Anorexia Nervosa

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What is anorexia nervosa?

• Anorexia (an-o-REK-see-ah) nervosa is an eating disorder. With this disorder, you lose a lot of weight by extreme dieting, and sometimes by exercising too much. With anorexia, you feel unhappy about the way your body looks. You may see yourself as a fat person or are afraid that you are fat, even if you are very thin. You may be preoccupied (spend much of your time) thinking about food and dieting. You may be afraid to gain even one pound. You may not know that you have a serious problem. Anorexia nervosa can put your health in great danger if your weight gets too low.
  
  
• Many people go for years with an eating disorder and do not make changes to get better. It is very important that you not only understand that you have a problem, but also take steps to get better. Talk therapy, other therapy, and certain medicines may be used to treat anorexia nervosa. Certain therapies may not begin until you have reached a weight where you can understand the treatment, and you are out of danger.

• You are female.
  
  
• You are very sad most of the time.
  
  
• Someone else in your family has an eating disorder.
  
  
• Someone else in your family had an eating disorder in the past.
  
  
• You do not really like yourself or how your body looks.
  
  
• There has been a loss or separation in your life.
  
  
• You feel there is pressure on you to be thin.

• Losing weight is the most common symptom. Because of the extreme weight loss, a girls monthly period may stop or not ever start. When you eat, you may restrict or measure your food. For example, you may count out 10 peas, and then only eat 3 of them.
  
  
• You may over-exercise, such as running or using the stair stepper much more than other people.
  
  
• You may stop growing. You may have cracked or dry skin and thinning hair. There may be fine hair covering your body. You may feel cold all of the time.
  
  
• You may have trouble thinking clearly.
  
  
• You may act moody, impatient, rude, or want to be left alone a lot. You may feel your future is hopeless.

• Anti-anxiety medicine: This medicine may be given to help you feel less nervous and more relaxed.
  
  
• Anticonvulsants (an-ti-kon-VUL-sants): This medicine is given to control seizures. It may also be used to decrease violent behavior, aggression, or irritability. This medicine may also help control your mood swings.
  
  
• Antidepressants: This medicine is given to decrease or prevent the symptoms of depression. Often people that have anorexia are also depressed.
  
  
• Mood stabilizers: This medicine is given to control mood changes.
  
  
• Multivitamins: Multivitamins may be needed to improve your health. Ask your caregiver which vitamin is right for you.

• Inpatient unit: This is the place where you will stay while in the hospital. It has bedrooms and a living area. Sometimes the doors of this unit are locked.
  
  
• Partial care program: This is when you come to the unit every day during the day or evening. After you are treated each day, you then go home. You may need a partial care program just after you've been treated in the hospital. Caregivers may suggest this type of program to keep you from needing to go into the hospital.
  
  
• Intensive outpatient program: This is when you come to the hospital or clinic for one to three hours of treatment. This program is usually two to five times a week, for a short period of time.
  
  
• Outpatient program: This is when you meet with your therapist once a week or less. Appointments are one hour long or shorter. You could meet one-to-one with your therapist, or you may meet with your therapist in a group. You may have few or many scheduled appointments over time.

• Assertiveness training teaches you to stand up for yourself. It teaches you how to ask for what you need, how to set limits, and how to say no.
  
  
• Behavioral modification teaches you how to change your behavior (actions). You will look at the reasons for your behavior and the results of your actions. With behavior "mod" therapy, you learn that certain behaviors have good or bad results. These results may make you feel either good or bad about yourself. Good behavior makes most people feel good about themselves. Good behaviors are often rewarded.
  
  
• Biofeedback teaches your body to respond in a different way to stress. Teaching your body to relax can help you feel more in control. Caregivers may use a biofeedback machine so that you know right away when your body is relaxed. You can learn to do this without a machine. If you learn to take your pulse, you can make it slow down by thinking hard about it. This can work with breathing, temperature, and blood pressure too.
  
  
• Cognitive therapy helps to make you aware of how you see things. You may have trouble seeing the good in things around you. Then you are more likely to feel depressed, sad or angry. Cognitive therapy teaches you to learn how you see things in a more positive way.
  
  
• Exposure/desensitization (de-sen-si-teye-ZAY-shun) therapy helps you to face your fears in a safe setting with caregivers there to support and help you. After you have practiced ways to decrease your fear and anxiety you are better able to handle your fears when alone. Desensitization is when caregivers help you practice facing a fear a little at a time. This is taught in a supportive and safe setting.
  
  
• Hypnosis teaches you to change your level of awareness. This means that caregivers teach you to focus your attention so you can move away from upsetting feelings. You make yourself open to suggestions, like feeling happy and having more energy. Hypnosis can give long-lasting relief from depression without changing your normal activities. This treatment gives you better control of your body. After practice, you can learn to do hypnosis when you are by yourself. You may feel less hopeless and helpless because you are actively doing something to get better.
  
  
• Insight oriented therapy makes you think about things that have happened in the past. It helps you to understand your feelings and behavior now as it relates to past events.
  
  
• Relaxation is a way to focus your attention on something other than your feelings. For instance, good smells may change your mood and help you relax. Good smells may also help your brain make special chemicals called endorphins (en-DOR-fins). Endorphins are a natural body chemical that can decrease bad feelings and pain. You may want to try listening to music or taking a bath with special oils. Candles, massage oils, and scented bubble baths are ways that smells can be used for relaxation.

• If your anorexia is not treated, it could get worse. Your illness could make it hard to go to school, work, and to get along with others. You may be unable to take care of your children or others who depend on you. You may become severely depressed (very sad). Call your caregiver right away if you think about hurting yourself or committing suicide (killing yourself).
  
  
• You may need to stay in the hospital. Your bones may become brittle and break easily. With severe anorexia, you can develop life theatening heart problems, your kidneys or other organs may fail, and you may die. Call your caregiver if you are worried or have questions about your medicine or care.

• American Anorexia Bulimia Association, Inc.
  165 West 46th Street, Suite 1108
  New York, NY 10036
  Phone: 1-212-575-6200
  Web Address: http://www.aabainc.org
  

• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Public Information & Communication Branch
  6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 8184, MSC 9663
  Bethesda, MD 20892-9663
  Phone: 1-301-443-4513
  Phone: 1-866-615-6464
  Web Address: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
  

• You have questions or concerns about anorexia or your medicine.
  
  
• You are not able to sleep well or are sleeping more than usual.
  
  
• You cannot eat, or you are throwing up.
  
  
• You cannot make it to your next meeting with your caregiver.
  
  
• You feel that your symptoms of anorexia are returning. The sooner you see your caregiver, the easier it is to control anorexia.

• You have very bad side effects, such as rash, swelling, or trouble breathing after taking medicine.
  
  
• Your anorexia is so out of control that you cannot do your daily activities.
  
  
• You feel your heart skipping beats.
  
  
• You think about committing suicide (killing yourself).