Signs and symptoms of anorexia nervosa in women, girls and adolescents. Anorexia: symptoms and treatment

Anorexia (anorexia - an - denial prefix, orexis - appetite) in modern society received a fairly wide artificial distribution among young girls and women. In pursuit of beauty and the desire to look thinner, women resort to debilitating fasting, low-calorie diets, artificially induce vomiting and resort to frequent gastric lavage.

Disease Facts:

CAUSES OF ANOREXIA

Anorexia disease mainly occurs against the background of a mental disorder when trying to achieve the so-called "ideal figure", while the person does not leave the feeling that his body weight is too large for any values.

Factors affecting the development of the disease:

• body intoxication.
• Diabetes.
• Anemia.
• Alcoholism and drug addiction.
• thyrotoxicosis.
• Hormonal disruptions.
• Immunological disorders.
• depressive states.
• Disorders in the work of the endocrine system.
• Chronic kidney dysfunction.
• Diseases of the digestive tract.
• Tumors with a malignant course.
• Prolonged hyperthermia.
• Inflammatory processes in the mouth and lesions of the teeth.
• Damage to the body by helminths.
• Overdose of drugs (drugs with a high content of caffeine, sedatives, antidepressants, tranquilizers).

Among the rare, but significant factors, hereditary predisposition is additionally distinguished. Early onset of menstruation in girls and improperly selected diet food during this period can also provoke the progression of this disease.

Psycho-emotional stress against the background of extremely low self-esteem often leads to the fact that a person begins to provoke the appearance of this disease with his conscious and unconscious actions.

CLASSIFICATION OF THE DISEASE

The fight against anorexia helped to identify the following forms of the disease.

By type:

• Primary - the disease is detected in adolescents against the background of hormonal disruptions, malignant neoplasms and neurological pathologies.
• Mental - the disease manifests itself against the background of complex psychiatric disorders.
• Painful mental- patients feel severe weakness when aware of the feeling of hunger in the waking state; during sleep, they may experience the so-called "wolfish appetite".
• Drug - arising from the use of medications during the treatment of a wide range of diseases, there is often the intentional use of therapeutic agents that block the feeling of hunger.
• Nervous - at the moment the most common type of anorexia; the disease occurs against the background of an unhealthy desire to lose weight. This type of disease develops in several stages:
  • initial- proceeds in a period of 2 to 4 years, is characterized by an obsessive search for defects in one's body;
  • anorectic- this stage is characterized by weight loss, which can be about 50%;
  • cachectic- characterized by a sharp weight loss, lack of subcutaneous fatty tissue, menstrual irregularities, dystrophic changes;
  • reduction stage- the recovery stage, at this stage the patient can both completely recover from anorexia, and go into a state of deep depression against the backdrop of gaining body weight.

SYMPTOMS

With anorexia, a person quickly loses about 15% of the initial body weight, and one of the main symptoms of the disease is a complete lack of appetite.

A person in this state constantly experiences severe weakness and gets tired for no reason, in women the menstrual cycle is significantly disrupted, while men can suffer from sexual dysfunction.

Other symptoms of anorexia:

• insomnia;
• obsessive desire to lose weight;
• over-concern with your body weight;
• problems in the definition of feelings (patients can not distinguish between hunger and sadness);
• periodic fluctuations in body weight (from 3 kilograms per month);
• unreasonable aversion to previously favorite foods;
• unhealthy craving for laxatives;
• painful muscle spasms;
• muscle atrophy;
• very narrow body fat under the skin;
• increased fragility of nails;
• dryness and brittle hair.

When meeting people with sunken eyes and a clear blue under them, whose stomach is strongly drawn in and their ribs protrude, we can confidently say that they suffer from this ailment.

The disease can be exacerbated by tooth loss and lowering blood pressure. Patients are characterized by sudden mood swings and frequent fainting with loss of consciousness.

Anorexia nervosa has a number of additional symptoms that are unique to it.

Symptoms of anorexia nervosa:

• constant chills due to poor circulation in the body;
• body temperature below 36.6 degrees;
• atypical growth of vellus hair over the body;
• constant craving for increased physical activity;
• strong irritability when it is impossible to achieve the tasks;
• when choosing clothes, preference is given to overly spacious, oversized baggy things.

Patients often show unquenchable aggressiveness in defending their beliefs about their own weight, which eventually develops into agoraphobia. This process eventually leads to a feeling of loss of control over the course of one's own life.

DIAGNOSTICS

Despite the fact that such a disease as anorexia is perceived in modern society as an acceptable and acceptable state of the body, we must not forget that this is still an ailment that requires careful diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

The main method for diagnosing anorexia is to measure the body mass index. This procedure involves finding the ratio of body weight to height squared. Normal BMI values ​​are between 18.5 and 25. All values ​​that less than number 16 indicate anorexia.

Other diagnostic methods:

• Clinical analysis of urine and blood.
• Determination of hormonal levels.
• Radiography.
• Gastroscopy.
• Esophagomanometry.
• Electrocardiogram.

Diagnosis of patients with anorexia involves a mandatory examination by a psychotherapist.

TREATMENT

Patients with anorexia undergo complex treatment, which is aimed at restoring their somatic condition and gradually gaining normal body weight.

Treatment of anorexia begins with consultations with a psychotherapist, who must make the patient believe in the danger of this disease and force him to start a course of treatment. Therapeutic therapy is carried out in a hospital under the constant supervision of the attending staff.

