Myths and Misconceptions Surrounding Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa is a severe eating disorder that is generally identified by the pathological fear of weight gain leading to extreme weight loss. Individuals who suffer from this disorder severely limit their consumption of food, to a point where they can't maintain a safe and healthy body weight. In addition to this, sufferers often exhibit behavioural changes in other aspects of their lives that may be detrimental to their well being.

Despite awareness campaigns, there are still several myths about Anorexia Nervosa that are circulating in popular culture. The main ones are listed below.

Myth: "Anorexia Nervosa is incurable."

Fact: Anorexia Nervosa is curable – as with most illnesses, the earlier the condition is detected, the better the prognosis of complete success. Research observations from around the world show that if patients undergo proper Anorexia Nervosa treatment and continue with it for the required time, then there is every possibility of full recovery.

Myth: "People with Anorexia Nervosa do not engage in binge eating."

Fact: This is a misconception that many people have. People with Anorexia may, at times, engage in binge eating. These bingeing episodes are followed by purging through the use of laxatives, vomiting, or excessive exercise.

Myth: "People with Anorexia Nervosa do not eat."

Fact: This idea is exaggerated, particularly in the earlier stages of the condition. Though individuals who suffer from Anorexia are very restrictive about the food they eat and keep to quite drastic diets, they are human beings and, therefore, need to eat to survive. Generally, to achieve the goal of having a slim body, anorexics stay away from foods that are high or even moderate in calories. As the condition progresses, the amount of food ingested does decrease until the point where it can become life-threatening. So, it is essential not to wait for things to get to that point before help from a professional Eating Disorder Specialist in London is sought.

Apart from these myths, one common area of confusion is Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa.

Although some of the symptoms of Anorexia may bear a resemblance to those of Bulimia Nervosa, each of these two common types of eating disorder has various distinctive features. The critical point that one needs to understand is that people with eating disorders can have oscillatory behaviours, and Anorexics can become Bulimics or vice versa.

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Created on Jan 16th 2020 06:47. Viewed 358 times.

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