Anorexia In Teens: Interventions

Incidences of Anorexia Nervosa have appeared to increase sharply in the USA, UK and western European countries since the beginning of the 60s (Gordon, 2001). The increasing prevalence of the disease has led the World Health Organisation to declare eating disorders a global priority area within adolescent mental health (Becker et al. 2011). Anorexia has in many ways become a modern epidemic (Gordon, 2000) and with a mortality rate of 10% per decade (Gorwood et al. 2003), the highest of any mental disorder (Bulik et al. 2006), it is an epidemic that social and biological scientists have been working tirelessly to understand.

For many the term “Anorexia” conjures up memories of bone thin, weight obsessed teenage girls, models, and actresses. However, as the spotlight has been shined on Anorexia bringing this secretive and quiet disorder to a wider public perception, many still suffer in silence: either too ashamed to seek treatment, or because of an improper diagnosis.

Anorexia nervosa, otherwise stated as anorexia, is an eating disorder that occurs when an individual restricts themselves from necessary energy intake which leads to significantly low body weight. Other characteristics of this disorder include: intense fear of becoming fat or gaining weight, persistent behavior that interferes with weight gain, and disturbances of perception and experience of their own body weight and shape (DSM V, 2013). Effective treatments are still trying to be researched for this disorder, as there is not a “one size fits all” for people of all age groups, living situations, etc. Since adolescents with anorexia are such a vulnerable population,

A single father watched his daughter, 17 years old, dwindle down to 72 pounds. He begged her to eat, but she would cry and push the plate away. He was irritated and turned to his friends at work complaining his daughter was taking dieting way too far. He would scream at her “Stop! This is nonsense, just eat!”. This father, like many other Americans, did not understand that his daughter could not just stop being Anorexic. The common misconception is that Anorexia Nervosa is just someone obsessed with losing weight. Many people believe that Anorexics look in the mirror and smile at their thinness and progress. This is so untrue, they look in the mirror and wish for a way out.

In this article “Fighting Anorexia: No One to Blame” it discusses the struggles and challenges children face as young as 8 years old and teens from 13 to 18 years of age when dealing with the eating disorder “Anorexia Nervosa.” Which is defined in our text as an “eating disorder characterized by self-starvation” (Bee, pg. 384). The staff of “Newsweek” also discuss who or what is to blame for anorexia nervosa in the past parents have been blamed when their children have shown signs in regards to this disorder. Research has shifted from blaming the parents to the possibility anorexia might have some links to mental disorder, genetics or even environmental factors which can influence the disorder. Lastly, the article discusses various

This paper explores the proposed use of Dialectic Therapy (DBT) on adolescents between the ages of twelve and eighteen who are diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa (AN). It will address the nature and extent of the issue of AN in the target population, weigh the positive and negative aspects of different types of therapies on the target population and show the potential limitations of the use of DBT versus other forms of therapies.

In a review article on anorexia and family issues, Yager describes how anecdotal reports of child-parent interactions and personality styles of parents show a great deal of variability. The relationships between mothers and daughters are reported by some to be rejecting and by others to be ambivalent or overinvolved. Although these mother-child interactions are contradictory, several general themes are present (Blinder, Chaitin & Goldstein, 1988). Anorexic mothers tend to focus all of their attention on the well-being of their children (Minuchin, Rosman & Baker, 1978). They set high expectations and foster ambitions for external achievement. The mothers of anorexics may be involved socially, they usually lack intimate friends. In many cases, the daughter becomes the mother's confidant. This overinvolvement creates separation difficulty later in life (Blinder, Chaitin & Goldstein, 1988). A great amount of variability exists in father-daughter dyads as well. Some anorexic fathers have been described as kind and affectionate, while others have been described as passive and ineffectual. These fathers are often peripheral to the family (Blinder, Chaitin & Goldstein, 1988).

