Eating Disorders: Causes, Treatment & Research
Added on 2020-05-28
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Running head: CAREER DEVELOPMENTLiterature ReviewAnorexia and the underlying psychological mechanismAccording to David (2011), AN is a severe mental illness that is characterize viadecrease in the intake of food along with an escalating fear of weight gain and skewedperception about the body image. David (2011) has further opined that the main pillar of suchmental perceptions is generally distorted beliefs in relation to body weight, body shape andimage of the body. Though the majority of the literature of eating disorders have highlightsuch beliefs to be overvalued ideas (OIs) which are unreasonable and sustained beliefsnurtured with less delusional intensity, the latest quantitative research is of the opinion thatbackground of such beliefs might have certain delusional qualities (Hartmann et al., 2013).According to O'Connell et al. (2017) OIs are distinct from delusions as an individuals areable recognize their beliefs are inaccurate. The research conducted by Hartmann et al. (2013)highlighted that the depressive symptoms along with obsessive symptoms and anxiety co-occur with AN. This depressive and anxiety symptoms have a psychological perspectives.According to Gauthier et al. (2014), depression and anxiety in case of the patients sufferingfrom An mainly stems from the poor nutritional status and its subsequent impact on theserotonin markers and whole blood serotonin content. This disruption in the equilibrium ofthe serotonin reuptake receptors leads to the increase in the depressive symptoms among thepatients suffering from AN thereby making the disease progression worse along withinfiltration of the delusional thoughts. Similar findings have been highlighted by the studyconducted by Mattar et al. (2012). Mattar et al. (2012) is of the opinion that the clinicalconsensus behind the depressive symptoms and anxiety is a squeal of malnutrition among theAN patients. Mattar et al. (2012) further opined that poor nutritional content lead to thedecrease in the BMI among the patients suffering from AN and these leads to high
1 CAREER DEVELOPMENTpsychometric scores which signifies high level of depressive symptoms among the patientswith AN. Treating eating disordersIt has been widely discussed in literature that eating disorders are associated withpsychiatric symptoms as well as physical symptoms that are related to distinct medicalcomplications. Existing reports indicate that general utilization of healthcare services amongthis section of the patient population is high. There exist distinct indicators of elevated healthservice utilization among those with eating disorders. The economic burden and healthservice use of eating disorders entail immediate attention as data estimates the implications ofthe health condition to be having huge health care resource requirements. The economicburden of the disease is substantial, and there is a need of identifying the suitable cost-effective treatment options (Lock & Le Grange, 2015).People suffering from eating disorders require professional help at some point in timefor recovering back to a normal life course. An accurate diagnosis is the crucial step towardrecovery from the eating disorder. Treatment in healthcare systems encompasses a widerange of treatment options involving combination of nutritional counseling and psychologicalcounseling. Medical monitoring aids in this regard, as opined by Zipfel et al., (2015).Healthcare units address the symptoms of the patient as well as the medical consequences,together with the cultural, interpersonal, biological and psychological forces contributing toeating disorder. It is to be mentioned in this regard that support from family and parents iscrucial for recovery, and healthcare professionals work in collaboration with the familymembers to assist in the best possible form of care. The first point of care for a patient witheating disorder is to establish a rapport with the individual that fosters a therapeuticrelationship between the patient and care giver. Starting the conversation can be the toughest
2 CAREER DEVELOPMENTpart for care delivery and therefore it is important to understand the behaviors, thoughts,feelings and perceptions of the individuals. Madden et al., (2015) reviewed the best treatment approaches for addressing eatingdisorders in healthcare system. These evidence-based approaches are not stand-alone options;rather they might be required to be delivered in adjunct with each other. Psychotherapy,family approaches, self-help approaches, nutritional management and medication. Lock et al.,(2015) analyzed that psychotherapy is the best possible intervention for treating eatingdisorder as the focus is on the patient’s motivations, patterns of thinking, relationships andbehaviors. Models such as Cognitive Analytic Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy(CBT) and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) have been proved to be effective in thisregard. Family approaches are common when patients are adolescents and support network isessential for recovery. Self-help treatments are known to be effective when they are appliedin combination with other treatment approaches.Health care systems also focus on nutritional management and medicationmanagement for treating patients with eating disorders. A dietician or nutritionist isresponsible for outlining the nutritional management regime. The approach ensures that theclient receives the required level of nutritional support in the form of minerals and vitaminsthat is helpful for development of beneficial and normal eating behaviors and habits.Medication-based interventional approaches are vital when the client is suffering from a co-morbid condition, such as psychosis, insomnia and anxiety (Link et al., 2017). Factors that eating disorder sufferers identify as contributing to their recoveryEating disorders such as anorexia nervosa has been characterized by restraints ofenergy intake, severe disturbances and fear of gaining weight. Recovery from the conditionis known to be a highly complex process, wherein patients undergo multifaceted experiences.
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