The course of medical therapy:

• Permanent psychological help.
• Return to normal eating.
• Working on a set of healthy body weight.
• Withdrawal from depression.
• Psychotherapy with family members.
• Constant care.
• Patient support.

Medical treatment:

• Antidepressants.
• Multivitamin complexes.
• Antipsychotics.
• Antipsychotic drugs.
• Atypical neuroleptics.
• Hormonal substances.

When treating, one should take into account the fact that anorexia is a disease in which drug treatment is recommended in very limited dosages. This is due to the fact that the output from the body chemical substances can be complicated due to a strong weakening of the body and its inability to independently cope with such tasks.

Therapeutic nutrition begins with the intake of low-calorie foods in limited doses with a gradual increase. In severe cases of anorexia, it is allowed intravenous administration nutrients into the body.

DANGEROUS COMPLICATIONS

The main complications that this disease leads to:

• disorders in the work of the cardiovascular system;
• severe swelling of the extremities due to a lack of proteins in the body;
• malfunctions of the digestive system;
• increased bone fragility, frequent fractures;
• a decrease in brain mass, irreversible disturbances in its work;
• severe prolonged depression, "losing yourself", pre-suicidal mood;
• disrupted work of the endocrine system;
• loss of reproductive function;
• hypovitaminosis.

Anorexia is the cause of most suicides among adolescents.

Cases have been recorded when those who recovered from anorexia began to eat heavily, which eventually led to the development of another disease - bulimia.

PREVENTION OF ANOREXIA

Considering that during anorexia the body is exposed to extremely high loads, and the treatment process does not end in recovery in all cases, persons prone to illness are advised to follow a set of preventive measures aimed at avoiding serious manifestations of this disease.

Preventive measures:

• regular consultations with a psychotherapist;
• balanced food, high nutrition culture;
• avoidance of severe stress;
• any diet should be coordinated with a nutritionist;
• moderate alcohol consumption, complete cessation of smoking and drug use.

PROGNOSIS FOR RECOVERY

Taking into account the fact that a dangerous mental disorder is hidden behind the disease, the prognosis for recovery is not entirely favorable. Quite often, patients experience relapses of the disease, which can lead to lethal outcome. Patients must be aware of what anorexia is, what exactly is its danger, in order to successfully fight the disease.

With a favorable psychological atmosphere created by loved ones, the chances of a full recovery and the absence of relapses in the future are very high.

Found an error? Select it and press Ctrl + Enter

Many female representatives perceive weight loss as a factor in their success and willpower. It is important to understand the main signs of anorexia in order to be able to detect this disease in time.

In the last 30-40 years, the "disease of fashion models" has become so widespread that doctors were forced to sound the alarm. Signs of anorexia in women began to be dedicated scientific works in the field of medicine and healthy nutrition.

First of all, it is worth talking about the fact that anorexia nervosa in adolescents and adults, as a disease, is associated with malnutrition. But this is only a physiological manifestation of the disease. In fact, there is a deeper concept of "anorexia nervosa", which is associated with mental disorders. The first signs of anorexia are usually associated with a pathological desire to reduce body weight and associated fears of obesity.

The reasons for this all may lie in the upbringing of a teenager, the lifestyle of his parents, family attitudes, in particular. As a result, the girl gets the wrong idea about the possible weight gain and the difficulties associated with it.

At the same time, experts immediately identify 3 factors that form anorexia as a disease and lifestyle:

1. Psychological, which is associated with the influence of upbringing and conflicts within the adolescent himself.
2. Biological, associated with predisposition at the gene level.
3. Social- imitation, the influence of the environment, profession, etc.

Who is at risk?

Weight loss, as a seeming solution to the situation, can be achieved by strict diets and food restrictions, which are complemented by intense physical activity. Or another way to lose weight is possible, which consists in all kinds of cleansing procedures, like therapeutic enemas and gastric lavages, forced vomiting.

Signs of anorexia in Western developed countries are recorded in 2% of girls who are aged 12-24 years. Most often, anorexia begins to manifest itself precisely in adolescents, and the above age limit is a risk group for girls in 90% of cases. More mature women and men make up the remaining 10% of patients.

How does weight loss disease - anorexia manifest itself?

The main symptoms of anorexia are most often manifested in the following:

• a permanent interest in weight loss, regardless of the available indicators;
• not passing feeling of own completeness, constant soul-searching;
• the presence of panic fear about weight gain;
• violations of the regime and sleep;
• the habit of eating small portions;
• isolation from society.

Chronic anorexia leads to much more serious disorders, the symptoms of which already look like menstrual irregularities in the female cycle, muscle weakness and spasms, arrhythmia, dizziness. From the point of view of the emotional background, irritability and resentment towards others increase, unreasonable anger arises.

Social reasons for the demand for thin people

The treatment of this disease must be approached with the maximum share of responsibility, since in this case It's not just about weight loss. In almost all cases, the intervention of a psychiatrist or psychologist will be needed to determine the exact diagnosis of the disease. The nervous variety of the disease requires psychological support from the patient's relatives and family members.

Speaking about anorexia, the signs of which have long been successfully identified in the West, it should be said that it is especially common to meet obscenely thin girls and women among models of various fashion shows. The prevailing model images have made the rest of humanity hostage to the situation, because in recent decades, beauty and thinness are synonymous. At first, the symptoms of anorexia may resemble the behavior of an ordinary woman on a diet.