In USA, 20 million females and 10 million males are anorexia patient, dissatisfied with their bodies. Moreover this trend is usually seen in youngsters from age 6 to 10, studying in schools. They first of all start feeling complex regarding their body shapes and their chubbiness. [1] Then this complex stars growing more and more unless some counseling or control is done. If kids get no help they might develop such complex further into anorexia. Normally it happens to girls that at the age of 6, they start developing their body shape and weight concerns, contrary to

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that consists of self-regulated food restriction in which the person strives for thinness and also involves distortion of the way the person sees his or her own body. An anorexic person weighs less than 85% of their ideal body weight. The prevalence of eating disorders is between .5-1% of women aged 15-40 and about 1/20 of this number occurs in men. Anorexia affects all aspects of an affected person's life including emotional health, physical health, and relationships with others (Shekter-Wolfson et al 5-6). A study completed in 1996 showed that anorexics also tend to possess traits that are obsessive in nature and carry heavy emotional

Today we live in a world full of ridicule and expectations concerning our body image. The morphed image of a perfect body consists of a skinny and toned waist, perfect hair and makeup, and pearly white straight teeth. Models, actors, singers and other celebrities that everyone idols go to great lengths to make their body perfect. This stressed image of a perfect body has led to an enormous outbreak of mental disorders seen predominately in high school and college students, especially anorexia nervosa. Individuals suffering from this mental health disorder are not fully aware of the severe symptoms and risk factors this disorder brings, or the treatment available to them. Stigmatization and from friends, family and society like self infliction and addiction lead to an internal battle for a person suffering with anorexia.

Similar to the form of group therapy in the previous case study, the use of family therapy is a common treatment for coping with an eating disorder. In a controlled study on the effects of family therapy as a source of treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa, an observational study was conducted comparing two forms of family therapy. In addition to observing the patients in treatment they also examined the five-year follow-up of 40 patients who utilized conjoined group family therapy and separate family therapy (Eisler, Simic, Russell and Dare. 2007). The study included interviewing 40 patients who received either separate or conjoint family therapy. In addition to the interviews with the families, all participants also took part in 6-question surveys. The data collected measured the relationship between symptomatic outcome and psychosocial

Even if anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe mental illness potentially resulting to serious ongoing psychiatric and physical health issues, there are not many clinical trial studies for treating AN published worldwidely focused on psychotherapeutic interventions (Birmingham et al., 2005; Herzog et al., 2000; Le Grange and Lock, 2005; Rome et al., 2003). According to Ale Grange and Lock (2005), of the interventions investigated for AN only the family therapy based approach developed by Dare and Eisler at the Maudsley Hospital, has been studied more than once in a clinical trial setting. Investigations completed at the end of treatment from the available studies of this approach suggest that it is effective in the short term,

Anorexia nervosa is the back-alley swindler of the mental health world. “Come with me,” it whispers, “and I will show you happiness”. Before long though, the swindler’s greedy hands are wrapped around its victim’s throat and its charming whispers have escalated into abusive shrieks; “How dare you eat?! Do you think you’re worthy of food? HELL NO, you aren’t! You are worthless, honey, and you answer to me now!” In this manner, anorexia nervosa claims between .48% and 1.7% of adolescent women each year (Lock, J., 2015). Although cognitive-behavioral therapy is considered the most effective treatment for many major disorders, including anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, its results in treating adolescent anorexia nervosa have

How many of you have ever battled an eating disorder or known someone with an eating disorder? One or two of every 100 students will struggle or have struggled with an eating disorder. An anonymous quote from someone who struggled an eating disorder once said “Nothing matters when I’m thin”. Anyone of us in this room is at risk of an eating disorder. Females have to maintain that ‘normal’ look to fit in with society. More guys are seeking help for eating disorders as well. Guys with eating disorders tend to focus more on athletic appearance or success than just on looking thin. I’m going to inform you today about anorexia; what it is, signs, causes, effects, and possible treatments to help it.

Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among teenagers. With 80% of teen females and 15% of teen males being or attempting to be anorexic, it is surprising