2.a. Anorexia Nervosa Flashcards
Anorexia nervosa
Extreme fear of weight gain paired with obsessive, dangerous behaviours to lose extreme amounts of weight
Amenorrhea
stopping menstruating due to eating habits
- No longer a requirement to be diagnosed with anorexia
- Same psychologically with or without
- Cannot be used to diagnose men
Weight loss
- Satisfaction at weight loss
- However, may try to mask their low weight from others e.g. baggy clothing
- Denial that there is a problem
DSM-5 Criteria
A. Restriction of energy intake resulting in significantly low weight (comparative to norm group e.g. sex, physical health etc.)
B. Intense fear of weight gain
Doing everything to not gain weight, even when extremely thin
C. Distorted body image
Self-image is defined by weight
Lack of recognition that there is a problem
Two types of anorexia
Restricting type
Binge-purge type
Restrictive anorexia
- All possible efforts are made to limit eating
- High caloric control
- Eating in front of others: avoided or eating very slowly, cutting things up tiny & secretly disposing (Cassie, Skins) in order to keep controlling intake
- Often celebrated within eating disorder communities
Binge-purge anorexia
- Binging - out-of-control eating of an abnormal quantity of food over an abnormally short amount of time
- Purging - vomiting, laxatives, enemas
Effects of Malnutrition
Thinning, brittle hair
Brittle nails
Dry skin
Lanugo
- Downy hair growing on face, neck, arms, backs & legs
Yellowish tinge to skin
- Particularly on hands and bottoms of feetDifficulties coping with cold temperatures
Purple-blue tinge to hands and feet
- Lack of temperature regulation
- Lack of oxygen
Low blood pressure
- Tired, weak, dizzy & faint
Vitamin B deficiency
- B1 affects mood
Lanugo
Downy hair growing on face, neck, arms, backs & legs
Dangers
Brittle, fragile bones
- Can persist throughout life
Heart arrhythmias
- Often leading to death
- Heartbeat irregularities
Kidney damage & renal failure (kidney failure)
- Result of chronically low levels of potassium
Laxative abuse
- Makes all health problems worse
- Dehydration
- Electrolyte imbalances
- Kidney disease
- Damage to bowels & gastrointestinal tract
Mortality
Mortality rate 12x higher than general population (females aged 15-24)
Highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder (2%)
Prevalence
Less than 1% of population
Ages 15-18 (when brain is developing, affected by environment)
Girls with higher socioeconomic backgrounds are more predominantly affected by eating disorders
Comorbidity
Personality disorders
e.g. borderline personality disorder (intense fear of abandonment
50% with depression
OCD
>1/3 self harm
Could be that the malnutrition just enhances problems that were already there
Gender
3:1 ratio girls:boys
Men may be misdiagnosed because they overexercise rather than diet
Gay men are more susceptible - beauty ideals
Genetic factors
- Genes on chromosome 1
- May be linked to anorexia nervosa (restrictive type)
- Weak evidence