Anorexia

Anorexia – the disease which is characterized by disturbance of a normal feeding behavior. Patients with anorexia show special attention to a body weight and aim to limit almost completely themselves in consumption of food. At the same time people with anorexia so are afraid to gather at least one extra kilo that bring themselves practically to full exhaustion.

Statistically, preferential young girls are subject to this disease, sometimes absolutely still teenagers who much more than other age categories are inclined to come under outside influence and painfully to react to criticism. The disease begins with the fact that the girl dreaming to lose weight goes on a diet and so is fond that even when its weight becomes 15-20% lower than norm, all the same it seems to it that it is too thick.

The similar disease is especially dangerous to young girls as their organism still is in a stage of growth and development. As a result, instead of the beautiful, radiating with health young woman, people around see a certain incorporeal ghost with shadows under the eyes and pale skin. In addition to external signs anorexia promotes emergence of a number of diseases of endocrine, nervous, cardiovascular systems, a musculoskeletal system. It is connected with the fact that when the organism especially needs a large amount of nutrients, patients with anorexia, on the contrary, starve themselves that does to an organism irreparable harm.

The main reasons leading girls to anorexia are:

• the unhealthy psychological atmosphere in a family;
• the negative atmosphere around meals;
• the distorted perception of own body and too underestimated self-assessment;
• the persuasive and looped behavior, perfectionism;
• fight against obstacles;
• unsatisfied need for love and acceptance.

Anorexia symptoms

As a rule, patients with anorexia do not recognize a similar problem therefore the first symptoms of anorexia become usually noticeable to relatives and friends.

If the family does not begin to sound the alarm, the pursuit of ideal weight can end for the patient is very deplorable: sometimes under the threat there is not only health, but also the girl's life.

The most important symptom of anorexia is strong weight loss, sometimes for quite short time. Unfortunately, this sign becomes noticeable only when exhaustion reaches a critical point. Till the same moment just it seems to people around that the girl decided to throw off couple of extra kilos.

One more symptom of anorexia to which it is also necessary to pay attention – loss of appetite and essential decrease in serving size of the food eaten for time. At nervous anorexia of the girl quite often at all refuse meal, finding for this purpose a set of excuses (was tired, has a bite recently, the stomach, etc. hurts).

It should be noted that, despite refusal of food, patients with anorexia very much love a talk on food, especially about various diets and ways of burning of calories. Many women having nervous anorexia spend nearly all free time in kitchen, preparing various dishes. At the same time it is worth reaching absorption of these dishes, all appetite disappears somewhere.

In process of progressing of anorexia the general state of health of the patient significantly worsens. It is noted in the following clinical symptoms of anorexia:

• Increased fatigue. Patients with anorexia test the general weakness and quickly are tired. There is it because the organism has no place to take necessary energy and to it it is necessary to use internal reserves which are not boundless. All this results in the increased drowsiness and frequent faints.
• Aggravation of symptoms of nails and hair. Hair lose gloss and beauty, become dim and begin to split. It is natural that any hair preparation in this case cannot help. The organism is deprived of necessary minerals and vitamins, it also leads to the fact that nails and hair become dry and fragile.
• Change of a condition of integuments. Complexion becomes pale, and under eyes deep shadows lie. As a rule, as the reason for that serves the iron deficiency anemia which steadily is a complication of nervous anorexia. Quite often anorexia causes problems with kidneys therefore skin of legs and hands gets the characteristic cyanotic shade resulting from bad microcirculation. For the same reason patients with anorexia always feel cold.
• Amenorrhea or total disappearance of monthly. The origins of this symptom still are up to the end not studied by physicians. Most likely, the amenorrhea arises as a result the organism for a long time loses much-needed nutrients that negatively affects a hormonal background, causing various failures in an organism. Some doctors are sure that the amenorrhea is caused by disturbance of psychological state of the woman. Anyway this sign says that the disease came already rather far and not to do the girl without the qualified medical care.
• Other diseases. Various complications and diseases result from shortage of vitamins and microelements. The organism is in a constant stress, and it is very difficult to foresee, than it can turn back for the girl. Serious problems with work of digestive tract, disturbance endocrine and central nervous systems, development of osteoporosis are in certain cases observed.

Treatment of anorexia

As a rule, treatment of anorexia – the long process borrowing several years. Rather difficult also demands process of treatment from patients with anorexia of great desire to win against this disease. Statistically, about 60% of patients are returned afterwards to a normal way of life. 20% of patients with nervous anorexia recover almost completely, without development of complications and chronic diseases. However with the purpose to avoid in the subsequent a recurrence, all patients should undergo inspection and additional therapy regularly.

At the first stage of treatment of anorexia special attention is paid to recovery of physical health of the patient. Often patients demand urgent hospitalization and are in critical condition. Food of such patients is carried out through a dropper. After stabilization of a condition of the patient it begins to be accustomed gradually to normal food, helping to return it healthy body weight.

At the second stage of treatment of anorexia with patients conduct a psychotherapy course during which the doctor and the patient jointly try to define the main causes of illness and ways of their overcoming. The cognitive and behavioural psychotherapy is, as a rule, used with the purpose to help the patient to get rid of incorrect idea of a body weight.

Prescribe the patient antidepressants which during treatment of anorexia help to cope with alarming states in especially hard cases. However doctors do not recommend to accept their long span.