Anorexia is one of the most common eating disorders among men and women alike. It is particularly common among teenage girls. Anorexia is much more than just an eating disorder. It is a psychological disorder that causes the patient to believe that they are out of shape or overweight and that skipping meals is the only way to be healthy. Anorexic patients typically eat very little in a day and many do not eat at all for several days. This is a very serious condition and has been fatal for many young women who have literally starved themselves to death.
In order for a patient to fully recover from anorexia, rehab or an inpatient rehabilitation center is normally needed. Most people with anorexia begin by simply dieting to lose weight. At some point however, the diet gets out of hand and the addiction to not eat becomes much stronger than their initial goal of simply being healthier. 95 percent of all reported cases of anorexia are women, although men are also diagnosed. The disorder is typically seen in teenage girls and in young women. The patient is eventually completely caught up in a cycle of not eating or strictly limited eating habits. He or she will avoid foods that may seem fattening and eat very little or even nothing at some stages. Exercising is done in extremes and in many cases, enemas, laxatives and diet pills are also abused. Because of the severity of the condition and the potential fatal consequences, many patients are referred to anorexia rehab in order to fully recover.
Treatment typically involves an inpatient setting where the patient is taught proper nutrition and exercise regimens for healthier living. It is believed that the best treatment for anorexia is multifaceted and involves a dietician, medical doctor and psychological therapy. Nutritional therapy is one of the main goals of anorexia treatment and is typically given immediately during the beginning stages of inpatient therapy and then continues throughout the course of therapy. Most patients feel that they do not need nutritional therapy because they know which foods are better for your overall health. The truth however is that anorexia patients have a distorted knowledge of nutrition and need to be taught just which foods are considered unhealthy and which foods the body needs for proper body functioning.
A licensed dietician can help anorexia patients to safely return their weight to normal and cut out the use of laxatives, diet pills and other aids that the patient may use to lose weight. The dietician will help the patient to set very realistic goals, plan their meals, recognize when they are hungry and make healthier food choices.
A psychiatrist or psychologist is also needed to help the patient to learn to accept their body and to view it in a much healthier way. Since most patients who suffer from anorexia view themselves as ugly or overweight, severe therapy may be needed to stop this distorted thinking and return their minds to a more normal level. The main goals of anorexia rehabilitation are to restore a healthier weight to the patient, treat the psychological disturbances that led to the condition such as distorted view of body image and low self-esteem and to achieve a long-term remission period or full recovery.
Feeding plans will address the patient’s nutritional as well as their medical needs. In more severe cases it may be necessary for the patient to receive intravenous feeding through feeding tubes. This is often done in cases where a patient has a dangerously low body weight. Once the malnutrition has been corrected and the patient begins to gain back their weight, psychotherapy helps the patient to overcome their low self-esteem problems and to deal with other behavior patterns. Group therapy and family therapy are often included in the healing process as well, depending on the patient and the facility in which the patient resides during treatment.
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