Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is not an uncommon disorder. You would surely come across if you have rotated on adolescent floor (ward) of Pediatrics.
What is one peculiar educational point you would like to point about Anorexia?
I will go first. I have seen such patients doing physical exercise with freakish fervor. I remember we were rounding and here is one patient who was doing exercise (behind the curtains, that was a semi-private room) despite being absolutely emaciated. When she saw us coming, she kind of stopped.
one key thing about Anorexia nervosa is that even when someone is very underweight, they may still feel they’re not thin enough and keep pushing themselves.
People suffering with anorexia deal with a lot self-scrutiny, they tend to be harsh on themselves regarding their weight even though they have a healthy weight. This often leads to starving themselves, low self-confidence and criticizing oneself about their body image.
This affects both their physical and mental health.
Really highlights how complex anorexia is—especially how patients may continue excessive exercise despite severe weakness. The psychological aspect plays a huge role here.