In the modern world, all girls dream of a thin waist and a slim body. Of course, you need to fight for a beautiful figure. However, sometimes the sacrifices are too large and can even cost a life. Everything needs measure and harmony. Many women are wondering: anorexia - what is it? In this article we will consider all the features of this disease, because it can be really very serious. You will also learn how to identify a pathology and treat it correctly. Carefully read this information in order to arm yourself as much as possible. After all, every girl can face such a problem.
Anorexia: what is it?
In fact, despite the fact that in the presence of anorexia the patient begins to lose weight quickly and intensively, this phenomenon is still considered a very dangerous nervous disease, which manifests itself in the form of a conscious refusal of food and a complete loss of appetite. This pathology is most often found in young girls during hormonal changes.
However, sometimes pathology is also found in young men in transition. Usually, with age, the likelihood of developing such a pathology is minimized. Recently, this disease is becoming more and more common, and this is due to the incredible desire to lose weight and look like girls on the covers of popular glossy magazines.
The main causes of the development of the disease
Before you ask yourself how to cure anorexia, you need to understand the reasons why it nevertheless arose. After all, it is simply impossible to cure her without eliminating the cause. Once again, it is worth saying that this disease develops mainly in girls of puberty. It is during this period that a huge number of changes take place in the body, and the nervous system is not very strong. Therefore, for a girl to become a “typical anorexic” is very simple.
Consider the main factors that contribute to the emergence of such a dangerous and almost incurable disease:
- Physiological features. If a girl is overweight due to the physiological characteristics of the body, then getting rid of him is not so easy. The young woman is doing everything possible and impossible for its elimination.
- Personality Factors. If a girl has low self-esteem, she is very unsure of herself and her strength or possesses the qualities of a perfectionist, then the likelihood of anorexia is significantly increased.
- A very dangerous effect is exerted by the social factor. Quite often, this pathology occurs in well-developed countries, where the basic needs of society are satisfied, which means that it does not need to take care of satisfying the initial needs. In this case, the desire of young girls to follow fashion trends and images comes first.
- The effect of heredity. According to scientists, there is a gene that makes a girl prone to anorexia. Very often, pathology occurs in those people whose relatives also suffered from anorexia, alcoholism or other nervous diseases. In a special place you need to put those representatives of the fair sex, who had relatives in the family who suffered from serious depressive disorders.
What are the symptoms of this disease?
A disease such as anorexia can only occur if a person decides to go on a very strict diet or completely refuses to eat food. In some cases, girls are also exhausting in sports, which leads to complete exhaustion of the body. You can hear the stomach constantly rumbling, demanding food, as well as bloating. In addition, the girl begins to suffer from constipation.
It is also worth paying attention to the weight of the patient. With anorexia, it decreases very sharply by more than 15-30%. An important role in determining the disease is played by a symptom of lack of appetite. Very often, teenagers artificially induce vomiting, and also take a large number of diuretic and laxative drugs.
The patient does not notice his excessive thinness. It seems to the patient or patient that excess weight is still present, even if it is far from being the case, and the weight is already well beyond normal.
There are also a lot of problems with the hormonal system. In girls, menstruation goes irregularly, and eventually completely stops. In addition to sex hormones, the general hormonal background of the body changes. The adrenal glands, thyroid gland, pituitary gland and hypothalamus suffer. The growth of the body is significantly slowed down, and in some cases completely stopped. Guys stop the growth of male genital organs, and there is almost no hair that should appear in accordance with the male type of development.
Who is at risk?
Anorexia in adolescents develops most often. Since it is precisely at this age that the formation of personality is necessary, parents must pay special attention to the mental state of their children and pay attention to such signs as:
- the child considers himself very full and tries to lose weight by all possible methods;
- excessive passion for various diets and methods of losing weight; it can also include excessive enthusiasm for physical exercise;
- constant lethargy and drowsiness, as well as very frequent mood swings;
- adolescents have a strong fear of getting better, and at the same time there is a complete denial that a mental problem exists.
If there is even one of the signs described above, begin to closely monitor the condition of the child. But with a combination of several of them, immediately consult a psychologist to prevent a problem.
The main stages of anorexia
There are three stages of this pathology, each of which has its own characteristics and symptoms. Doctors consider such stages of the disease as:
- stage of dysmophromania;
- anorexia stage;
- cachexia;
- reduction stage.