It so happened in nature that only a small specific gravity women meets such standards of beauty and fashion. Therefore, the pages of magazines and websites are simply full of huge amount diets and diets for weight loss. At the same time, many representatives use not always harmless tools in pursuit of extra pounds shed. Even less understanding about the value own health among adolescents, and in fact many cases begin to be recorded precisely at this age.

What should relatives pay attention to?

Since the patients themselves in many cases prefer not to notice that they have this problem, the first signs of anorexia have to be determined by eye by their close people. The first alarming symptom is a dramatic and significant weight loss in a relatively short period of time. At the same time, at first it may look like a completely harmless diet from the outside, until the condition reaches a critical point.

Another important feature- this is a loss of appetite or a significant decrease in the volume of portions eaten by the patient. Especially, this characterizes the nervous variety of the disease.

Sometimes a girl or teenager can explain the refusal to eat by a physiological condition, such as stomach pain, fatigue, and so on. At the same time, such a person can dream about food every second, talk for a long time on food-related topics, discuss recipes, calories, and so on.

As the nervosa or other form of anorexia progresses, the patient's condition will gradually worsen as well. You can notice this by a number of clinical symptoms in the work of the main body systems.

This is expressed in a decrease in vitality and general fatigue, which was not there before. A breakdown can occur after doing normal everyday things - taking a shower or washing dishes. It is not surprising, if you understand the reasons for what is happening, because the body spends its energy reserves on this, which is practically not replenished. Additionally, all this is accompanied by periodic fainting and drowsiness.

External changes of the patient

The state of nails, hairline, skin of various parts of the body undergoes changes. These can also be signs that deserve attention from others. So, hair often loses its luster and density, undergoes a cross section, and becomes brittle. Lack of food automatically leads to a deficiency of essential minerals and vitamin complexes.

Similar symptoms appear in the appearance of the nails. Often, in an anorexic patient, the complexion becomes pale, characteristic circles or bags appear under the eyes. Often this disease causes problems with the health and functioning of the kidneys.

Prolonged lack of proper amounts of nutrients leads to changes menstrual cycle. In particular, this is due to the general mental state of a woman.

Flaw useful substances and minerals for the body with anorexia is a real stress, and therefore its reactions can be completely different. Some of them are difficult to predict even for treating specialists. In some cases, there are problems of the digestive tract, in others neurological disorders, malfunctions thyroid gland and even cancer.

Since most people do not naturally meet this standard, they try to become more beautiful. different ways and not always healthy. Teas and diet pills, diets, intense physical activity - this can start the path not only to greater attractiveness, but also to anorexia.

Anorexia is an eating disorder and, more importantly, a psychiatric disorder characterized by an increased focus on food and body weight, and extreme food restrictions. Anorexics are very afraid of getting fat, and sometimes they are able to literally starve themselves to death. Most often, this disease affects young girls - it is they who are most exposed to the effects of modern media products. They lose weight very much - often their weight is 15% below normal. But no matter how thin they become, no matter how bad they feel, even when they are on the verge of death, they continue to consider themselves too fat and still follow their diet.

Establishing the exact causes of anorexia is difficult, but it is most likely that many factors cause it, including the patient's psychological problems and the influence of popular culture.

Symptoms

Severe weight loss is the most obvious symptom of anorexia, which, however, becomes noticeable when the body is already close to exhaustion. In the early stages, anorexia can be identified by the fact that a person began to eat less than usual, often refuses to eat, referring to the fact that he just ate or his stomach hurts. At the same time, he can talk a lot about food, about calories and diets, and even cook with pleasure. In general, food becomes a favorite topic of conversation for an anorexic; just as much it occupies his thoughts.

When the disease progresses, the anorexic constantly feels weak, gets tired quickly, sometimes faints. Dull, brittle hair, puffy face, sunken eyes, bluish skin color on the arms and legs (due to poor blood circulation) are also common symptoms of anorexia. In women, due to exhaustion, menstruation may stop. A patient with anorexia is constantly cold, as the body does not have enough energy to warm up. A layer of thin hair appears all over the body - with their help, the patient's body tries to keep warm. Then osteoporosis develops, digestion processes are disturbed, malfunctions of the heart and central nervous system may occur.

Treatment

Anorexia usually takes at least 5 years to heal. This is a difficult process that requires the patient to be very involved and willing to overcome the disease. More than 60% of patients starting treatment for anorexia return to healthy lifestyle life. Another 20% recover almost completely, but in order to avoid relapses, they need regular examinations and additional courses of therapy.

At the first stage of treatment, restore physical health patient. Sometimes patients are hospitalized in a very serious condition, and they need not only nutrition through a dropper, but also treatment for complications of anorexia, often very dangerous. When the patient's condition stabilizes, he is gradually accustomed to a normal diet, helping him to return to a healthy weight.

Then a course of psychotherapy begins, during which the patient and the doctor together look for the causes of the disease and ways to overcome it. Cognitive behavioral therapy is usually used to help the patient get rid of a distorted image of their own body.

Sometimes the patient is prescribed antidepressants. They help to cope with anxiety and some other problems, but they should be taken as briefly as possible.

