Anorexia Nervosa Studies

Incidences of Anorexia Nervosa have appeared to increase sharply in the USA, UK and western European countries since the beginning of the 60s (Gordon, 2001). The increasing prevalence of the disease has led the World Health Organisation to declare eating disorders a global priority area within adolescent mental health (Becker et al. 2011). Anorexia has in many ways become a modern epidemic (Gordon, 2000) and with a mortality rate of 10% per decade (Gorwood et al. 2003), the highest of any mental disorder (Bulik et al. 2006), it is an epidemic that social and biological scientists have been working tirelessly to understand.

In this paper, I will discuss how cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be utilized in the management of eating disorders. More specifically I will identify Anorexia Nervosa and provide statistics that relate to the disease. Etiologies will be discussed as well as symptoms. Various techniques of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy will be described as well as the rationale as it relates to the clinical issue.

It was very interesting to find that those with anorexia nervosa find more positives about their disorder rather than more negatives. Serpell (1999) states that, “One of the most interesting features of anorexia nervosas which sets it apart from many other conditions is the highly valued nature of anorexic symptoms. This is expressed in patients’ generally positive beliefs about their condition and contributes to their ambivalence about treatment (pg. 177). I think that with this article, it makes it more difficult for researchers to really find an effective treatment plan for those with anorexia nervosa partly because they find so many positive beliefs about their disorder and partly because maybe those with the disorder may not take treatment seriously or it may be more difficult to treat because they think so highly of their

This paper explores the proposed use of Dialectic Therapy (DBT) on adolescents between the ages of twelve and eighteen who are diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa (AN). It will address the nature and extent of the issue of AN in the target population, weigh the positive and negative aspects of different types of therapies on the target population and show the potential limitations of the use of DBT versus other forms of therapies.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that consists of self-regulated food restriction in which the person strives for thinness and also involves distortion of the way the person sees his or her own body. An anorexic person weighs less than 85% of their ideal body weight. The prevalence of eating disorders is between .5-1% of women aged 15-40 and about 1/20 of this number occurs in men. Anorexia affects all aspects of an affected person's life including emotional health, physical health, and relationships with others (Shekter-Wolfson et al 5-6). A study completed in 1996 showed that anorexics also tend to possess traits that are obsessive in nature and carry heavy emotional

Before treatment can begin, anorexic clients must undergo assessments that ensure they are physically capable of outpatient treatment. If these individuals are not ready for outpatient treatment, they must undergo hospitalization to stabilize their condition. For those clients who pass medical examinations, and are good candidates for outpatient care, it remains necessary for a physician and dietitian to be involved with treatment (Bowers, 2002). This ensures the client is cared for in a holistic manner by addressing “nutritional rehabilitation, possibly medical stabilization, and psychological interventions” (Bowers, 2002, p. 249). This multidimensional approach ensures the client’s physical wellbeing is addressed, in

Eating disorders are complex, challenging, and sometimes life-threatening psychiatric illnesses. There are specific diagnostic criteria and symptoms a person must exhibit in order to be diagnosed with anorexia nervosa or bulimia. These symptoms primarily relate to a disturbance in eating pattern, weight loss, an intense fear of being fat, and a disturbed body image. The etiology of eating disorders is not clearly understood, but psychological, sociocultural, and biological factors need to be considered. The treatment approach for anorexia nervosa and bulimia is also challenging and can present with serious medical complications and potentially death if not properly addressed. Recovery is possible, and the case study of Jenni Schaefer, who suffered from anorexia nervosa, binge-purge subtype since her childhood is presented to share this message of hope. More research is needed to help further understand the characteristics, cause, and treatment of eating disorders.

Anorexia Nervosa is a fairly common and very consequence psychiatric disorder that affects a person’s desire to consume nutrients because they believe that they are overweight. Women are more likely then men to develop this specific disorder and teenagers aged 15 to 19 are at the highest risk of anyone (Berends, Van Meijel, & Van Elburg, 2012). Individual’s affected by Anorexia Nervosa Disorder will refuse to maintain a healthy body weight for their size and instead will starve themselves in an attempt to loose weight. The lack of nutrients within their body and lack of fats left after starving themselves affects not only their physical functioning but also their psychological functioning. There has been much advancement in developing treatment for individuals affected by Anorexia Nervosa. Treatment typically consists of careful monitoring of the individual’s food intake, their weight, BMI, and their psychological state. However relapse is extremely common after full treatment occurs. It is estimated that 30-50% of individuals who are treated for Anorexia Nervosa will relapse, with the likelihood of relapse decreasing to almost zero two years after discharge (Berends, Van Meijel, & Van Elburg, 2012). Determining if an individual is going through relapse has been broken down into six key symptoms:

