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Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa

Understand the Condition and Effective Pathways to Recovery

Anorexia Nervosa is a serious and potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterised by restrictive eating, an intense fear of weight gain, and a distorted perception of body image. Beyond food and weight, anorexia reflects complex interactions between psychological distress, emotional regulation, identity, and physiological dysregulation. Although the condition can be deeply entrenched, recovery is possible with timely, comprehensive, and carefully structured treatment.

Understand Anorexia Nervosa

Effective Treatments for Anorexia Nervosa

Medical and nutritional stabilisation is the first priority. Restoring weight and correcting malnutrition are essential for cognitive clarity, emotional regulation, and therapeutic engagement. Nutritional rehabilitation is carefully managed to minimise physical risk and psychological distress, with attention to metabolic, hormonal, and gastrointestinal health.

Psychological therapies form the core of long-term recovery. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy-Enhanced (CBT-E) is one of the most evidence-based treatments for anorexia, targeting restrictive behaviours, body-image distortion, and perfectionistic thinking. Psychodynamic and attachment-based therapies explore deeper emotional drivers, identity issues, and relational patterns that sustain the disorder. When trauma is present, trauma-informed approaches are introduced carefully and only after stabilisation.

Nervous-system regulation and emotional safety are critical. Anorexia is often accompanied by chronic anxiety, emotional shutdown, or hyper-control. Somatic therapies, mindfulness, breathwork, gentle movement, and body-based interventions help restore interoceptive awareness, reduce rigidity, and rebuild trust in bodily signals.

Medication may be used selectively to address co-occurring conditions such as anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive traits, though medication alone is not an effective treatment for anorexia. It is most helpful as an adjunct to nutritional and psychotherapeutic care.

The Role of Structure, Containment, and Pacing

Long-Term Recovery and Relapse Prevention

Conclusion