EATING DISORDERS

Anorexia nervosa
A serious and potentially life-threatening condition predominantly characterised by a maintenance of body weight 15% below that which is typical for the person's age and height, an intense wish to be thin and, in women, cessation of periods (amenorrhoea) that is often seen before the weight loss. It is seen predominantly in women and usually begins in mid to late teens.

The psychological features include: intense fear of gaining weight and becoming fat and a persistent and relentless pursuit of a low body weight. The person may also experience body dysmorphia, believing themself to be excessively fat even though they are severely underweight. They adopt drastic and inadvisable methods to control their weight such as setting very low daily calorific limits, indulging in excessive exercise and sometimes purging to lose weight. There are two types: (i) restricting and (ii) binge-purge type.

Bulimia nervosa
Unlike anorexia, sufferers are usually of normal weight and the condition is characterised by binging and purging (by vomiting or the use of laxatives). They usually do not value their bingeing and vomiting and they irrationally fear weight gain should they resume a normal eating routine.

Why choose Hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy can be successful with treating anorexic and bulimic types and those with mixed presentation, especially when used as an adjunct to more conventional therapy as may be prescribed by a GP.