Anorexia Nervosa and Depression in a Woman Blind since the Age of Nine Months

1993 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 469-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clifford W. Sharp

A woman aged 58 who has been blind since the age of nine months presented with major depression and a 40 year history of an eating disorder characterized by a restriction of food intake and body disparagement. The case is additional evidence that a specifically visual body image is not essential for the development of anorexia nervosa and supports the view that the concept of body image is unnecessary and unproductive in eating disorders. Greater emphasis should be placed on attitudes and feelings toward the body, and the possibility of an eating disorder should be considered in cases of older women with an atypical presentation.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gennaro Catone ◽  
Filomena Salerno ◽  
Giulia Muzzo ◽  
Valentina Lanzara ◽  
Antonella Gritti

Abstract Background: psychiatric comorbidities are of particular interest in Eating disorders. The association between anorexia nervosa and psychotic disorders is less studied than that with affective disorders (anxiety/depression). The aim of this study is to describe a psychotic symptom (paranoia) in adolescents with Eating Disorders looking at several potential explicative associated factors: eating disorder symptoms, body image concerns, depression and social anxiety. Our hypothesis is that paranoia in AN patients is more explained by the concomitant depression and social anxiety symptoms than core symptoms of the disease (eating disorder symptoms or body image concerns). Methods: this is a retrospective cross sectional study and consecutive, help-seeking adolescents admitted to the Eating Disorder service of the Integrated Pediatric Care Department, Luigi Vanvitelli University Hospital constituted the sample. Data was obtained trough retrospective collection of clinical interviews and self – report questionnaires administered by trained and expert child and adolescent psychiatrists. Results: We obtained data from 92 adolescents with Eating Disorders. Paranoia was dimensionally distributed in the sample (mean: 22,17 SD: 17,7; median 18 IQR: 7/36; range: 0-62). Our regression model explained that paranoia in this population was better explained by depression (coefficient= 0,415 SD: 0,210, p=0,052) and social anxiety symptoms (coefficient= 0,253 SD: 0,060; p<0,001) than eating disorder symptoms (coefficient= 0,092 SD: 0,107; p=0,398) and body image concerns (coefficient= 1,916 SD: 2,079; p=0,359) that did not retain their significance when all our predictive factors entered in the model. Conclusion: This study has some theoretical, clinical and treatment implications. It is important to carrying out screening for the presence of psychotic symptoms in patients with Eating Disorders. These symptoms and associated factors (depression and social anxiety) may complicate the clinical picture of the disease with the need, in certain cases, of psychopharmacological drugs and, among these, anti-psychotics. Finally in the psychotherapy context, paranoid idea may be subject of treatment for patient with EDs.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jakub Onysk ◽  
Peggy Seriès

AbstractEating disorders are associated with one of the highest mortality rates among all mental disorders, yet there is very little research about them within the newly emerging and promising field of computational psychiatry. As such, we focus on investigating a previously unexplored, yet a core aspect of eating disorders – body image preoccupation. We continue a freshly opened debate about model-based learning in eating disorders and perform a study that utilises a two-step decision-making task and a reinforcement learning model to understand the effect of body image preoccupation on model-based learning in a subclinical eating disorder population, as recruited using Prolific. We find a significantly reduced model-based contribution in the body image disturbance task condition in the eating disorder group as compared to a healthy control. We propose a new digital biomarker that significantly predicts disordered eating, and body image issues.


Author(s):  
Helen Loth

This chapter gives an overview of approaches, theoretical ideas, and techniques which music therapists have developed to work with adults and older teenagers who have eating disorders. Eating disorders are complex psychological disorders; the restriction of food intake and control of body weight serve to meet a psychological or emotional need. Music therapy can help people to explore and understand the psychological issues that may have led them to using eating as a way of controlling their feelings and emotions. Methods such as free and structured improvisation, songwriting and listening to pre-composed music can be used to help clients to address specific aspects of eating disorder pathology, such as being able to recognise and tolerate their feelings, connect with others, and make links between thoughts, feelings, and the body. Music therapy can have a significant role within the overall treatment of a person with an eating disorder.


2018 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 417-436
Author(s):  
Paolo Marino Cattorini

