Kap 9 Eating disorders

Question 1

What are the main cognitive symptoms of eating disorders?

Answer 1

Low self esteem
Perfectionism
Emotional intolerance
Interpersonal issues

Question 2

What are risk factors for developing an eating disorder?

Answer 2

Psychological disorders in parents
Abuse in childhood
Being a woman (AN&BN)
Genes
Perfectionism: AN
Impulsivity: BN
Beauty standards/body focus in society
Professional athlete
Issues with self identity

Question 3

What can be triggers for an eating disorder to develop?

Answer 3

Big life changes
Puberty
Dieting

Question 4

What can be sustaining factors in an eating disorder?

Answer 4

Abstaining from social events
More obsession with food
Function of the disorder: as a coping mechanism

Question 5

How can an eating disorder be understood as a coping mechanism?

Answer 5

Because food restriction can give a feeling of mastery and individuality.

Training, puking, overeating can be numbing and distracting from emotions.

Question 6

Why are eating disorder patients so difficult to work with?

Answer 6

They are usually ambivalent towards their disorder, because they also see the positive side with it. This leads to unsteady motivation and high dropout rate.

Many patients have the problem for many years before coming (this makes it more entrenched)

It is the most deadly psychological disorder

Question 7

What are the ICD-11 diagnoses for eating disorders?

Answer 7

Anorexia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa
Binge eating disorder
Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)
Pica

Question 8

What can be physical symptoms of eating disorders?

Answer 8

Hypokalemia (low potassium)
Overweight
Underweight

Question 9

What can be underlying difficulties for eating disorders?

Answer 9

Difficulties with interpreting, accepting, expressing and regulating feelings -> The body is used for this

Self worth issues are compensated with focus on food/body

Question 10

What are other symptom clusters that are connected to eating disorders, but not official diagnoses?

Answer 10

Orthorexia

Megarexia

Question 11

How and when does an eating disorder normally develop?

Answer 11

Around 14-18 years.

Some can start very early, such as 6 years.

Question 12

How is the prognosis of eating disorders?

Answer 12

Usually bad, where half of the treated patients still have the eating disorder

The longer the person had the disorder, the less likey they will loose it.

Question 13

What is the prevalence of eating disorders?

Answer 13

AN: 3/1000
BN: 9/1000
BED: 16/1000

6 times as many girls than boys

Question 14

What are common comorbidities with eating disorders?

Answer 14

Personality disorders, Depression, Anxiety, Autism

Question 15

What are some tests to screen for eating disorders?

Answer 15

EAT (Eating Attitude Test) - short
SCOFF Very Short screening test
EDI (Eating Disorders Inventory)
EDE (Eating Disorders Examination)

Question 16

What are the questions in the SCOFF test?

Answer 16

Do you feel Sick pga food?
Do you loose Control?
Have you lost more than One stone (6kg) in the last month?
Do you think you are Fat?
Does Food dominate your life?

answering yes on two is enough!

Question 17

How are eating disorders treated?

Answer 17

Talk therapy:

Family based (with adolescents)
Individual therapy
Group therapy

Focus on control of feelings and desires

Discuss the ambivalence

Self assertion and setting boundaries can be trained.

Question 18

What is pica?

Answer 18

Pica is a disorder where the person eats non nutritious substances or raw ingredients even if the person has gotten the ability to differentiate between edible and non edible substances (around 2 years).