Statistics

• Anorexia is the third most common chronic disease in adolescents.
• Average age, in which eating disorders begin today - 11-13 years
• About 80% of women in many surveys said they want to lose weight
• 50% of girls between the ages of 13 and 15 think they are overweight
• 80% of 13-year-old girls have at least once been on a diet or tried to lose weight in other ways
• 20% of people who suffer from anorexia and do not receive timely treatment will die
• Anorexia has the highest mortality rate among mental disorders
• Only 1 in 10 people with some form of eating disorder receive adequate treatment
• 1-5% of girls and young women suffer from anorexia

What you need to know about anorexia

• There is no one to blame for anorexia. Anorexia does not mean that the parents raised their child incorrectly. Cultural, genetic and personal factors closely interact with life events, which creates fertile ground for the emergence and development of psychological eating disorders.
• There is nothing pleasant about anocresia. Many people who follow debilitating diets recklessly declare that they dream of becoming ill with anorexia. They see only the obvious manifestation of this disease - excessive thinness, but do not notice the danger of this "fashionable" disease. Patients with anorexia are by no means proud of their perfect figure and do not feel unimaginably beautiful; if you talk to such a person, you will learn a lot about him - for example, that a girl who weighs 55 kilograms and is 180 meters tall considers herself fat, unattractive and unstylish. Patients with anorexia suffer from a never-ending sense of their own imperfection, they are frightened and cornered by their fears.
• You can’t get rid of anorexia just like that, this is not a disease that reminds of itself once a month. The consciousness of patients with anorexia does not belong to them, they cannot control their feelings. Such people are literally obsessed with thoughts about weight, food, extra calories and body image. Many suffer from the disease even in their sleep - they are haunted by nightmares, obsessive dreams about food and nutrition. And in a dream, poor sufferers and sufferers continue to count calories and be horrified by 100 gained grams. Anorexia is a terrible disease that pulls its victim out of normal life and dooms her to loneliness. Anorexia is very difficult to cure. Sometimes it takes years to fight it.
• Anorexia can be fatal. By the way, anorexia has the highest mortality rate among psychological diseases. If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of an eating disorder, act quickly - seek medical advice.

Specific symptoms of anorexia

The patient with anorexia is primarily distinguished by the unwillingness to maintain a weight corresponding to his constitution, age and height. To be precise, the normal weight of a person should be 85% or less of the weight that is considered standard for a person of this build, age and height.

As a rule, the victim of anorexia constantly feels an unrelenting fear of gaining weight and gaining excess weight, and this fear completely overrides all other feelings and emotions. This fear does not take into account the real weight of a person, and does not let go of its victim even when she is on the verge of death from exhaustion. First of all, the causes of anorexia lie in low self-esteem, which is also one of the main symptoms of this serious illness. A patient with anorexia believes that his weight, figure parameters and size are directly related to self-awareness and personal status. Victims of anorexia often deny the seriousness of their condition and cannot objectively assess their own weight.

Another symptom characteristic of women is the absence of at least three periods in a row. In particular, a woman is diagnosed with amenorrhea (absence of menstruation) if her period begins only after hormonal therapy (for example, estrogen administration).

Types of behavior in anorexia

There are two types of behavior in anorexia nervosa

• Restrictive - the patient voluntarily restricts food intake and does not eat to satiety, and then provokes vomiting.
• Cleansing - the patient overeats, and then provokes vomiting or abuses laxatives, diuretics or enemas.

Unlike depression or panic attacks, anorexia nervosa is difficult to treat. There is no universal and effective cure for anorexia. First of all, doctors prescribe general medicines that are used to treat any health problem, such as electrolysis abnormalities or heart rhythm disturbances.

If you want to read all the most interesting about beauty and health, subscribe to the newsletter!

Often dreams of a slim and attractive body turn into terrible health consequences.. Oddly enough, but most often those who do not need to lose weight want to. Such girls are guided by the images imposed by modern canons. female beauty: exquisite sunken cheeks, well-defined cheekbones and slim figure. Such aspirations lead to a terrible disease called anorexia, what it is, how the disease manifests itself and why it is dangerous, we will consider in this article.

Anorexia refers to neuropsychiatric disorders, which is characterized by an obsessive desire to lose "extra" weight.

Anorexia is a mental disorder characterized by a conscious refusal to eat in order to normalize one's own weight. Desire to gain perfect body can reach mania, this leads to the fact that the girl reduces the amount of food consumed, and subsequently completely refuses it. In such women, the need to eat causes cramps, nausea and vomiting, and even the smallest portion can be perceived as gluttony.

With this disease, the girl experiences a distortion of her own perception, it seems to her that she is fat, even when the weight reaches a critical point. Anorexia is very dangerous disease, which leads to pathologies of internal organs, mental disorders, and in the most severe cases, to the death of the patient.

Causes of the disease

Despite the fact that there is more and more data on anorexia, it is quite difficult to answer the question of what kind of disease anorexia is and what causes it. There are a number of factors that can trigger the disease. The causes of anorexia can be the following:

1. Genetic. The study of information about human DNA has revealed certain loci in the genome that significantly increase the risk of developing anorexia. The disease develops after a powerful emotional shock, with excessive physical exertion or malnutrition. If there are no provoking factors in the life of a person with a similar genome, he will remain healthy.
2. Biological. This category includes: overweight, early regulation and pathology of the endocrine nature. An important factor is the increased level of specific lipid fractions in the patient's blood.
3. Hereditary. The risk of anorexia increases in people who have a family history of people with mental disorders. In addition, the chances of the disease increase in those whose relatives suffered from alcoholism or drug addiction.
4. Individual. The disease is more common in people with certain personal qualities. The desire to comply with the canons of beauty, the lack of a clear life position, uncertainty and the presence of complexes increase the risk of a mental disorder.
5. Gender and age. Most often, the disease manifests itself in adolescence, much less often after twenty-five years. In addition, in more than ninety percent of cases, anorexia affects the fair sex.
6. Social. Living in a society where the standard of female beauty is a slender body, has big influence to the diet. Young girls, trying to follow such criteria, refuse to eat a full meal.

