Because developing pathology menstrual disorders, muscle spasms, arrhythmia, weakness, there is a constant feeling of cold. In severe cases - begin irreversible changes in the body that can lead to death.
What it is?
Anorexia nervosa - a mental illness which manifests itself in the form of an eating disorder that causes and maintains the patient. At the same time he observed the pathological craving for losing weight, intense fear of obesity and a distorted perception of their own physical fitness.
How ill anorexic?
The factors that trigger the disease, can be divided into: independent, cultured and conscious. At the same time maturation of a variety of disease conditions there are certain types of disorders.
The main causes of anorexia:
- bad heredity;
- improper care and education;
- pernicious influence of society;
- surgical and cancer;
- psychiatric disorders.
As people get anorexia? They simply cease to take sufficient for normal functioning of the amount of food. They prevent, for example, pain or lack of individual organs. They can form harmful subconscious reflexes, which are difficult to control. Their worldview more categorical than rational: in the judgment of the appearance and the social role of man can be traced extremes.
Classification
Anorexia can manifest itself in the following varieties:
- Anorexia nervosa. In this case, it refers to the weakening of hunger or its complete loss, which arose as a result of the relentless pursuit of weight loss (Often this desire does not find a corresponding psychological study) patients with excessive restriction of themselves against meal. This type of anorexia can cause a number of serious consequences, among which are the metabolic disorders, cachexia and so forth. It is noteworthy that during the course of cachexia is characterized by an exception to the attention of their own patients frightening and repulsive appearance, in other cases the results achieved arouse their sense of satisfaction.
- Primary anorexia. In this case, we consider the state of lack of appetite in children due to various reasons, as well as loss of hunger on the background of hormonal dysfunction, cancer or neurological pathology.
- Anorexia is a mental (or nervous cachexia, anorexia nervosa). In this case, anorexia nervosa is considered as states with refusal of food or loss of hunger because of the oppression appetite against the background of psychiatric disorders (depression and catatonic state, the presence of delusions about the possible poisoning and etc.).
- Drug anorexia. In this case, we consider a condition in which patients lose their sense of hunger, causing the loss or unknowingly (for the treatment of a particular type of disease), or deliberately. In the latter case, the efforts are aimed at achieving the goal of weight loss due to the use of the drugs, and in which there is a loss of hunger. In addition, in this case anorexia acts as a side effect in the use of certain stimulants, antidepressants.
- Anorexia mental painful. In this case, patients with anorexia is present painful feeling of weakening and loss of ability to awake to the realization of feelings of hunger. The peculiarity of this type of condition lies in the fact that in some cases, they are confronted with perhaps the "wolf" in his sleep with hunger.
The state of anorexia nervosa and anorexia nervosa painful, we have considered sufficient for a general description of these states (in particular with regard to its painful form; anorexia nervosa, characterized by a complex clinical picture is determined based on the accompanying psychiatric illness). Therefore we will consider below the remaining forms of the disease (respectively, except these forms).
symptoms of anorexia
The most important symptoms of anorexia are loss of appetite and significant weight loss (more than 15% of normal). The disease is also expressed menstrual irregularities (in women), amenorrhea, weakness, sleep disturbances and potency (men), arrhythmia, muscle cramps. Anorexia nervosa patients constantly feel that they are too full; self-esteem significantly understated, depending on weight.
Physiological signs of anorexia:
- weight significantly (over 30%) is below the age norm;
- weakness, dizziness, fainting tendency to frequent;
- the growth of thin and soft vellus hair on the body;
- decreased sexual activity among women upset the menstrual cycle up to amenorrhea and anovulation;
- poor blood circulation and, consequently, a constant feeling of cold.
Manifestations by eating:
- obsessive desire to lose weight, despite the failure (or matching rate) weight;
- fatfobiya (obsessional fear of excess weight, completeness);
- transformation in ritual meals, especially thorough mastication (sometimes swallowing without chewing), serving smaller portions, cutting into small pieces;
- obsessions related to eating, fanatical counting calories, narrowing of interests and focus them on a weight loss issues;
- regular food refusal, motivated by a lack of appetite or recent eating, limiting its number of (the argument - "I'm fed up (a)");
- avoidance of activities related to the write reception, psychological discomfort after eating.
Mental condition:
- often - psychological lability, sleep disturbances;
- a sense of loss of control over their lives, the inability to be active, futility;
- mental depression, depression, apathy, decreased ability to concentrate, efficiency, withdrawal, preoccupation with their problems, dissatisfaction with themselves, their appearance and their successes in weight loss;
- anorexic does not believe that he is ill, refuses necessary treatment, persists in refusing food.
Other behavioral symptoms:
- the preferred choice of a large baggy clothes (to hide her alleged weight);
- hard, fanatical, incapable of the flexibility of the type of thinking, aggressiveness in defending their beliefs;
- tendency to avoid society, solitude;
- desire for increased physical activity, irritation, if you can not perform exercises with overdrive.
If you do not deal with the treatment of anorexia, the patient can reach the cachectic stage (degeneration of the internal organs), which leads to death.
What is anorexia: photos of girls before and after
The photo below shows how the disease manifests itself in girls. A selection of images before and after the onset of anorexia.
