Anorexia

nervoasa
Visovan Raluca Maria
Toma Denisa Maria
Medicina generala, anul II

Anorexia nervoasa often referred to simply as anorexia, is an

eating disorder characterized by a low weight, fear of gaining
weight, a strong desire to be thin, and food restriction.

Etymology:
The term is of Greek origin : ,,an-(prefix denoting negation) and ,,orexis( ,,appetite), translating
literally to a nervous loss of appetite.

History:
The early medical descriptions of anorexic syndrome are
provided by the English physician Richard Morton in 1689.

RISCHARD MORTON
,, Skeleton only clad in skin.

Causes:
Severe trauma or emotional stress (such as
the death of a loved one or sexual abuse) during
puberty or prepuberty.
Abnormalities in brain chemistry. Serotonin, a
brain chemical that is involved in depression,
may play a role.
Constant exposure to media that presents
body ideals .
A tendency toward perfectionism, fear of
being ridiculed or humiliated, a desire to always
be perceived as being "good." A belief that being
perfect is necessary in order to be loved.
Family history of anorexia.

COMPLICATIONS
Medical complications associated with anorexia
include:
Irregular heartbeat and heart attack
Anemia, often related to lack of vitamin B12
Low potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphate
levels
Increased cholesterol
Hormonal changes (can lead to absence of menstrual
periods, infertility, bone loss, and stunted growth)
Osteoporosis
Seizures and numbness in hands and feet
Disorganized thinking
Death (suicide is responsible for 50% of fatalities
associated with anorexia)

DIAGNOSIS :
Body mass index (BMI) is used as an
indicator of the level of severity of
anorexia nervosa:
Mild: BMI of greater than 17
Moderate: BMI of 1616.99
Severe: BMI of 1515.99
Extreme: BMI of less than 15

Tratament:

Treatment for anorexia nervosa tries to address

three main areas:
*Restoring the person to a healthy weight;
*Treating the psychological disorders related to
the illness;
*Reducing or eliminating behaviours or thoughts
that originally led to the disordered eating;
It is important for the person with anorexia to be
actively involved in their treatment.

MEDICINES :
PROZAC :

*increase weight and improve mood over several

months;
*eliminates symptoms of depression;
*DOESNT AFFECT THE ANOREXIA ITSELF!
* may cause children and teenagers to have
suicidal thoughts. Children who are taking these
drugs must be monitored very carefully for signs
of suicidal behavior.

OTHER SUCCESSFUL TREATMENTS:

* Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - the person

learns to replace negative, unrealistic thoughts
and beliefs with positive, realistic ones.
* Family Therapy
* Hypnosis- may help the person strengthen both
self confidence and the ability to cope.
*Biofeedback- help reduce stress in people with
anorexia.
* Body Awareness- aerobic exercise, massage
,yoga might reduce eating pathology in people
with anorexia and also, improve quality of life.

CASES OF ANOREXIA :

A.VALERIA LEVITIN :
* the skinniest woman alive , weighing only 25kg at
the age of 39.
* developed the eating disorder as a teenager after
years of her mother weighing her as a child.
* taunted at school about her weight and told she
was 'too fat' to be a model.
* she claims that anorexia has made her ,, lonely,
unattractive and repulsive for the people around me
.

Before

After

 B. ISABELLE CARO (13 September 1982 17

November 2010):
* weighed only 25 kilograms at a height of
1.65 metres;
* her anorexia was caused by what she
called a "troubled childhood".

 ,,I had a very complicated

childhood, very difficult, very
painful. My mother's big phobia was
that I would grow. She spent her
time measuring my height. She
wouldn't let me go outside because
she'd heard that fresh air makes
children grow, and that's why I was
kept at home. It was completely
traumatic.

 Anorexia nervosa is a serious condition that

can be life-threatening. Treatment programs
can help people with the condition return to
a normal weight and increase the quality of
life.
The battle against eating disorders is long
and grueling, but it is one that must
eventually be won!

 BIBLIOGRAPHY
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anorexia_nervo
sa#Biological
http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condit
ion/anorexia-nervosa
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hans_
Hoek/publication/7061877_Incidence_prevale
nce_and_mortality_of_anorexia_nervosa_and_
other_eating_disorders._Curr_Opin_Psychiat
ry/links/53d12faf0cf228d363e5ac75.pdf