Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa - Coursework Example

Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa One of the most troubling and least understood disorders thatcurrently exist within the field of psychological disorders is the Anorexia Nervosa. As a means of better understanding this particular disorder, explaining its prevalence, and analyzing the means of intervention that medical professionals can utilize, the following discussion will be concentric upon providing the reader with a more profound level of interpretation and understanding with respect to this particular disorder. This paper will also focus on its treatment, costs and benefits of treatments. Introduction Anorexia Nervosa is a psychological disorder that causes people to eat in an unhealthy manner. It is an eating disorder and the affected people are usually obsessed about their weight and the types of food they eat. The patients therefore tend to maintain a weight that does not fit their height and age (Sandoz, Wilson & DuFrene, 2011). Therefore, patients of Anorexia Nervosa will tend to exercise extensively or even starve; making the loose weight beyond normal. One has to understand that they are sick and it’s not normal to follow such strict and unhealthy dieting. Firstly, the therapist involved in treating the patient should put the difference between healthy dieting and Anorexia Nervosa clear to the patient. Differences between Healthy dieting and Anorexia Healthy Dieting Anorexia Nervosa Self-esteem is based on more factors than just body weight and image Self-esteem is based on body weight and image entirely You engage in losing weight the healthy way Health is not the concern; it’s all about becoming thin You view weight lose as a means of improving health and appearance Weight lose is viewed as a way of achieving happiness Healthy dieting is viewed as a way of controlling weight Anorexia Nervosa makes one attempt to control their emotions and life at large This disorder is not even totally about weight but people with it are obsessed with an unhealthy way of coping with emotional problems; they usually relate excessive thinness to beauty and self-worth (Halmi, 1992).. The disorder can be very difficult to overcome and the treatments are usually costly. With proper treatment that involves good therapy, the patients can overcome the disorder and attain proper sense of self-worth; return and maintain proper eating habits and eventually reverse the serious complications caused by the disorder. There are two types of Anorexia Nervosa: the restricting type and the purging type. The restricting type occurs when one tends to control weight and emotions by fasting, excessive exercise and drastic dieting; while the purging type occurs when one tries to achieve weight loss through vomiting, using diuretics and laxatives (Rumney, 2009).. Diagnosis of the Disorder Before treatment of the disorder, one has to show exact signs and symptoms of the disorder. The doctor involved must identify the symptoms and make correct diagnosis to provide relevant treatment. An Anorexic person exhibits food behavior signs such as dieting despite being thin, obsession with fat grams, calories and nutrition, pretending and lying about having eaten, strange secretive food rituals and preoccupation with food. The body symptoms are body image fixation, denial that you are too thin even when people say so; dramatic weight loss, feeling fat in spite of being underweight and appearing harshly critical. The purging symptoms include throwing up every eating, exercising compulsively, using diuretics, diet pills and laxatives (Rumney, 2009). Treatments of Anorexia Nervosa All individuals with Anorexia disorder need treatments; it’s a disorder that can result to very serious complications. Its treatments can be very costly and some people suffering from it can fail to afford the cost. However, there are alternatives that can be taken in cases of extreme conditions and extreme financial situations. Most institutions or hospitals treating the disease put different charges on the treatment and charges differently as far as timing is concerned; with some charging weekly, monthly, semi-annually and annually depending on the condition the patient has suffered to the disease. The treatments of the disease involve seeing a doctor or a counselor for regular sessions. Those who are seriously underweight are usually admitted to a hospital stay and this adds to the cost. It is beneficial to book for the hospital stay for those who have serious complications for they will be able to have regular monitoring and attendance by the medical and psychological professionals. The ultimate need and benefits of the treatments is to restore normal and healthy weight as well as eating habits and self worth. First, the patient is made aware of the implication and complications the disease can cause, re-affirmed of the symptoms and made knowledgeable of the disorder in order for them to avoid resisting treatment. Therapists and counselors will enable the patient to think of gaining weight as a life-saving measure despite his/her fear to gain weight. The team that can apply their skill and knowledge to treat anorexic patients are mental health professionals such as a licensed counselor or a psychologist – who give therapies, a registered dietician or a nutritionist, a medical professional such as a nurse or a doctor (Halmi, 1992). All these healthcare professionals are crucial in the treatment of anorexia disorder. They can work in a team set-up. However, any of them can successful treat the disorder depending on the extent the disease has affected the patient. When the disease is at its earliest stages, it can be treated even with a dietician with the necessary skills for the combination of the chemicals of life that will ultimately suppress the growth of the strong desire that can eventually lead to the severe stages. Otherwise, severe Anorexia Disorder can only be treated with the involvement of therapists and doctors, even dieticians and nutritionists. There has never been any conclusive evidence that any specific treatment for the disorder works better than the others but it is evident that earlier intervention has always been effective. All the treatments are directed toward three accomplishments. Restoring the patient’s healthy weight Eliminating the psychological patterns related to the disease Reducing the thoughts and behaviors that originally caused the unhealthy eating; hence restoring the self-worth and emotional health of the patient. Dietary and Nutrition The most