Signs and symptoms of anorexia appear against the background of fear of imaginary obesity

Stages of anorexia

First stage. On the initial stage it seems to the girl that she is overweight, because of which she is constantly subjected to ridicule and humiliation, which leads to a depressive state. A young woman is obsessed with the issue of losing weight, which is why the results of constant weighing occupy all her thoughts. It is very important not to miss the first symptoms of the disease, because at this stage anorexia is successfully treated, without consequences for the woman's body.

Second stage. With the advent of this stage, the patient loses his depressive mood, and is replaced by a firm conviction that he is overweight. The desire to get rid of extra pounds is strengthened. Self-weight measurements are made every day, and at the same time, the bar of the desired weight is getting lower and lower.

Third stage. The onset of this stage is indicated by a complete refusal of food, a forced intake of food can cause disgust and vomiting. At this stage, the girl can lose up to fifty percent of her original weight, but she will be sure that she is still fat. Any talk about food leads her to aggression, and she herself claims that she feels great.

Varieties of anorexia

This disease may be preceded by various factors, in this regard, the following types of anorexia are distinguished:

mental- occurs with mental disorders in which there is no feeling of hunger. Such pathologies include schizophrenia, paranoia, some types of depression, etc. In addition, the development of this species can be influenced by alcohol and drug addiction.

symptomatic- develops against the background of a severe somatic disease. In particular, in diseases of the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, hormonal or genitourinary system. The loss of hunger arises from the need for the body to direct all its forces to fight the disease, and not to digest food.

nervous- another name for this type of "psychological". In this case, the girl consciously refuses food, being afraid to gain even one extra kilogram. This type is especially dangerous in puberty. We will consider the symptoms and treatment of anorexia nervosa below, but among the main signs of the disease, the following should be highlighted:

• attempts to get rid of the accepted food, by inducing vomiting;
• increased exercise in order to reduce weight;
• taking fat-burning and diuretic medications.

More than 80% of all cases of anorexia appear between the ages of 12-24

Medicinal – this species The disease manifests itself with prolonged use of medications aimed at weight loss. Antidepressants, diuretics, laxatives, psychotropic drugs, as well as drugs that give a feeling of satiety with small portions eaten can also provoke anorexia.

Symptoms and signs of anorexia

The following symptoms may indicate that the disease has already begun to have a devastating effect on the body of a woman:

• regular talk about weight loss;
• exclusion from the diet of high-calorie foods;
• hunger strikes;
• frequent depression.

If it was not possible to determine anorexia at this stage, then more pronounced symptoms of the disease appear. The amount of food consumed is significantly reduced, but the amount of fluid drunk increases. Many girls artificially induce vomiting after each meal, which in most cases leads to bulimia. In order to quickly lose the hated kilograms, enemas, diuretics and laxatives are often used.

By the beginning of the third stage of anorexia, there are changes in the appearance of the girl that cannot be overlooked. The skin becomes thinner, begins to peel off, tone and elasticity are lost. Dystrophy of muscle tissue occurs, and the subcutaneous fat layer completely disappears. The bone skeleton is clearly visible through thin skin. Teeth deteriorate, hair and nails become brittle and lose their luster.

Significant disturbances also occur in the internal organs, the level of blood pressure drops significantly, the body temperature drops, the pulse rate decreases, becoming below normal. Gastritis, ulcers and lazy bowel syndrome develop, pathological changes occur in the heart muscle. The girl increasingly falls into despondency and apathy, she is haunted by fatigue and impotence.

Consequences of the disease

Conscious starvation leads to catastrophic consequences for all internal organs and systems.

1. cardiac muscle. Blood flow slows down, blood pressure levels decrease. The level of essential minerals and trace elements in the blood drops. Such changes lead to electrolyte imbalance and arrhythmia, and in the most severe cases to complete cardiac arrest.
2. Hormonal system. The level of prolactin, the stress hormone, increases, and the growth hormone, on the contrary, becomes less. The amount of hormones involved in the reproductive functions of a woman decreases. In this regard, there are interruptions in the menstrual cycle, in some cases there is a complete absence of it. In the later stages, it cannot be restored even after the course of treatment.
3. Skeletal system. Deficiency of calcium and vital minerals leads to a decrease in bone mass, mineral density decreases, bones become brittle.
4. Digestive system. There is a slowdown in the functions and processes of digestion, the body is in an energy-saving mode. An ulcer, gastritis develops, constipation and swelling can torment.
5. Nervous system. In the most extreme cases, nerve damage can occur, convulsions, seizures, and limbs become numb. As a result, it becomes the cause of mental and mental disorders.
6. Blood. The blood becomes thicker, the blood supply worsens. Lack of vitamins and minerals leads to anemia.

In addition to the above problems, degenerative changes occur in the liver, the body becomes dehydrated, weakness and fainting appear.

