sensitivity to both heat and cold
• bruises on the body with relative ease due to the deficiency of vitamins such asB12, C, K, and the lack of folic acid
• insomnia
• following excessive weight loss, the person may be covered with fine downy hair
• impoverished blood circulation leading to discoloured rough skin, due to long-term starvation
• cold hands and feet
• digestive problems due to starvation
• bloating and constipation
• weak bones due to malnutrition
• shrinkage of the reproductive organs in both men and women
• lack of menstruation in women

Psychological effects of anorexia nervosa

Changes in brain chemistry due to excessive weight loss lead to changes in the person’s emotional world, including:

• depression
• irrational thoughts
• lack of concentration

Read more about anorexia nervosa here.

The treatment of Anorexia Nervosa

An important requirement for treatment is to build a relationship of trust with the therapist, who will create an appropriate approach to care and support the individual and her / his family. In addition, there may be collaboration with other experts (e.g. physicians, nutritionists) to deal with problems under critical situations and crises.

The Counselling / Psychotherapy aims to restore the appropriate self-image, self-esteem and confidence. The individual learns to handle the problems and difficulties faced using healthier ways of coping. With the appropriate support, she / he escapes the vicious cycle of the eating disorder and re-gains a healthier and much improved life.

During treatment, the individual receives:

• psycho-educationand correct explanation of the body’s functions (appetite, satiety, chemical imbalance that occurs because of self-induced vomiting)
• proper nutritional guidance, including the acquisition of healthy behaviours towards the body and healthy eating habits
• cognitivetherapy, including tracking negative thoughts, misconceptions and problematic attitudes in diet and eating habits, metabolism and the body; myths and realities
• a strengthening of self-image
• an improved body image, through the cultivation of positive thoughts and feelings towards the body
• a strengthening of self-esteem and self-confidence
• education on how to better cope with negative emotions
• assertiveness training, where the person learns to enforce their rights and express their needs, if required
• relaxation training and visualisation, where the person learns to relax the body and mind for the better treatment of stress, anxiety and negative thoughts and emotions
• guidance during the stabilization phase
• relapse prevention guidance