Anorexia nervosa: Causes, symptoms & treatment
It can be difficult to watch someone struggling with anorexia nervosa. It can be even more difficult to understand what makes them harm themselves in this way. You may feel powerless and unsure how to help – a lot of people have been in this position.
What is anorexia nervosa?According to The National Eating Disorders Association , anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by weight loss, difficulties maintaining an appropriate body weight, and distorted body image. People with anorexia nervosa are usually driven by an intense fear of gaining weight, which makes them restrict the calories and the types of food they eat.
“It’s partly genetic, partly neurobiological, and partly environmental,” says Dr Daniela Beivide, a PhD in psychological medicine and a specialist in disordered eating behaviors at Holly Health . “Whether or not someone develops anorexia will depend on a combination of all of these factors.” Traumatic events can affect how a person handles social situations later in life. Indeed, women with anorexia nervosa tend to struggle with relationships and dysregulated emotions, as described in a review published in the Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews journal. Many studies have also suggested that not having a good support network is an important contributing factor.
People with bulimia will eat large amounts of food and overcompensate by purging what they’ve eaten. This cycle of binging and purging leads to intense feelings of guilt and shame. Bulimia nervosa is often associated with depression, anxiety and self-harm behaviors, such as cutting and substance abuse.
In atypical anorexia, individuals meet the criteria for anorexia but are not underweight despite significant weight loss. Otherwise, there is no difference in the medical and psychological impacts between anorexia and atypical anorexia. Cognitive impairment According to a review published in the Nutrients journal, starvation causes memory problems, trouble concentrating, poor attention span and problems with learning and decision making. It also amplifies anxiety and affects how a person processes emotions.
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