Treatment of a Anorexia Nervosa - Coursework Example

Topic: Treatment of Anorexia Introduction Anorexia nervosa is a severe mental health condition that is characterized by an eating disorder where a person tries to keep his or her body weight at the lowest possible level (Harper, 2012). The people who suffer from this condition usually do this through limiting the amount of food they ingest, forcing themselves to vomit and getting involved in a lot of exercise. This condition tends to develop as a consequence of nervousness concerning the nature and heaviness of the body based on the fright of being overweight or a wish to maintain a low weight. Majority of the people affected by this condition harbor a distorted image if themselves with the thoughts of being fat when they are not. Girls and women are the most affected by this anorexia, but it has also become commonplace in boys and men in the recent years with the conditions first developing at the age of seventeen or eighteen. The people who suffer from anorexia do not often seek assistance since they are afraid or have no idea that they have a problem while majority of them keep the condition secret. The most critical step in treating a person with anorexia is making them realize that they need assistance. Before treating the condition, physical, psychological and social needs assessment must be conducted to enable a determination of the most practical plan. Treatment Treating anorexia nervosa typically entails a blend of psychological therapy along with supervised weight gains (Eagle, 2009). It is imperative to begin the treatment of this condition as early as possible especially if an individual has already lost excessive weight in order to decrease the risks of severe complications associated with the condition. Treatment plan General practitioners are usually an integral part of the ongoing treatment of anorexia even though other experts such as counselors, psychiatrists and dieticians among others may be involved (Treasure, Schmidt & Furth, 2003). Prior to the beginning of the treatment, the people who are part of this multidisciplinary group should take part in a comprehensive physical, psychological and social needs assessment and come up with a care plan. Majority of the people who are affected by anorexia are treated on an outpatient basis, meaning the visit the hospital or individual members of the team intended for their care by appointment, but go back home after their sessions. In the cases where condition has adversely affected the person, he or she may have to spend more time at the hospital in the course of the day or be admitted as an inpatient. Psychological treatment There are various different psychological treatments that may be used in the treatment of anorexia and based on how severe the condition is treatment will take six months to a whole year or even more. The cognitive analytic therapy, which is a form of the psychological treatment of anorexia, is founded on the principle that mental health conditions like anorexia are as a result of unhealthy patterns of behavior and thinking that was developed in the past, particularly during childhood (Hersen & Ammerman, 2000). This therapy entails an approach that is divided into three phases. In the reformulation phase, the specialist seeks to identify the past occurrences that may provide an explanation as to why the unhealthy patterns came to being. The recognition phase of the treatment assists the person to understand how the unhealthy patterns contribute towards their state of anorexia. Finally, revision, which is the third phase, identifies the changes that may assist in eliminating the unhealthy patterns from the lifestyles of the patients. On the other hand, the cognitive behavioral therapy is founded on principle that the manner in which a person perceives a situation has an effect on the action they will take and consequently, these actions have an impact on thoughts and feelings (Hailey, 2008). In regard to anorexia, the therapists make efforts of demonstrating how the condition is connected to unhealthy and impractical thoughts and beliefs concerning food and diets. For instance, the person may have perceptions such as adding weight is the worst experience that a person may go through; everybody secretly considers them as being fat and finishing meals makes people think they are greedy, among other perceptions. In this form of therapy, the professional will encourage the person suffering from anorexia to embrace healthier and more practical ways of thinking that would result in behavior that is more positive. The interpersonal therapy is founded on the principle that associations with other persons as well as the outside world have a profound impact on the mental health of a person (Levenson, 2011). In this regard, anorexia may be linked to perceptions of low self-esteem, nervousness and self-doubt that is concomitant to problems with interrelating with other people. In the process of the interpersonal therapy, the professional usually explores the negative factors that are related to interpersonal relationships and the various ways these issues may be dealt with. Lastly, the focal psychodynamic therapy which is also a form of psychological treatment of anorexia is based on the principle that mental health conditions may be attributed to unsolved conflicts that took place in the past, particularly during childhood. This therapy encourages the individuals affected by anorexia to reflect on how their early childhood experiences may have had an effect on them. The main objective is to identify more effective ways of dealing with stressful circumstances and negative perceptions as well as emotions. Family interventions Anorexia nervosa affects more than a single