The most terrible complication of anorexia is the launch of the body's mechanisms to self-destruct

Treatment

Due to the fact that the first signs of anorexia in girls, as a rule, go unnoticed, and they themselves do not accept advice and deny the problem, therapy begins at the stage when the patient is taken to a medical institution in critical condition. It is not uncommon for relatives to call an ambulance even when a woman is dying.

Therapeutic measures to stabilize the condition of the anorexic include force-feeding through a dropper. First of all, doctors must find out the cause that led to such a serious condition. Having determined the factor that caused the disease, a course of drug treatment is prescribed. After the patient's condition stabilizes, psychologists and nutritionists begin to work with her.

Anorexia is extremely dangerous disease, which can be fatal.

Girls who are faced with a problem are often not able to solve it on their own. It is very important that relatives and close people pay attention to the patient's condition in a timely manner and begin treatment until pathological changes occur in the body.

Anorexia (translated from Greek - "no appetite", an - a negative prefix, orexis - appetite) is a disease characterized by disruption of the food center of the brain and manifested by a lack of appetite, refusal to eat.

Symptoms

Anorexia is accompanied strong fear obesity, therefore there is an "unhealthy" desire to lose weight. At the same time, a distorted perception of one's figure is observed, even when weight gain does not occur.

The main symptoms can be identified:

• panic fear of getting better;
• progressive weight loss;
• sleep disturbance;
• maintaining a minimum weight, no matter how low it may be;
• a constant feeling of fullness, especially in certain parts of the body;
• feeling of guilt when eating;
• way of eating: divide food into small pieces and eat standing up;
• depression and complete isolation from society.

As a result of the above symptoms, the physiological signs of anorexia also appear: a constant feeling of coldness, pallor of the skin, weakness, menstrual irregularities, arrhythmia and muscle spasms. It should be noted that the first signs of anorexia are increased irritability, constant resentment towards others and unreasonable anger.

As a rule, the female half of the population suffers from this disease. 90% of patients are girls aged 15-25 years, and the remaining 10% are older women and men. Each "extra" 100 gr. in weight, they perceive it as a defeat and the approach of irreparable obesity, but an uneaten piece of food, on the contrary, is considered a victory over oneself.

People with anorexia achieve weight loss in two ways:

• Purification of the body: with the help of an enema, gastric lavage and artificially provoked vomiting after eating.
• Restrictions, i.e. weight loss due to strict diets and reduced food intake, as well as excessive exercise.

Symptoms of anorexia can occur under the influence of the following factors:

• biological, i.e. genetic predisposition;
• social, i.e. the influence of the surrounding society: expectation and imitation (in particular, diets);
• psychological, i.e. internal conflicts and the influence of the family.

It is important to emphasize that anorexia nervosa syndrome is a serious psychological and medical problem that can lead to dangerous complications. At the first signs of the disease, you should contact a psychologist.

Symptoms of anorexia nervosa, as a rule, are pronounced: dizziness, severe weakness, impaired menstrual function, damaged blood vessels on the face, erosion of tooth enamel (due to frequent vomiting), weight loss, decreased blood pressure and pulse. Similarly, there is a disorder of the thyroid gland, a violation of the secretion of growth hormone, as well as vasopressin, gonadotropin and cortisol.

With a long course of the disease, the electrolyte balance of the body can be disturbed. This disorder is due to a deficiency of sodium and potassium. In some cases, muscle spasms and even cardiac arrest can be traced.

signs

Later signs of anorexia include the following symptoms:

• Anorexics try to treat and feed delicious food to other people, while they themselves refuse it. The methods that patients resort to at this stage are the simulation method (they ate not so long ago) or a demonstrative refusal to eat.
• Classes exercise in an enhanced mode, up to exhaustion and exhaustion.
• Hair loss and tooth damage.
• Violation of the digestive process, as well as the appearance of symptoms of beriberi and diselementosis. An anorexic has flatulence, a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen after eating, a tendency to constipation.
• Persistent decrease in blood pressure and body temperature.
• Violation of the heart (interruptions in the rhythm and bradycardia).
• Symptoms associated with the disorder nervous activity- increased irritability, malice, aggressiveness, sudden mood swings, sleep disturbance.
• The appearance of blood vessels on the face (due to frequent bouts of vomiting).
• Violation of relations with the opposite sex.
• Signs of anorexia in women who are sexually active are manifested by a decrease in interest in sex or a complete rejection of it.
• A tendency to loneliness and a lack of desire to communicate with other people, a depressive state.

Signs of anorexia nervosa in this stage are easily recognized, but to force patients to consult a doctor for medical care almost impossible. If the treatment of the disease is not started, then the patients develop the terminal stage, which leads to disruption of the work of all organs and systems, and in some cases to death.