L’anoressia nervosa rischia di venir fraintesa, etichettandola come mero disturbo neurobiologico e affrontandola con tattiche assistenziali, che mirano semplicemente alla rapida correzione del peso. Un approccio fenomenologico coglie invece nel disturbo alimentare una strategia di liberazione, per quanto rischiosa e piena di contraddizioni. Nel presente articolo abbiamo indicato tre dimensioni etiche ed estetiche di questa pericolosa trasformazione di sé. L’anoressica scolpisce il corpo in forme dissonanti, al modo di una body artist; ella scrive nella carne la propria storia alla luce di un mito affettivo, che la guida come un racconto esemplare di formazione; infine l’anoressica prova per il cibo il disgusto che ella vive nei confronti di relazioni mancate di cui ha ancora disperata fame. La persona che soffre tenta di dirigere perfezionisticamente, attraverso la malattia, una trasformazione individuale, imbattendosi in un mondo di oggetti trasfigurati (fra cui i cibi, le sostanze alimentari), un mondo simile a quello istituito dall’arte contemporanea. Per questi motivi, il lavoro medico-psicologico condotto sui disturbi alimentari è più efficace quando si posseggono competenze in ambito umanistico, particolarmente di ordine etico ed estetico. ---------- Anorexia nervosa risks being misunderstood by labelling it merely as a neurobiological disorder or by tackling it only with behavioral advice, in order to rapidly achieve some weight gain. On the contrary, a phenomenological approach recognizes in an eating disorder also an ethical strategy of liberation, although it may well be risky and full of contradictions. This article indicates three ethical and aesthetic dimensions of this dangerous transformation of self-image. Anorexia sculpts the body in dissonant forms, in the way of a body artist; it writes in the flesh a suffering story in the light of an affective myth, which guides the patient towards an ideal of mature development. Finally, sick people feel the same disgust for food that they experience with regard to missed or damaged relationships of which they still desperately hunger for. Through the illness, an attempt is made to manage in a perfectionist way the bodily transformation, but the result is that they come upon a disquieting world of transfigured objects, a world similar to that established by some contemporary art movements. For these reasons, the medical-psychological work carried out on eating disorders requires competence in the field of medical humanities and particularly in the sphere of ethical and aesthetic education.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Westmoreland ◽  
Phillip S Mehler

Feeding and eating disorders are defined by persistent disturbance of eating (or behaviors related to eating) with subsequent changes in consumption or absorption of nutrition that are detrimental to physical health and social functioning. The following eating disorders are described in the DSM-5: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, pica, rumination disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED), and unspecified feeding or eating disorder (USFED). ARFID, OSFED, USFED, rumination disorder, and binge eating disorder are new additions to the manual and are first described in the DSM-5. The DSM-5 also provides severity specifiers—mild, moderate, severe, and extreme—for the diagnoses of bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. This review describes the eating disorders enumerated in the DSM-5 and provides information regarding their genesis and course. This review contains 8 tables and 79 references Key words: avoidant/restrictive eating disorder, binge eating disorder, DSM-5, eating disorder, other specified feeding or eating disorder, pharmacotherapy, pica rumination, psychotherapy, unspecified feeding or eating disorder


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Knatz Peck ◽  
Terra Towne ◽  
Christina E. Wierenga ◽  
Laura Hill ◽  
Ivan Eisler ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Adult eating disorder treatments are hampered by lack of access and limited efficacy. This open-trial study evaluated the acceptability and preliminary efficacy of a novel intervention for adults with eating disorders delivered to young adults and parent-supports in an intensive, multi-family format (Young Adult Temperament-Based Treatment with Supports; YA-TBT-S). Methods 38 YA-TBT-S participants (m age = 19.58; SD 2.13) with anorexia nervosa (AN)-spectrum disorders, bulimia nervosa (BN)-spectrum disorders, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) completed self-report assessments at admission, discharge, and 12-month follow-up. Assessments measured program satisfaction, eating disorder psychopathology and impairment, body mass index (BMI), and trait anxiety. Outcomes were analyzed using linear mixed effects models to examine changes in outcome variables over time. Results Treatment was rated as highly satisfactory. 53.33% were in partial or full remission at 12-month follow-up. 56% of participants received other treatment within the 12-month follow-up period, suggesting that YA-TBT-S may be an adjunctive treatment. Participants reported reductions in ED symptomatology (AN and BN), increases in BMI (AN and ARFID), and reductions in clinical impairment (AN and ARFID) at 12-month follow-up. Conclusions YA-TBT-S is a feasible and acceptable adjunctive treatment for young adults with a broad range of ED diagnoses and may be a method for involving parents in ED treatment in ways that are acceptable to both parents and YA. Further evaluation of efficacy is needed in larger samples, and to compare YA-TBT-S to other ED treatment approaches. Plain English summary Eating disorders are costly and dangerous psychiatric disorders that affect millions of individuals each year. Despite their risks and societal costs, currently available treatments are limited. This study examined the acceptability and efficacy of Young Adult, Temperament-Based Treatment with Supports (YA-TBT-S), a new treatment program for adults with eating disorders. YA-TBT-S was rated highly, and a significant portion of participants improved based on ratings collected 12 months after program participation. Those with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) showed significant reductions in eating disorder pathology, and those with AN and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) showed increases in BMI over time.


