Othorexia nervosa is a term used for people who are obsessed with healthy and righteous eating. It is considered as a mental disorder but still it is not actually classified as one. People who have tendency to obsessively pay attention on their diet in a healthy sense may in extreme cases develop an unhealthy obsession and may even suffer from malnutrition. There is a growing trend regarding healthy consumption plan, the one that will provide with health, happiness and long life. Orthorexia nervosa is considered a serious problem and it may be hard to be identified. The disorder may be so severe that people abstain from social interactions simply because they focus only on food.
Presentation of Orthorexia Nervosa
The disorder may feature with obsession with healthy eating and subsequent loss of weight. People who are suffering from orthorexia nervosa usually have specific feelings related to different types of food. The actual cause of the attitude towards healthy eating may originate from a number of sources such as family habits, society trends, economic problems, recent illnesses or even negative information related to certain foods. This is why many foods are eliminated from one's diet. One analysis has confirmed that orthorexia nervosa is more prevalent in men and in people with a lower level of education.
The disorder may significantly interfere in other areas of a person's life. For instance, people create a specific system which allows them only to eat food based on its nutritional value. This is why in many cases the diet becomes very restrict and people tend to lose too much weigh. These people only consume "pure" foods and they even spend too much time thinking about healthy food and planning their menus. The progression of the disorder may cause gradual elimination of certain foods. Eating out becomes occasional, people begin to feel isolated from others and their restrictive diet prevents them from being a part of numerous social events. This is why patients suffering from orthorexia nervosa may develop depression and even obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Treatment for Orthorexia Nervosa
Steven Bratman, a person who gave the name to this disorder recommends several questions that may be helpful in determining whether the person suffers from orthorexia nervosa. These questions are the following:Does the person spend more than 3 to 4 hours per day thinking about healthy foods?Does one plan tomorrow's healthy menu in advance?Does one feel to have complete control when it comes to eating healthy food?Does one feel guilty if he/she go astray from the diet plan?Does one look down upon people who are not eating healthy as he/ she does?Has the healthy diet plan affected the quality of one's life?An honest answer to each of the previously mentioned question may help diagnosing a disorder. The treatment basically includes counseling and social support. These techniques are highly effective and may help the patient. And finally, medicamentous treatment is administered in case of certain deficiencies and malnourishment and in case a person has developed depression.
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