Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorder involving restricted energy intake, significantly low weight and an intense disturbance in how weight or shape is experienced.
Possible signs
- Progressively restricting food, skipping meals or rigid food rules.
- Intense fear of weight gain or persistent behaviour that prevents weight restoration.
- Weight or shape having a disproportionate influence on self-evaluation.
- Compulsive exercise, frequent weighing, hiding food or avoiding eating with others.
- Feeling cold, dizzy or weak; fainting; sleep problems; hormonal or menstrual changes.
A person can be medically unwell without “looking ill”. Weight alone does not reveal the seriousness of an eating disorder, and shame or lack of insight can delay help.
Assessment must include physical health
Assessment covers eating patterns, weight history, exercise, body image, compensatory behaviours, mental health and immediate risk. Medical checks may include pulse, blood pressure, hydration, blood tests and heart monitoring. Depression, anxiety, OCD, trauma and self-harm can co-occur.
Eating and weight changes can also have medical causes. A coordinated professional assessment is essential; an online questionnaire or body mass index cannot make the diagnosis.
Treatment and recovery
Treatment usually combines nutritional rehabilitation, psychological therapy and medical monitoring. The exact approach depends on age, severity, duration, physical risk and personal circumstances. For children and adolescents, family involvement is often central. Restoring nutrition is not separate from psychological recovery; the brain and body need adequate energy for therapy to work safely.