Food Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (S3) ◽  
pp. 75-82
Author(s):  
A.N. Pahlavie ◽  
E. Probosari ◽  
A.F.A. Tsani ◽  
F.F. Dieny

The trend of obesity is increasing among women of childbearing age, especially among female students. In addition to implications on health, obesity also has psychological implications that lead to eating disorders. Several factors that have influenced eating disorders in obese female students include age, body image, obesity level, stress level and social pressure. This study was aimed to analyze the factors that influence eating disorders (obesity level, body image, stress level and social pressure) in obese female students. A cross-sectional study design with ninety obese female students age 19-25 was conducted at Diponegoro University using the simple random sampling technique. Data of eight, height, waist circumference and hip circumference were collected. Eating disorders were measured by Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26) and advanced modification questions adopted from the Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale (EDDS). Body image was measured by the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ). The stress level was obtained by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) questionnaire. Social pressure was obtained using the Perceived Sociocultural Pressure Scale (PSPS) questionnaire. This data was analyzed on the Pearson correlation and multiple linear of regression. Significant relationships were observed between age (p = 0.009, r = 0.275), body image (p = 0.000, r = 0.649), and social pressure (p = 0,000, r = 0.461) on eating disorder. Otherwise, there was no significant relationship between obesity and stress level with eating disorder (p>0.05). This study can be concluded that body image and social pressure were the factors that influenced eating disorder in obese female students.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Westmoreland ◽  
Phillip S Mehler

Feeding and eating disorders are defined by persistent disturbance of eating (or behaviors related to eating) with subsequent changes in consumption or absorption of nutrition that are detrimental to physical health and social functioning. The following eating disorders are described in the DSM-5: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, pica, rumination disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED), and unspecified feeding or eating disorder (USFED). ARFID, OSFED, USFED, rumination disorder, and binge eating disorder are new additions to the manual and are first described in the DSM-5. The DSM-5 also provides severity specifiers—mild, moderate, severe, and extreme—for the diagnoses of bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. This review describes the eating disorders enumerated in the DSM-5 and provides information regarding their genesis and course. This review contains 8 tables and 79 references Key words: avoidant/restrictive eating disorder, binge eating disorder, DSM-5, eating disorder, other specified feeding or eating disorder, pharmacotherapy, pica rumination, psychotherapy, unspecified feeding or eating disorder


1977 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 245-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. D. Slade

synopsisTwo alternative explanations of the body-image abnormality in anorexia nervosa patients are outlined: namely, the ‘abnormal sensitivity’ and ‘adaptational failure’ hypotheses. Evidence relating to these 2 conflicting hypotheses was obtained from body-perception measurements carried out on groups of pregnant women.In the first study 40 pregnant women, at approximately 4 months' duration, were found to overestimate their bodily dimensions, albeit to a lesser extent than the previously tested group of anorexia nervosa patients (Slade & Russell, 1973a). When they were subdivided on the basis of a history of weight change over the previous 12 months, the ‘stable weight’ subgroup was found to overestimate significantly more than the ‘weight gain’ and ‘weight loss’ subgroups.In a second study 16 of the original group of pregnant women were retested at approximately 8 months' duration. Although their weight and bodily dimensions had increased on retesting, their tendency to overestimate was found to be significantly reduced.It was concluded that the phenomenon of body-image disorder is not specific to anorexia nervosa, extending not only to patients with obesity and to some normal women, but also to women during pregnancy. Moreover, the ‘abnormal sensitivity’ hypothesis was considered to fit these and other recently accumulated data better than the alternative ‘adaptational failure’ hypothesis. Some of the theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.


Author(s):  
Lorenzo Moccia ◽  
Eliana Conte ◽  
Marianna Ambrosecchia ◽  
Delfina Janiri ◽  
Salvatore Di Pietro ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose Anorexia nervosa-restrictive subtype (AN-R) is a life-threatening disorder relying on behavioural abnormalities, such as excessive food restriction or exercise. Such abnormalities may be secondary to an “objectified” attitude toward body image and self. This is the first study exploring the impact of anomalous self-experience (ASEs) on abnormal body image attitude and eating disorder (ED) symptomatology in individuals with AN-R at onset. Methods We recruited Italian female participants, 40 with AN-R (mean age 18.3 ± 2.3) and 45 age and educational level-matched healthy controls (HCs) (mean age 18.2 ± 2.6). ASEs, body image attitude, and ED symptom severity were assessed through the examination of anomalous self-experience (EASE), the body uneasiness test (BUT), and the eating disorder examination questionnaire (EDE-Q), respectively. We conducted multivariate analysis of variance to investigate distribution patterns of variables of interest, and mediation analysis to test the effect of ASEs and body image on ED symptomatology. Results Individuals with AN-R scored higher than HCs on the EASE (p < .0001). A direct effect of ASEs on ED severity (p = 0.009; bootstrapped LLCI = 0.067, ULCI = 0.240) was found in AN-R. After modelling the effect of abnormal body image attitude, the relationship between EASE total score and ED symptomatology was significantly mediated by BUT (p = 0.002; bootstrapped LLCI = 0.001, ULCI = 0.172). Conclusion Although the exact pathways linking AN-R to self-disorder remain to be identified, a broader exploration of transdiagnostic features in AN, including explorations of different dimensions of self-experience and intersubjectivity, may shed further light on the clinical phenomenology of the disorder. Level of evidence Level III, case–control analytic study.


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