stages

1. Dysmorphophobic is characterized by the fact that the patient has a feeling of fullness. He begins to worry about the fact that this supposedly existing fullness is the reason for the bad attitude of others, that everyone around him is laughing at him. It seems to the patient that he attracts the attention of others with his overweight. The patient is depressed, often weighs himself and stops eating high-calorie foods. The desire to eat is still present, and after the end of hunger strikes, it can increase. A number of patients in the dark sneak to the refrigerators and devastate them.
2. Dysmorphomaniac - the patient is already firmly convinced that he is very fat or some parts of his body are covered with a thick layer of fat. Women periodically spin at the mirror and talk about being overweight to everyone around. Depression disappears, the patient is full of energy for weight loss. In this case, fasting most often occurs secretly. And people use large quantities water. Eaten food is often tried to be removed from the body by inducing artificial vomiting. Often used enemas for weight loss. Patients may develop dependence on a number of medications that suppress appetite: diuretics, laxatives, drugs that speed up metabolism.
3. cachectic stage. At this stage, the patient no longer has an appetite, because frequent artificial vomiting leads to the development of a reflex to food entering the stomach - the same vomiting. The acidity of the environment of the digestive organs decreases, the phenomena of dystrophy begin. The patient develops an aversion to food. Usually at this stage, patients lose fifty percent of their initial weight, but they believe that they weigh a lot. The layer of fat completely disappears, the muscles become flabby and thin, the skin dries out, peeling appears, the teeth deteriorate, the nails and hair become dull and brittle. Amenorrhea develops, the patient's body temperature and blood pressure decrease. The heart muscle also suffers from dystrophy, the pulse becomes rare. Intestinal lethargy, gastritis, prolapse of some organs develops. Often, patients at a similar stage of the disease begin to attend consultations with a therapist or gastrologist. Although they need a psychiatrist in this case.

Causes

It is impossible to accurately identify one factor that provokes the manifestation of anorexia. This is an eating disease that is shaped by family and social problems, as well as biological predisposition. TO social problems we can attribute the planting of the image of the “ideal girl” with parameters 90x60x90. Formation of the concept of beauty depending on body weight. Today, any girl strives to be at least a little slimmer. This is one of the first stages of anorexia - a constant desire to lose weight, inadequate assessment of one's own weight.

Family risk factors include the constant presence of relatives suffering from drug or alcohol addiction, as well as obesity. The problem of anorexia in this case is a kind of response to the situation, the sublimation of the desire to "evaporate" and disappear.

Biological factors can be considered a genetic predisposition, in particular the early onset of the first menstruation. In addition, the cause of anorexia can be hormonal disorders that provoke depression and other mental disorders.

Classification

Anorexia is classified according to the mechanism of occurrence:

• anorexia nervosa (negative emotions stimulate the overexcitation of the cerebral cortex);
• neurodynamic anorexia (strong stimuli, for example, pain, depress the nerve center in the cerebral cortex responsible for appetite);
• neuropsychic anorexia or nervous cachexia (refusal of food due to a mental disorder - depression, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, overvalued idea of ​​losing weight).

Also, anorexia can be a consequence of hypothalamic insufficiency in children and Kanner's syndrome.

Kinds

It will be about what types of anorexia exist. Which of them are more dangerous and pose a threat to life. What are their main differences and features.

Psychological anorexia
This type of anorexia is very dangerous. The psyche of the patient is very shaken by the fact that he suppresses himself. But what is the cause of such depression? He considers himself fat, although looking in the mirror, he sees a skeleton covered in leather.

This is the most dangerous form of the disease, as it is provoked by pressure on a person, possibly hints at his full figure (especially often it happens in children and is called "anorexia in children"). As a result, he simply withdraws into himself, stops communicating with the world around him and completely obsesses over losing weight. He can get carried away so much that this stage will develop into a neurological one and it will be impossible to cure a person by the method of self-hypnosis.

anorexia brain
Types of anorexia include anorexia of the brain. This name should not be taken literally, the brain cannot lose weight. This type of anorexia indicates a violation of the functions of the brain suffering from anorexia.

Such a detrimental reaction to the brain is caused by an unusually low body weight of a person. The process of thinking becomes more and more slow each time, and the processing of complex information will become almost impossible over time.

The worst thing is that even if the anorexic sufferer is cured, the work of the brain will practically not improve. Scientists compared the brain of a girl who recovered and a girl who never had this disease, the difference is very noticeable. In addition, if there is a recovery of the brain, this process will proceed very slowly.

Anorexia nervosa
This is another species that anorexic has even to a small extent. Such a serious disease is associated with the perseverance of a person in one single goal in life - losing weight. The difference between anorexia nervosa is that the mandatory intervention of a psychologist is required. In some cases, the patient can regain a healthy consciousness, and moreover, return to a normal lifestyle. But he will always be in danger of returning to the same problem.

In this form, relatives and friends should not control the previously sick person, but support him and assure him of their love and trouble-free care. In such cases, a person ceases to focus on himself and his appearance. He considers himself needed and loved. Accordingly, he does not have any desire to change something in himself and become better for others.

So, no matter what kind of anorexia the patient has, psychological and physiological help is simply necessary for him. It is you who can and is capable of providing him with such help, and not someone with stronger nerves and health.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of anorexia is based on the clinical signs of the disease. Denial is the main symptom, patients resist examination and treatment. They usually get to the doctor at the insistence of relatives or because of concomitant diseases. Anorexia nervosa typically presents with prominent characteristic symptoms and signs, primarily a loss of 15% or more of body weight in a young girl who is fearful of being overweight, amenorrheic, in denial of illness, and otherwise appears well.

Fat deposits on the body are practically absent. The basis of diagnosis is the identification of the key "fear of fullness", which does not decrease even with weight loss. In women, the presence of amenorrhea requires clarification of the diagnosis. In severe cases of major depression or with symptoms suggestive of another disorder such as schizophrenia, a differential diagnosis may be required. Rarely, severe medical conditions such as regional enteritis or a brain tumor are misdiagnosed as anorexia nervosa. Similar symptoms of anorexia can be caused by the use of amphetamines.