It was not until the 1930s that physicians for the first time gave value to the importance of psychotherapy in treating anorexia nervosa patients. From here on, physicians continued their research; further increasing society’s knowledge on the physical and emotional harm the condition causes, and finding more ways to effectively treat patients.

Anorexia nervosa once diagnosed can be treated to help combat the disorder and prevent it from worsening. Anorexia treatment begins with the anorexia realizing they need treatment and seekings professional help (Smith, M., & Segal, J., 2016). Treatment usually consists of medical, mental, and dietary professionals (Anorexia Nervosa-Cause, n.d.). Medical treatment is necessary to deal with health problems that can result from malnutrition or starvation (Anorexia Nervosa-Cause, n.d.). In Throughout the recovery process, monitors of vital signs, hydration levels, and electrolytes will be necessary (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2016). In severe cases, a feeding tube can be necessary for initial treatment (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2016). However, more commonly

The mortality rate for anorexia is a staggering 19 percent, leaving it at the highest rank out of any other psychiatric condition. A lot of individuals that fall in 19 percent are lost due to the refusal of treatment (Matusek and Wright). It has been noted that many individuals that are affected by anorexia nervosa are also affected by other harsh conditions which leave medical professionals questioning their competence in decision making involving medical treatment (Tan et al). If these individuals are not competent and reliable enough to eat the necessary amount for comfortable and healthy living, how can they be trusted to make medical decisions?

Now because of all the harmful effects that can result from anorexia, there’s got to be treatment available for patients plagued by the disorder. Fortunately, there is, but starting early to counter anorexia is essential. In “One notable study by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, found that 76 percent of anorexic adolescents had fully recovered from the disorder within 10 to 15 years of their initial hospitalizations.” (Alderman, 2010, P. B6). So to recover from anorexia, early treatment is very important, as late treatment has several complications to deal with like

Anorexia nervosa and bulimia are eating disorders that severely affect both men and women around the world. The cause of the eating disorder usually derives from psychological, biological and social forces. Eating disorders have become an epidemic in American society, twenty-four million people of all ages and genders suffer from an eating disorder in the U.S. (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders.\, 2011). There are many ways to address and treat an eating disorder. There have been multiple studies conducted to test the effectiveness of different types of treatment. My central research question analyzes the relationship between the continuation of the eating disorder with the presence of intervention or some

At present, it is not uncommon to see young women with some type of eating disorders. On the same hand, it has no longer limited to a specific ethnic group, class, or even gender according to the conventional clinical research (Abrams & Stormer, 2002; Altabe, 1998; Atlas Smith, Hohlstein, McCarthy, & Kroll, 2002; Barry & Grilo, 2002; Botta, 2000; Demarest & Allen, 2000; Goodman, 2002; Gordon, 1988, 1990; Hesse-Biber, 1996; Kolodny, 2004; Molloy & Herzberger, 1998; Nielson, 2000). As stated by The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD), women who suffered from anorexia within ten years range from five percent to ten percent whereas eighteen to twenty percent of anorexic will be dead when the disorder was contracted for twenty years. Hopefully, around thirty to forty percent of the patients are cured although the remaining twenty can have a rebound effect.

Self-esteem is reliant upon body shape and weight. Physical implications may include disruption of the menstrual cycle also known as amenorrhea, signs of starvation, thinning of hair or hair loss, bloated, yellowish palms/soles of feet, dry and pasty skin. The risks that people take while indulging in anorexia can also become physiologically and mentally damaging. There are several effective treatments. One of which is hospitalization, this occurs when the weight loss is greater than 30% in 3 months time. Some other effects to be taken into consideration when hospitalizing a patient are the risk of suicide and depression, severe binging and purging, and serious metabolic disturbance. Therapy and counseling is used to help the patients with depression and family complications that may have led to the state they’re in. Clinical studies have not yet identified a medication that could improve the core symptoms of anorexia.