person as it may have a big bearing on the entire family. In this regard, family interventions are a critical component in treating the young people who have been affected by this condition (Leifer & Fleck, 2013). These family interventions are supposed to emphasize on the eating disorder and entail the members of the family engaging in discussions on how the condition has affected them. These forms of interventions also assist the family to appreciate the condition and how they may be able to assist the affected member. Safe weight gain This form of care plan includes guidance on how the person will be able to increase the amount of food eaten in order to gain weight in a safe manner. The physical health along with the weight of the person going through this therapy is closely watched. The height of children as well as adolescents is checked on a regular basis to ensure their rate of development is normal. In the initial stages of this form of therapy, small amounts of food will expected to be eaten and the portions will be gradually increase as the body progressively becomes used to the normal amounts of food. The main objective is to create a regular eating pattern that comprises of three meals in a day along with supplements that will provide vitamins and supplements. The targeted average weight gain for a person going through this therapy in an outpatient setting is half a kilogram every week while in a specialist unit; the person will be expected to gain between 0.5 and 1 kilogram every week. Compulsory intervention Sometimes, some people suffering from anorexia may reject treatment regardless of the fact that they are dangerously ill and their lives are at risk (Halse, Honey & Boughtwood, 2008). In regard to these cases, doctors may make the decision to admit a person to the hospital so that they may receive compulsory treatment based on the Mental Health Act as a last resort. This is in some instances referred to as sectioning or being sectioned. Treatment of other problems Apart from the main approaches of treating anorexia that have been identified above, additional health issues as consequences of anorexia may also have to be treated. If a person makes herself puke regularly, that person will need advice on dental hygiene to assist the individual prevent the effects of stomach acid destroying the enamel of the teeth. For instance, the individual may be given advice to avoid brushing teeth immediately after vomiting to prevent increased scraping of the enamel of the tooth and instead to rinse the mouth with water. People who regularly vomit may also be advised to avoid taking foods that are high in acidity and the use of mouth washes, while making sure they visit a dentist on regular basis so that they can be checked for any problems. If the people affected by anorexia have been taking laxatives or diuretics in their attempts to decrease their weight, they will be advised to reduce the use of these substances on a gradual basis so that they body may be able to make adjustments. This is for the reason that an abrupt stop may lead to problems like queasiness and constipation. Medication In the treatment of anorexia, medication alone may not be successful and thus is typically used together with the other psychological approaches in the treatment of related problems that include obsessive compulsive disorder as well as depression. The individuals affected by anorexia are usually treated with two key kinds of medicines that include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and olanzapine. A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor is a form of antidepressant medication that can assist the persons with co-existing psychological issues such as depression and nervousness while olanzapine is a medication that assists in the reduction of nervousness associated to issues of weight and diet in persons who have shown any response to the other forms of treatment (Rumney, 2009). Most of the medication is avoided until when a person has started to gain weight since risks of more serious side effects are escalated in the persons who are severely emaciated and they are also employed with caution in the people who are below eighteen. Conclusion Even though there are numerous routes of treating anorexia, almost all of them start by the person affected visiting an eating disorder professional. Typically, this professional is a psychologist with specific experience and skills in assisting people with anorexia. Physical diagnoses and examinations by doctors are also initial components of the treatments for anorexia so that the professionals may develop an understanding and start to address the physical issues that may have taken place as a consequence of the disorder. References Eagle, S. (2009). The Professional Medical Assistant. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Co. Hailey, B. (2008). Dialectical behavior therapy in the treatment of anorexia nervosa. Carpinteria, CA: Pacifica Graduate Institute. Halse, C., Honey, A., & Boughtwood, D. (2008). Inside anorexia. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Harper, M. (2012). General practice at a glance. Hoboken: Wiley. Hersen, M., & Ammerman, R. (2000). Advanced abnormal child psychology. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Leifer, G., & Fleck, E. (2013). Growth and development across the lifespan. St. Louis, Mo.: Elsevier. Levenson, J. (2011). The American Psychiatric Publishing textbook of psychosomatic medicine. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Pub. Rumney, A. (2009). Dying to please. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co. Treasure, J., Schmidt, U., & Furth, E. (2003). Handbook of eating disorders. Southern Gate, Chichester: John Wiley. Read More