vital and beneficial factor in the treatment of anorexia disorder is proper diet. It is poor dieting in the first place that induces it and correcting it cures the disorder. It is affordable to most patient; with little aid from a dietician. The dietary treatments includes the intake of zinc – zinc supplementation has been established by health experts to help in the treatment of AN as it helps to increase weight gain. Patients suffering from the disease are mostly zinc deficient especially when they are vegetarians. Calorie treatment is also a dietary measure of treating the disease. Anorexic persons should be fed on adequate calories which raises the improvement of the condition. Dieticians begin with providing 1200 to 1500 calories in the beginning of the therapy and then increase the ratio by adding 500 calories each day to the patient. This process should continue until the patient is able to consume 4000 calories a day in the male patients and 3500 for the female patients. This measure is also able to decrease the negative effects of the disorder like lethargy and apathy. The patients should be fed on essential fatty acids. The omega-three and the omega-6 six fatty acids are very essential in this treatment. Essential fatty acids bring about rapid improvement especially in the case of severe AN (Johnson, 1990). An Anorexic person should also be put under nutrition counseling. There is a form of therapy known as the Medical Nutrition Therapy; which is the provision and development of therapy based nutritional treatment based on well-researched information about the patients history: physical examination, dietary and psychological treatment. Medical Treatment Medical measures that are usually accompanied with the therapeutic measures have been widely applied to treat the disorder. It is actually the most expensive way to treat the disorder. It involved physicians prescriptions of drugs such as Olanzapine; which has may say is very effective in treating some serious aspects of anorexia disorder. It helps in the increase of the Body Mass Index and reduces the obsessional thoughts about food and weight (Garner, 1997). Therapy Therapy involves the intervention of a professional therapist who counsels the patient and restoring his or her self worth. Therapists use the counseling skills to get into the patients and change their way of thinking and opinion or attitude on life at large. There are numerous therapies involved in this treatment measure: Family-Based Therapy (FBT) - Family Based Therapy or treatment has been considered as the most efficient as individual therapy in many treatment trials. Its components are effective since the family is perceived as the adolescent resource; it is reframed in non blaming terms; parents are given directives to monitor their children and their eating habits; after weight gain, control of eating habits is gradually returned to the victim (Garner, 1997). Family therapy can be conducted in two ways: where the parents join the child to the therapist – known as the conjoint family therapy (CFT), and where the same therapist sees the parents and the child differently. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – this is where the therapist uses cognitive restructuring to alter the unhealthy or distorted beliefs and attitudes in the adolescents and adults about the meaning of weight. This approach has been very beneficial in the treatment of adults and adolescents. Acceptance and commitment therapy is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and has demonstrated great benefits and promise in the treatment of AN. In its application, no patient has ever lost weight or worsened after a year of follow-up. Finally yet importantly, there is the Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT), which was established by a College in London (King’s College) which entails the improvement of neuro-cognitive abilities. For instance, improving the working memory, attention, planning, executive functioning and cognitive flexibility; which eventually result to improved social functioning (Johnson, 1990). Treatment Costs and Other Statistical Data about Anorexia Nervosa In America alone, 800 million individuals suffer from the disorder. Women are more prevalent to the disorder that the ratio of anorexic women to men stands at 3:1, translating to a fact that 1 out of every 200 women suffers from the disorder. The figure explains that 10-15% of people suffering from anorexia are men (Lemberg & Cohn,1999). Among the mental disorders, Anorexia disorder has the highest mortality rate. 5-10% of the patients die within ten years after contacting the disorder, 18-20 die after 20 years and a mere 30-40 ever fully recover from the disorder. Women of 15-24 are 12 times of all causes of death likely to die from Anorexia. 20% of the patients die prematurely of the complications caused by Anorexia (Sandoz, Wilson & DuFrene, 2011). There is low access to treatment of the disorder and the costs are so high. Only 1 out of ten people suffering from Anorexia can access treatment. Eighty % of the women and girls who are anorexic do not get adequate treatment they require to attain full recovery. Due to the costs, they are usually sent back home prematurely. Treatments range from $500-$2000 per day and the average cost for treatment of anorexia disorder is $30,000 per month. People with eating disorders usually need an average of 3-6 months in hospitalized care. To make the matter worst, Health Insurance Companies for some reasons, maybe high costs, do not cover for the treatment of the persons with eating disorders. For outpatient treatment alone, treatment that covers therapy and medical monitoring cost at least $100,000 (Lemberg & Cohn, 1999). References Garner, D. M. (1997). Handbook of treatment for eating disorders. New York [u.a.: Guilford Press. Sandoz, E., Wilson, K., & DuFrene, T. (2011). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Eating Disorders: A Process-Focused Guide to Treating Anorexia and Bulimia. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications. Lemberg, R., & Cohn, L. (1999). Eating disorders: A reference sourcebook. Phoenix, Ariz: Oryx Press. Halmi, K. A. (1992). Psychobiology and treatment of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Washington, D.C: American Psychiatric Press. Rumney, A. (2009). Dying to please anorexia, treatment and recovery. Jefferson, N.C., McFarland & Co. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10323511. Johnson, C. (1990). Psychodynamic treatment of anorexia nervosa and bulimia. New York, Guilford Press. Read More