The diagnosis of anorexia is most often made by patients when they already have a pronounced underweight. This is due to the careful dissimulation of the conscious refusal to eat, the induction of artificial vomiting, the use of laxatives and diuretics. In this regard, it takes several years from the onset of the disease to the correct diagnosis. Patients are examined for a long time by therapists, gastroenterologists in search of somatic and endocrine pathology, they are even subjected to surgical interventions. They are misdiagnosed as pituitary cachexia and given replacement therapy.

Diagnosis of anorexia is carried out on the basis of diagnostic criteria that have been proposed by various authors, but it was difficult to represent the entire population of patients with anorexia nervosa. The American Psychiatric Association proposed first the "DSM-II" and then the revised "DSM-III" criteria for anorexia of mental illness, including for anorexia nervosa. Recent "DSM-IIIs" include:

A. Strong fear of gaining weight, which does not decrease despite weight loss.
B. Impaired body perception (“feeling fat” even when exhausted).
C. Refusal to maintain body weight above the minimum, normal for one's age and height.
D. Amenorrhea.

Type I for patients who only restrict food intake. Type II for patients who restrict food intake and purify (vomit, take laxatives, diuretics). "DSM-III" criteria for bulimia:

A. Recurrent episodes of binge eating (frequent eating a large number meals at limited intervals, usually less than 2 hours).
B. At least 3 of the following criteria:

• consumption of high-calorie, easily digestible food during bouts of "gluttony";
• inconspicuous eating of large amounts of food during an attack;
• binge episodes are stopped by abdominal pain, sleep, conscious interference, or deliberately induced vomiting;
• repeated attempts to reduce body weight through severe dietary restriction, deliberately induced vomiting, or the use of diuretics;
• frequent fluctuations in body weight of more than 4 kg in accordance with overeating or weight loss.

C. Understanding that such a desire to eat is abnormal, fear of being unable to stop eating voluntarily.
D. Frequent “eating” should be at least twice a week and last about 3 months.
E. If the criteria for anorexia nervosa are also met, then both diagnoses are made.

However, the presented schemes do not fully reflect the characteristics of patients and, first of all, this refers to the severity of somatoendocrine disorders, the characteristics of personality traits.

Prevention

To improve appetite, and sit down for dinner table with pleasure, one should adhere to a few simple, but nevertheless very effective rules. Eat wisely, choose foods that are high in fiber and vitamins. Your stomach will always be in good shape, and will ensure proper and timely digestive functions.

Eat what you want, trust your own feelings. As already mentioned, your body knows perfectly well what it lacks at the moment. If you want sweet or salty, do not deny yourself, although, of course, there should be a measure in everything. Eat regularly, at least three times a day. Learn to savor every bite, to enjoy food. Eating right, you will be pleasantly surprised how quickly normal appetite is restored!

What is dangerous

• Heart problems - from irregular heartbeat to sudden cardiac arrest
• Gastrointestinal disorders: constipation, gastric and esophageal ulcers, gastritis, increased risk of internal bleeding
• Amenorrhea - a decrease in estrogen production, which may eventually stop menstruation
• Anemia - a decrease in the volume of white blood cells and hemoglobin in the blood; thus, the body's ability to deliver oxygen to tissue cells is impaired. This disorder is often associated with iron deficiency, which occurs with anorexia.
• Decreased testicular function in men due to decreased testosterone production
• Tooth decay
• Suppression of the immune system
• Dizziness
• Stagnation of fluid in the body
• high cholesterol
• Hyperactivity
• hypoglycemia
• Increased risk of osteoporosis - bones become thinner and more fragile
• Insomnia
• Ketosis - an excessive amount of ketone bodies in the blood and urine; this means that the body burns body fat as the only source of energy
• Impaired kidney function or severe kidney damage due to dehydration; when using diuretics, the condition worsens even more
• Impaired liver function
• Low blood pressure
• Hair loss
• Muscle spasms and weakness, which are usually due to electrolyte imbalance
• Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas, the symptoms of which are severe abdominal pain and fever
• Increased sensitivity to light and sound
• Depressed mood, irritability, clinical depression
• Memory impairment, various brain disorders

Consequences

Researchers from Sweden believe that a person who suffered from anorexia will never completely recover his psyche. Scientists came to such disappointing conclusions after twenty years of research. The experiment involved patients with anorexia and young people with normal eating behavior of the same age. This experiment was unique both in terms of timing and the number of participants. Of all adolescents with this eating disorder, twenty-five percent were unable to work when they reached adulthood. And not only because of a mental disorder, but also because of the many internal diseases that develop in such patients.

In addition, at least forty percent of anorexics in adulthood suffer from some kind of mental disorder. Most often it is a compulsive-obsessive disorder. This disease lies in the fact that the patient suffers from permanent anxiety and mania. It's almost impossible to heal.
The disease is most dangerous for children of puberty and is always associated with mental changes.

One of the most severe consequences of anorexia is suicidal mood, which almost every patient visits from time to time. So, this disease in fifteen to twenty percent ends with a suicide attempt. Moreover, many patients undertake a whole series of attempts to commit suicide.

Almost all patients who have recovered from this disease subsequently face problems in childbearing. To a greater or lesser extent, but in fifty percent of patients, health is no longer restored. Internal organs, liver, gastrointestinal tract may suffer.