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The Battle On Anorexia, What To Do To Win
With "being thin or sexy no matter what the
cost", a very popular battle cry of most women of all age
groups today. It's no wonder anorexia or anorexia nervosa,
which is its proper term, has taken a stranglehold on peoples
health today.
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized
by voluntary starvation, exercise stress and decreased sensation
of appetite of an individual. Anorexia is a very complex disease,
involving physiological, physiological and sociological components.
An individual who is suffering from anorexia is referred to
as 'anorexic'. The term is frequently but incorrectly shortened
to anorexia, which has stuck and is now become a very common,
non-medical, term.
The most noticeable physiological characteristics
of anorexia are loss of appetite, voluntary starvation and
exercise stress. Meaning that an individual who's suffering
from anorexia not only intentionally starves herself, she
also takes part in high levels of physical activities. It
is a fact that anorexic individuals will go through a cycle
of recovery and relapse.
The psychological part of an individual who's
suffering from anorexia is that she perceives her body as
being fat despite the fact that she is not. To an individual
suffering from anorexia, there is no such thing as being too
thin. This distorted image of ones body produces a great deal
of anxiety for that individual, and the most practical solution
for them would be to lose weight. But the problem doesn't
end here. When an anorexic attains a weight loss goal, she
still feels as though she is overweight causing her to drive
herself even more to lose weight. Because of this, a lot of
individuals who suffer from anorexia reach a critical low
in their body weight resulting in hospitalization and forced
feeding to prevent the individuals from totally starving themselves
to death.
The psychological state of individuals who have
anorexia are almost the same. Mild to severe cases of depression
are recorded as a common occurrence in a person who suffers
from anorexia. Self-harm may also manifest itself and an obsessive
compulsive disordered way of thinking. But bear in mind that
not all anorexics display all of this conditions.
The most common dangers in an individual who
suffers from anorexia are the possibility of death. Because
of the individual's obsession to lose weight and not eat,
major organs may start to shut down due to starvation. A heart
attack is a very common cause of death for an anorexic. Another
threat to someone who suffers from anorexia is Osteoporosis.
Again, this can be attributed to an anorexics obsession of
losing weight by not eating.
Anorexia nervosa can be treated. But the road
to full rehabilitation of an individual suffering from anorexia
is a long and tiring road that may last years for families
and loved ones. Anorexia is notoriously hard to treat, with
sufferers often emphatically denying that they are ill but
accepting that they have anorexia. For these individuals,
they see nothing wrong with their with their choice on how
to lead their lives.
The earlier anorexia is stemmed out, the higher
the chances are for the success in rehabilitating an individual
who suffers from it.
Different approaches can be tried with each
kind of individual. Hospitalization, psychotherapy, clinics
or centers that specialize in treating individuals with anorexia.
The use of drugs such as anti-depressants is also practiced.
Support groups can also help someone suffering form anorexia.
But the most important, and believed to be most successful
in rehabilitating an anorexic is family counseling.
Anorexia is one of the most expensive illnesses
to treat, because of the high-risk of death from the disease.
Unfortunately, lengthy hospitalization is required to treat
the disease adequately and many health care providers will
not pay for adequate care. Hospitalization stays of 45 days
are recommended for effective treatment, yet the usual stay
that healthcare provider will pay for is 7 days, along with
half the adequate amount of psychotherapy, which is recommended.
It is still believed that the best help an anorexic
can receive is unconditional love and empathy from family
and friends. Anorexia is fundamentally less about food than
an individual's psychological need to feel safe, wherein someone
suffering from it is in a state of mind where he or she doesn't
feel the least bit safe. In handling someone suffering form
anorexia, it is dangerous to "just force" him or her to eat
without support. Eating for most anorexics is not as easy
as "just eat" compared with people without an eating disorder.
As the support group for the individual, being firm is important.
It should always be remembered that eating things that are
not considered "safe" would most likely trigger fear and panic.
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About the Author:
For information on real diet advice please visit the SouthBeach
Diet Resource Center
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