Consider what each of them is.
initial stage
The very first initial stage of the development of pathology is called dysmofromation. It is at this stage that significant changes occur in the human psyche. A guy or a girl is not happy with their appearance and is already mentally developing a plan for further action to improve it, as they see it. Usually, it is in the teenage period that changes in appearance are most noticeable, and often they are not to the taste of adolescents. At the same time, no matter what adults say, it has absolutely no meaning. But even a seemingly small remark regarding appearance can be a start for an already hidden mental illness. Usually the first stage lasts for several years.
Anorectic stage
The next stage is characterized by rapid human activity. Young individuals begin the operation of rapid weight loss, partially or completely refusing food, and also torment themselves with an excessive amount of physical exercise. At the same time, weight loss can be very rapid. Sometimes the patient loses about 50% of his weight.
This stage is that a person drives himself into a very strict framework, wanting to lose weight. He not only refuses to eat, but also deliberately induces vomiting and takes various medications to speed up this process as much as possible.
At this stage, any compliment regarding weight loss can be a motivation for even greater weight loss. Even such an expression as “typical anorexic” can be perceived as praise and stimulate further action. At the same time, the patient tightens weight loss even more. Also at this stage, the activity of all organs in the body worsens. In men, menstruation ceases, and in men, the development of male genital organs stops.
Cachectal stage
At this stage, adipose tissue completely disappears in a person, skin cells begin to break down. Negative changes also affect the bones and heart. The heart begins to beat not so fast. In this case, blood pressure drops and body temperature decreases. The skin acquires a bluish tint, hair and teeth begin to break and fall out. Nails also become very brittle and break down over time. A person has a disease such as anemia.
Despite the fact that the body is in a phase of complete exhaustion, patients continue the process of losing weight and refuse to use food. It becomes harder to move around, so the patient is in a supine position more and more time. Also, the water balance in the body is disturbed, so cramps can occur.
At this stage, treatment should already be violent, because there is a direct threat to the patient's life. You can’t do without medical intervention.
Reduction stage
At this stage, anorexia, the symptoms and treatment of which are described in this article, returns. After providing a large number of therapeutic measures, the patient's condition improves again, and the weight increases. However, the patient’s consciousness is actively starting to look for all kinds of ways to lose weight. The person again refuses food, induces vomiting artificially, takes laxatives and commits many other dangerous acts. If the patient still managed to get out of the cachexia stage, it is very important to carefully monitor him for several years, since it is during this period that there is simply a huge likelihood of relapse.
Treatment features
Many people are interested in the question of how to cure anorexia. Of course, the sooner treatment has been started, the more effective it will be. It is best to start treatment at the initial stage of the pathology, when the mental state is only beginning to worsen. In this case, the main bias should be done on the psychological state of anorexia. How to cure the disease, the psychologist will tell you after testing and talking with the patient.
If the disease has already managed to go into the cachectic stage, then without the help of an experienced doctor can not do. It is very important to prevent the destruction of the body, as well as to restore the previous mass. In addition, electrolyte and water balance in the body should be restored.
Everything is gradual
Many people wonder how to cure anorexia quickly. In fact, the treatment of this pathology is quite lengthy. The patient will be assigned to bed rest. It is very important to normalize the digestive system. For this, it is necessary to do everything possible so that the body starts eating again. Treatment should be started very gradually. First, food must be ingested in very small amounts. At the same time, it must be finely cut or processed with a blender. Do not overload the digestive system very much, as this simply can lead to vomiting.
What to do to increase appetite?
It is very important to understand how to treat anorexia nervosa. After all, success will be the envy of the right measures. As you know, this pathology is accompanied by loss of appetite and a complete rejection of food. Therefore, forcing the patient to eat is not so simple. For this, doctors recommend injecting insulin and glucose. So the appetite will gradually increase, which means you can increase portions and eat more high-calorie foods.
The importance of psychological treatment
Anorexia is considered to be a psychological deviation, therefore, in addition to providing physiological assistance, it is very important to turn to psychologists. Psychotherapy sessions and hypnosis give very good results in the treatment of anorexia. Doctors also recommend the use of tranquilizers and antidepressant drugs.
conclusions
Anorexia is a very dangerous disease that can be fatal. Therefore, treatment should begin at an early stage, and even better not to allow it at all. Adolescents are more susceptible to the occurrence of such a pathology, since special changes occur in their body, including the psyche. Therefore, parents and teachers should carefully monitor the emotional and physical condition of children in order to avoid negative consequences.