Diagnostics
anorexia diagnosis is made in the following cases:
- diagnosed serious endocrine disorders;
- reduced sexual desire in men;
- stop getting their periods in girls and women;
- weight below the required level by 15% or more;
- people fanatically involved in sports and exhausting themselves excessive exercise;
- man refuses to eat consciously, because it was constantly plagued by the thought of excess weight;
- patient in every possible way tries to "clean up" the body after a meal (causes vomiting, enemas, laxatives, drink, etc.);
- We are lagging behind in the development of adolescents and children.
When applying for medical assistance, to clarify the diagnosis and stage of the disease the doctor may prescribe:
- Consultation specialists. Showing examinations: endocrinologist, cardiologist, gastroenterologist, women - gynecologist.
- Lab tests. Complete blood count, blood glucose levels, and thyroid hormones.
- Other diagnostic methods. The most common - a gastroscopy, electrocardiogram, X-ray, computed tomography of the head.
During examination of the patient, and in addition to weighing survey, the doctor expects the so-called body mass index. Its normal value - 18-25 kg / m2. At values below normal concludes underweight.
Possible consequences
Can be divided into: hormonal disruptions and diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Hormonal disorders - are the most dangerous complications of anorexia. Capable lead to serious malfunctions of the organism. First of all, disrupted the production of sex hormones - estrogen and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Estrogen is responsible for the human sexual activity has an impact on the primary sexual characteristics, as well as on the state of the cardiovascular system (heart, blood vessels, capillaries) and the musculoskeletal system (bones, cartilage and so Further).
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) - the hormone produced by the adrenal glands and ovaries, and plays an important role in the regulation of the menstrual cycle, contributes to a healthy pregnancy, slows the aging process body.
Anorexia nervosa is characterized as strong influence on the process of production of thyroid hormones regulating metabolism and are responsible for the growth of tissues and organs, their rehabilitation. Due to the disorder of these processes develop serious consequences in the body: the metabolism, temperature control, there is increased bone fragility and degradation of muscle mass.
In the development of anorexia, in the body significantly increases the cortisol level (a stress hormone) not only leads to psychological disorders, but also to a variety of allergic diseases and diseases skin. However, there was a decrease of growth hormone (somatropin), which is in children and adolescents provokes slowing growth and in adults - results in a disturbance of carbohydrate metabolism (obesity), slowing of protein synthesis (early aging).
Metabolic disorders, as well as the immune system does not only contribute to the overall deterioration, but also provoke irreversible adverse consequences for the patient's external appearance (hair start falling out, teeth, skin becomes dull, becomes gray shade, and etc). In addition, it reduced the body's ability to resist diseases and external environmental influences (anemia, increased likelihood of ill pneumonia, etc.).
Pathology of the cardiovascular system. Heart disease is the most common cause of death in patients suffering from severe anorexia. The main features of the violations in this area are as follows:
- decreased heart rate;
- It reduces the size of the heart muscle;
- It decreases blood flow and as a consequence there is insufficient supply of tissues and organs with nutrients and oxygen (because of this man constantly feels cold).
How to Treat Anorexia?
Treatment of anorexia is a difficult task and is held permanently. The goal of therapy is not only in the restoration of insufficient body weight, but also to eliminate the psychological causes that led to the disease.
Many patients seek medical care before the onset of severe malnutrition, so their treatment can be performed on an outpatient basis. But in severe cases hospitalized patients in the hospital and conducted drug therapy Psychotherapy, including the patient's family members, developed a special diet, with increased caloric food.
drug therapy
Special preparations for the treatment of diseases not exist, but generally, antidepressants, since depression is a frequent companion anorexia.
Besides psychotropic drugs requires multivitamins and minerals, and even biological additives antihistamines (cyproheptadine), which stimulate the appetite. Also, as the bracing and reinforcing means applied appetite decoctions and infusions of medicinal plants (Rowan, calamus root, peppermint, lemon balm, plantain, coltsfoot and others).
Psychotherapy
Great importance in the treatment of patients takes psychotherapy. The patient must be taught to love again there, refer to products not as enemies, but as helpers in the health of the body's own, to deliver him from the state of inferiority, to provide psychological support. Also in psychotherapy tasks include patient education towards a healthy diet and own weight, the correct responses to different stressful situations.
Involvement in the psychotherapy of family and friends have a powerful psychological support to the patient.
Restoring weight
Meals patients start with a low-calorie diet (1200 - 1600 kcal), gradually increasing the amount of calories in the daily menu. Meals should be fractional and frequent, and feeding small portions (about every 3 hours). In the first stage the patients are allowed to liquid, semi-fluid and food porridge (mashed cereal), which must be cooked or steamed cooked.
It is important to normalize the patient's drinking mode (up to 3 liters of clear fluid per day) because misuse of laxatives and diuretics lead to dehydration. Gradually expanded menu, with the introduction in it of animal proteins and fats.
Curative-calorie diet should last at least 7 - 9 weeks, after which the patient is transferred to conventional products with traditional cooking methods. The food should be high as long as the patient does not pick age-appropriate body weight.
forecast treatment
For anorexia nervosa is characterized by the development of the following options:
- Full recovery.
- Recovery from the effects of having an organic organs and systems.
- Relapsing course with varying frequency and duration of relapses.
- Death due to various reasons - ranging from suicide to cachexia.
- In rare cases, there is a transformation of the disease in bulimia - binge eating.
Treatment of cachexia is a long process and in many respects depends on its correctness and the start of adequate treatment of anorexia. Ignoring the problem, as well as self-treatment, not only detrimental to health, but often for the life of patients.