Psychology for Everyone

Anorexia nervosa – eating disorders

From the book – Chapter 22: Advanced Psychological Issues

Anorexia nervosa

People with anorexia eat far too little and become dangerously thin. They are very afraid of gaining weight, see their body wrongly and often over-exercise. It can damage the heart, bones and fertility, and it has the highest death rate of any mental illness. Treatment first makes the body safe, then rebuilds healthy eating and adds therapy; teenagers do best with family-based treatment.

Read the full chapter – Chapter 22: Advanced Psychological Issues

Stories from real life

  • The Glass Wall – Daniel Okafor, twenty-two, a student in Manchester, was walking back from the library after weeks of exam stress and little sleep when something odd happened. The…
  • Checking the Gas Again – Rukmini Iyer, thirty-four, an accountant in Chennai, used to be easy-going. In the past year she began checking the gas stove before leaving home. At first…
  • The Empty Plate – Ananya Menon, fifteen, from Kochi, had always been a high achiever. After a classmate teased her about her weight, she started 'eating healthy'. Soon she cut…
  • Mira and the Storm of Feelings – Mira D'Souza, twenty-six, from Goa, felt things more intensely than anyone she knew. When her boyfriend Rohan was late replying, she felt a flood of panic…

More on this topic: Emotions, anger and mood swings – understanding your feelings

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