Anorexia nervosa is a serious mental illness that is considered an eating disorder.
With anorexia, a person gradually stops eating. The number of calories per day decreases to a critical minimum for the body. To live an adult body on average requires at least 1500 calories per day. This amount is enough not to die, but often not enough to maintain health. A person with anorexia does not stop at 1500 calories per day and constantly lowers the bar, up to complete refusal of food. During fasting, the brain releases endorphins and the person literally becomes addicted to this state, like a drug.
You don't need to be a doctor to predict the further development of events. One third of patients with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa die from exhaustion of the body. It is important to detect the disease in time and provide qualified psychiatric care. Anorexia is not like conscious starvation. A person with anorexia cannot start eating normally on their own. Only timely therapy will help the patient return to normal condition. The earlier you start treatment, the more chances of a full recovery. Unfortunately, in complex and neglected cases, changes in the psyche remain forever.
Women are 3-4 times more likely to suffer from anorexia than men. The causes of the disease can be conditionally divided into social and psychological.
Social causes of anorexia:
Psychological causes of anorexia:
Anorexia can begin with an ordinary desire to be thinner, if we are talking about school-age girls. Girls who do not meet the beauty standards of their peers may be subjected to bullying - ridicule and mockery from classmates. This motivates them to go on a diet. It is important not to miss the moment when the weight loss process turns into a painful condition. Any healthy diet should contain a whole complex of substances necessary for the body, vitamins and minerals.
The only effective help for such a disease as anorexia nervosa is to seek help from a psychotherapist. The brain areas of a person with anorexia nervosa that are responsible for satiety are altered and work incorrectly. The patient simply does not feel hunger, even when his body is critically depleted. Food for a person with anorexia is an enemy, they hate it. Forced feeding, persuasion and tears of relatives cannot force the patient to eat. To return to normal, you need to go through the path of mental and physical therapy. The rehabilitation period can take from 1 to 2 years.
Doctor of Medical Sciences, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Claudia Elsig has been specializing in the treatment of eating disorders for over 15 years. In Zurich, there is a premium class psychiatric clinic CALDA, where Dr. Elsig receives her patients.
In CALDA, they adhere to a new method in the treatment of psychiatric diseases - integrative medicine. Here, traditional psychiatry, alternative practices, and modern medical advances are combined. Dr. Elsig focuses on the hidden psychological problems that led to anorexia, not just on the elimination of the symptoms of the disease.
they use the maximum amount of resources during therapy. The family and close friends of the patient are involved. The support of the environment is very important and gives positive results. CALDA they use the maximum amount of resources during therapy. The family and close friends of the patient are involved. The support of the environment is very important and gives positive results.
The treatment includes the restoration of mental and physical health, namely the function of the brain to adequately respond to food.
In the best CALDA clinic, they create optimal conditions for the treatment of mental illnesses. The clinic is located on the shore of Lake Zurich, surrounded by the Alps. Luxury apartments, nature, proper therapy and constant support help a person regain their mental and physical health.
Be attentive to yourself and your loved ones. Timely help saves lives.