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People With Anorexia and Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa is a severe and often life-threatening eating disorder defined by a rejection to sustain minimal body weight of an individual's normal weight. People with anorexia nervosa are said to be in relentless pursuit of thinness. This disorder includes an intense fear of gaining weight with a distorted body image. Anorexia nervosa should not be confused with Bulimia nervosa, another eating disorder, often referred to as the diet-binge-purge disorder.

Like anorexia nervosa, bulimia can kill if not addressed. Symptoms to watch for in people with anorexia nervosa include withdrawal, an emaciated appearance, obsessive-compulsiveness and depression coming from a distorted view of reality. These obvious characteristics of people with anorexia nervosa are completely obvious to most, accept the person with the condition.

Although, anorexics tend to affect pubescent girls, anorexia nervosa also affects boys very much the same as girls. People with anorexia suffer from severe weight loss and psycho-social problems. What should you do if you know someone suffering from anorexia nervosa? If you feel that you or someone you know may be suffering from anorexia nervosa, it is important to seek professional counseling as quickly as possible.

Confronting a loved one with anorexia nervosa consists of treatment with nutritional therapy, individual psychotherapy, and family counseling, either in the home or in the hospital. The first objective is to get the patient to gain weight, with rewards given for gain. People with anorexia can suffer severe depression; drugs such as antidepressants are part of the therapy, with a normally rapid improvement in the affected behavior.

Prognosis is favorable for patients after early detection and prompt initiation of treatment may improve patient outcome. People with anorexia may fully recover after a single episode, some have a fluctuating pattern of weight gain and relapse, and others experience a chronically deteriorating course of illness over many years.

For more information about anorexia nervosa and people with anorexia, visit:
http://anorexia.christianet.com
http://anorexia.christianet.com/articles.htm
http://www.christianet.com

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