Indeed, a patients lack of concern for the problem has long been a defining feature of anorexia nervosa.
In some populations of anorexia nervosa patients, this percentage may be lower.
Denial of illness is common in people with eating disorders.
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In fact, lack of insight into the severity of illness is a defining feature of anorexia nervosa.
Patients may be extremely emaciated, yet believe they are overweight.
However, the condition has more recently been renamedanosognosia.
More recently the term began to also be applied to psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Brain imaging studies seem to indicate a brain connection between anosognosia and these conditions.
Applying the term anosognosia to anorexia nervosa makes sense because we know that thebrain is affected by malnutrition.
Implications
Viewing anorexia nervosa through the lens of anosognosia has significant ramifications.
This increases the potential risks for medical problems as well as a long course of illness.
This is one reason there is often a need for more intensive treatment such as residential care.
It’s more likely that they are incapable of insight.
you’ve got the option to be firm and insist on treatment for them.
Dr. Vandereycken writes that communicating with someone who has an eating disorder but denies it is not easy.
Fortunately, the brain recovers with renourishment and a return to a healthy weight.
Motivation and insight usually return in time for the individual to tackle the remainder of their own recovery.
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