When Should a Person with Anorexia Seek Help

Anyone with a loved one or colleague affected by the disorder should know that the answer to “when should a person with anorexia seek help?” is quite simply, “immediately or "as soon as possible.” The reason for this response is simple: the longer a person continues to suffer from an eating disorder, the more serious their condition becomes, in terms of their mental and physical health. The following article discusses why the need for treatment should be taken seriously. It also looks at symptoms that can help identify the disorder and how you can persuade an individual who is affected to go in for treatment. Two Categories There are two kinds of anorexia: • Restricting - reducing calories through drastic diets, excessive exercise, or fasting to accomplish weight loss. • Purging - induced vomiting or the use of diuretics or laxatives to reduce weight. It is important to understand that contrary to popular belief, the core of this eating disorder is actually not about food and weight but something deeper. The “deeper” triggers are depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, feelings of having no control, loneliness, trauma, and the pressure to be perfect. Restricting food and weight loss are symptoms of these underlying issues. As a result of restricting and purging, those that suffer from anorexia have a very low body weight which causes medical problems such as: • Low blood pressurern• Kidney damagern• Poor circulationrn• Dehydrationrn• Brittle bonesrn• Dizziness and faintingrn• Low body temperaturern• Infertility and irregular menstrual cycles The obsession with body weight, general depression, and low self-esteem are factors that lie behind the death of many anorexia nervosa patients, either through suicide or because of the medical conditions caused by their weight loss. When Hospitalization is Necessary Though a lot of patients can recover with outpatient therapy for anorexia nervosa treatment, severe health complications or serious weight loss may call for hospitalization. Some of the health conditions that may require hospitalization are: • A body weight that is 75 percent less than the normalrn• Perilous metabolic imbalancesrn• Very low body temperaturern• Suicidal tendenciesrn• Mental health problems such as clinical depression, Anxiety disorders or OCDrn• Severe electrolyte imbalancesrn• Health has worsened to such an extent that the patient is incapable of caring for herself How to Identify Anorexia A person with several of these symptoms could have Anorexia. • Restricting caloric intake to less than needed to maintain healthy ideal body weightrn• Following a severely limited diet even if underweightrn• Forced vomiting or other compensatory behaviors like laxative use, diuretic use or compulsive exercisern• Absence of menstrual cycles for three or more consecutive monthsrn• Fear of eating in social places or in front of othersrn• Increased isolation and depressive symptomsrn• Relentless pursuit of thinnessrn• Obsessive thinking and talking about weight, shape, size, appearance, or foodrn• Rituals around body checking, exercise, or foodrn• Loss of interest in activities and relationshipsrn• Body dissatisfaction, body image distortionrn• Chewing and spitting as an attempt to control weightrn• Taking in excessive amounts of fluid or restricting fluid intakern• Use or abuse of diet pills, herbal supplements, or teas Encouraging Treatment For those that suffer from Anorexia, the eating disorder feels as though it is the only way for them to survive and cope with the world around them. Many Anorexics are in denial about their disorder or deny to others that they have a problem. One of the most challenging issues can be helping them seek treatment at a specialized center: • Avoid negative communication such as angry outbursts and scare tactics that would only heighten the self-hate and emotional stress of the person. • Express your concerns about their emotional well being and the fatal consequences of not eating in a gentle manner. Adopt a non-judgmental attitude. Make the person understand that you will always be around to listen and support him/her in the recovery process. • Be a role model to the person with the disorder through the right eating habits and exercise, and having a healthy concept about your body image. Make sure that the person with anorexia seeks help as soon as possible. Search the web to find anorexia treatment centers and identify one that has the right facilities and treatment philosophy to help your loved one.