How to Cure Anorexia and Bulimia

The anorexia and bulimia are complex eating disorders that require multifaceted treatment, generally under the supervision of mental and physical health professionals. Food, in fact, isn't the primary problem; rather, it's important to get to the root of the discomfort and deepen the human relationship with patients.

Index of topics

Anorexia and bulimia in Italy

Anorexia Eating disorders and bulimia in Italy are increasingly taking on the characteristics of a youth epidemic. There are now 3 million adolescents with serious eating disorders, and the onset of the condition has also shortened, and it predominantly affects young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 and very young people between the ages of 12 and 17. Recovery is slow and uncertain, and to attempt it requires the involvement of not only family members but also a team of therapists that includes a nutritionist, a doctor, and a psychologist. According to calculations, of the American Psychiatric Association (PSA), Recovery times, when the therapy works, are no less than 57-79 months.

Symptoms

Recognize the symptoms of the patient in advance who is already on the road toanorexia and bulimia is very important to define an effective therapy in time.

The most obvious symptoms, which should not be underestimated, are:

Obsessive weight control: it is usually also accompanied by a daily examination of the body and a maniacal attention to what one eats;
A strong one weight change which can be more or less
A physical exercise compulsive, stubborn and often beyond his means;
Binge eating followed from self-induced vomiting;
An excessive use of diuretics and laxatives.

Sufferers anorexia and bulimia, adds to these symptoms behaviors inspired by reticence, denial of the problem and refusal of confrontation.

At what weight are you anorexic?

There is no precise weight threshold below which the diagnosis is made.anorexia, which affects women in over 90 percent of cases. The first signs appear around age 12, and specialists generally use a guideline to raise the alarm: a body weight that is more than 15 percent lower than the normal weight for age and sexOr a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 17 or less: the value is calculated as the ratio between weight in kilograms and the square of height in meters.

Cures and treatments

What can we do to slow down the long wave ofanorexia? Drugs don't help, especially in children. Three levels of intervention are needed: familiar, nutritional e psychological. First of all, the boys who suffer from food disorders They need the warmth and serenity of their family, and they must be cared for. Even in specialized facilities, if necessary. As for the psychological aspect, let's convince ourselves that it is a form of addiction, like drugs and alcohol, and must be addressed as such. Finally, nutrition: the sooner we teach our children the value and meaning of food, the less likely they will be to slide into the gray area ofanorexia.

Therapy

There are three types of therapies:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): It is one of the most effective approaches to treating eating disorders. It helps change distorted thoughts and behaviors about food, weight, and body.
Family therapy: especially useful for adolescents, involving the family in the healing process to improve communication and emotional support.
Individual psychotherapy: to explore the psychological and emotional causes that lead to eating disorders and to develop coping strategies.

The first therapy against theanorexia And bulimia is listening, accompanied by the rediscovery of feelings that help build relationships: tenderness, empathy, sharing. Lots of kisses, Hugs and caresses.

The nutritionist

In addition to purely psychological therapies, interdisciplinary work with other specialists is also available. A specialized nutritionist or dietitian can help plan a balanced and safe diet to restore body weight and correct any nutritional deficiencies. They can also help develop a healthier and more peaceful relationship with food through nutrition education.

Drugs

In some cases, medications, such as antidepressants (SSRIs), may be necessary to treat comorbid conditions like depression or anxiety that often accompany eating disorders. If there are serious physical complications (such as extreme weight loss, electrolyte imbalances, or organ damage), intensive medical treatment is required, which may include hospitalization.

Where is it treated?anorexia

There are two levels of places where they take care of themselves anorexia and bulimia in Italy. Milder cases are managed in outpatient clinics, more complex cases in day and residential centers, such as Francisci Palace in Todi, a true center of excellence for these pathologies, led by Laura Della Ragione. Overall, the day centers, public and private, in Italy there are 146But there's a marked regional disparity. In Puglia, for example, there's a complete lack of centers for hospitalization and residential rehabilitation. In Calabria, there's only one outpatient clinic. In Sardinia, there's only one residential facility. The mirror, which, however, works very well. Local health authorities (ASL) in all the regions of Southern Italy lack competent and specialized staff for the treatment of eating disorders. In the southern regions, the only public residential facility for people suffering from eating disorders is located in Chiaromonte, in the province of Potenza, and welcomes patients from Campania, Calabria, and the islands.

Specialized centers

We didn't even have time to get a complete mapping of the Centers where it is possible to treat eating disorders, and the Ministry of Health had to take note of the collapse of the beds allocated for these treatments. Specialized centers, according to the latest census of the Higher Institute of Health, have dropped from 164 to less than one hundred. The cuts also affected very important structures, such as the San Raffaele in Milan, where the beds for anorexia and bulimia have been reduced from 20 to 5. Meanwhile, the number of people covered by the National Health Service for eating disorders has increased from 2,3 to 3,6 million. This represents an increase of 56 percent. To find a center closer to the patient's residence, it is possible to refer to associations such as National Eating Disorders Association (ANDA) or consult the Regional Health Service. Otherwise just go to This Page and find the nearest Center for the treatment of eating and nutrition disorders.

I feed on life non-profit organization

Faced with gaps in the healthcare network for patients suffering from eating disorders, various volunteer organizations are fighting with a specific goal: increasing resources to combat the epidemic. The non-profit organization is at the forefront. I feed on life, founded and chaired by Stefano Tavilla after the death of his daughter Giulia, aged just 17, shortly before being admitted to a specialized center. Among the requests presented by the associations to the Ministry of Health is to classify eating disorders among the minimum services to which citizens are entitled within the National Health Service. And to separate eating disorders from the category of psychiatric fragility: this would provide more resources and personnel to the care network for anorexia and bulimia.

How are anorexia and bulimia treated?