Anorexia Nervosa:

Ten Warning Signs: 1. Deliberate self-starvation with weight loss. 2. Intense, persistent fear of gaining weight 3. Refusal to eat or highly restrictive eating 4. Continuous dieting 5. Excessive facial/body hair because of inadequate protein in the diet 6. Compulsive Exercise 7. Abnormal Weight loss 8. Sensitivity to cold 9. Absent of irregular menstruation 10. Hair loss Symptoms 1. Weight a. 15% below ideal body weight b. REFUSAL to eat c. Complication of not eating: Stunted growth 2. Intense Fear of Gain Weight or Becoming fat, even if underweight a. Is hungry-but afraid to eat b. Becomes vegetarians and wants to eat healthily c. Constantly thinks about food

I. II. III.

How many calories? Fat grams? How much exercise-if I eat a cookie?

d. Meals are avoided or eaten very slowly IV. V. VI. 3. Body Image a. Sees themselves as fat b. Can accept how thin, but doesnt think its dangerous 4. Absence of Menstruation a. Missing 3 periods b. Doesnt include males, pregnant women, or children. 5. Types of Anorexia a. Few hundred calories a day: or only water= Restricting type b. Eating something unhealthy or too much: Binge-eating How many calories? Fat grams? How much exercise-if I eat a cookie?

Types of Treatment: 1. Psychotherapy a. Individual Psychotherapy is for people that are not living at home and are past adolescence. b. It gives them a safe place to learn how to identify concerns, solve problems, overcome dears and test new skills.

c. Family therapy: helps when person is young or living at home d. Marital Therapy: almost always valuable when the person with anorexia is married. Helps strengthen the relationship. e. Group Therapy: Important Role as part of hospital treatment. 2. Support Groups a. Provide support, and advice about how to cope with the disorder. b. Is better if ran by a professional, but can be run by a non-professional. 3. Medication a. In many cases, medication alone is not effective. b. Better to focus on weight gain. This helps emotional problems and depression. 4. Hospitalization a. Interrupt bingeing and vomiting b. Control weight gain that is occurring too rapidly c. Evaluate and treat physical complications d. Promote weight gain if there has been a failure to gain weight in outpatient care