Anorexia nervosais an eating disorder characterized by very low body weight, an exaggerated fear of gaining weight, and a false perception of weight. Anorexia nervosa including serious mental disorders and should not be ignored.
Anorexia nervosa or anorexia is a mental disorder. This is because the mindset of the sufferer is distorted and can harm him.
Generally, people with anorexia only feel themselves valuable if they are thin. However, the thinness that anorexics wants is medically not normal.
Symptoms and Causes of Anorexia Nervosa
People with anorexia are obsessed with having a thin body and will make various efforts to achieve it. In fact, he does not care if these efforts can endanger his health as long as he can lose weight. Some of these efforts are:
- Limiting food portions to a minimum or not eating at all
- Limit drinking
- Doing exercise too hard
- Using drugs, such as laxatives and appetite suppressants
As a result of this behavior, people with anorexia nervosa can experience dehydration, nutritional deficiencies, and even heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias).
It is not known what causes anorexia nervosa. However, this condition is thought to be related to environmental, psychological, and biological factors.
Treatment and Prevention of Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa can be treated with psychotherapy. Several types of psychotherapy that can be done are cognitive behavioral therapy, family-based therapy, and group therapy.
In addition to psychotherapy, people with anorexia nervosa often require medical treatment in a hospital because of their weakened physical condition due to nutritional deficiencies. Usually the patient will be asked to undergo hospitalization so that the doctor can monitor the patient's vital signs and treat emergency conditions due to anorexia.
There is no definite way to prevent anorexia nervosa. The best thing that can be done to avoid this condition is to establish a supportive environment and not prioritize physical appearance.