Transcript Eating Disorders

Eating Disorders

Two Main Types
 Anorexia
Nervosa
 Bulimia Nervosa
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Largely a Caucasian Problem
Largely a Female Problem
Largely a Westernized Problem
Largely an Upper SES Problem
Serious Medical Problems, Including Death!
Bulimia Nervosa
Bingeing
 Sense of Lack of Control
 Compensatory Behavior
 Subtypes
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 Purging
 Nonpurging
Anorexia Nervosa
Fear of Gaining Weight and/or Losing
Control of Eating
 Deliberate Weight Loss
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 85%
of Normal Body Weight
Life-Threatening Consequences
 Two Subtypes
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 Restricting
 Bingeing-Purging
Bulimia and Anorexia
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Social and Cultural Factors
 Thinness
Equals Success
 Distorted View Has Increased Over Time
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Media
 Sets
Impossible Idealized Images
Bulimia and Anorexia
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Psychological and behavioral factors
 Perfectionistic
attitudes
 Distorted body image
 Preoccupation with food
 Mood intolerance
 Diminished Sense of Control
 Low Self-Esteem
Bulimia and Anorexia
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Familial
 Successful
and Driven
 Concerned about Appearances
 Eager to Maintain Harmony
 Deny or Ignore Conflicts
 Lack of Open Communication
Treatment of Eating Disorders
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Medical Treatments
 Bulimia
 Antidepressants can help reduce bingeing and purging
behavior
 Antidepressants are not efficacious in the long-term
 Anorexia
 There are none with demonstrated efficacy
Treatment of Bulimia Nervosa
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Psychosocial treatments
 Cognitive-behavioral
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Is the treatment of choice
Basic components of CBT
 Interpersonal
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therapy (CBT)
psychotherapy
Results in long-term gains similar to CBT
Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa
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Goals and Strategies
 Weight
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restoration
First and easiest goal to achieve
 Psychoeducation
 Behavioral
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and cognitive interventions
Target food, weight, body image, thought and emotion
 Treatment
often involves the family
 Long-term prognosis for anorexia is poorer than for
bulimia
Binge-Eating Disorder
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Experimental diagnostic category
Engage in food binges, but do not engage in
compensatory behaviors
Associated Features
 Many
individuals with binge-eating disorder are obese
 Most are older than bulimic and anorexic people
 Show more psychopathology than obese people who
do not binge
 Share similar concerns as anorexic and bulimic
people regarding body shape and weight
Other Eating Disorders
Rumination Disorder
 Pica
 Feeding Disorder
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 “Failure
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to Thrive Syndrome”
Obesity – Not an eating disorder, but a
major health problem, especially in the US
(could be in previous chapter)