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Once evaluated as psychological disorders, it is nowadays known that eating disorders namely anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are sever medical-neurological disorders influenced by psychosocial factors. Recognizing that eating disorders are true physiological-neurological disorders renders their treatment to classical psychopharmacological interventions. Advanced understanding of both the pathophysiology leading to these disorders as well as properly advanced treatments makes today the treatment and full recovery from eating disorders possible. In addition to the biological etiology of these disorders, psychological as well as external influences as cloth fashion being thin, influence and drive the individual along specific roads like initiation and maintenance of eating disorders.

Anorexia – Characteristics

The individuals with anorexia refuse to maintain a minimal body weight recommended for their age and height. Along with not keeping this minimal "healthy" body weight, a constant devastating fear of gaining weight occupies this individual’s thoughts whether it’s a he or a she. A profound distorted self perception of body shape and weight is found.

Usually weight loss is accomplished initially by reducing the amount of food one consumes and only later on one turns to strict diets and exclusion of specific foods which are perceive as fattening from one’s diet. In most cases, eventually one ends up “eating” limited number of foods in minute quantities. In order to loose weight the individual turns to self-induced vomiting, heavy misusage of laxatives or diuretics and excessive physical exercising.  The patients may employ various methods to “estimate” their shape and weight like turning to excessive multiple weighing, constant observing their mirror-image etc. Their self-esteem is highly dependent on their success in reducing weight or by succeeding in managing and conquering their hungry thoughts and strive to eat. Weight loss seems a triumph for self-control and is appreciative for self-discipline whereas weight-gain is perceived as a devastating unacceptable failure.

Patients with eating disorders most often DENY the serious medical condition and implications of their disorder. The individual having anorexia is often brought for treatment by worried family-members after marked weight loss. Frequently they lack insight or have considerable denial of their state and consequently are unreliable about reporting their own medical history. Trying to conceal their situation the individual may lie or use heavy emotional blackmailing of the surrounding.  Using “it is very sad to see that you don’t believe me…” it’s very sad that we got to the point where you want to take me to the doctor against my will” and so on and so forth are just examples of how the person with anorexia may try to facilitate guilt feelings and avoid professional involvement. With the direct approach one might declare of his wish to eat, recover, get better and likewise, yet with no real effort to actually do so.  

Changes in personality and medical condition

Most often especially under advanced and prolong weight loss depressed mood as well as tendency to reside and stay in one’s room avoiding any social interactions are commonly found. Irritable behaviors and disturbed sleep patterns are common. Introversion behaviors in addition to perfectionism are also evident alongside rigid selfishness and anxiety. Obsessive thoughts regarding food, calories and weight intrude constantly and may generalize and spread to other areas of daily living to include topics as eating publicly, opening and closing of the mouth, teeth brushing etc.

In addition to the above psychological changes that are commonly found in anorexia, different physical symptoms including constipation, stomachaches, intolerance to even mild cool-temperatures or general apathy are common. Some may develop dryness and yellow coloring of the skin, and fine hair on their low-body parts may start to grow.

Often, even after relative short time of knockout diets as well as self- induced vomiting and weight loss, kidney, dental and cardiovascular disturbances may threaten one’s lives. 

Gender, age, coarse and familial features of anorexia

Anorexia is common in western industrial countries and usually starts at early adolescence between the ages of 12 to 18 years. Despite the fact that most cases started during the adolescent years, sporadic cases were found among women older than forty years. More than 90% of the cases of anorexia occur in girls and women while only seldom anorexia is found among boys and men.

A genetic factor has been identified in the disorder thus implicating that elevated risk of having anorexia is seen once having a first-degree biological relative suffering from the disorder. In some instances only one anorexic style or attack would be observed during the entire live. In other cases either a relapsing – remitting anorexic style would be evident or a slow deteriorating state has been observed despite intensive efforts of both the medical and psychological staff that were involved.

In different cases hospitalization would be unavoidable to maintain weight threshold and stabilization of the deteriorating girl, both medically and psychologically. Statistical data indicate that even after hospitalization took place, the disorder has claimed the lives of 10% of the hospitalized anorexic girls despite utmost efforts practiced.

Advanced diagnosis and treatment

The diagnosis and treatment of anorexia involves the extended diagnosis of the medical condition as well as thorough characterization of the psychological, psychosocial and familial state of the girl involved.

A crucial part of the neuropsychological evaluation should be extended to diagnose the neurophysiological function in order to eliminate or minimize the distorted perception and denial leading to relapsing anorexic situation as well as the hazardous medical condition.

A novel non-invasive, accurate, easy to perform biophysical method (BDTAK) has recently been introduced for the diagnoses of specific risk factors leading to anorexia and the harsh distorted perceptions, which consequently open new therapeutic avenues. Moreover, BDTAK makes possible to identify the genetic component as well as the relative efficacy of the medications employed. By running a comprehensive diagnosis and efficacy monitoring of the means employed utilizing BDTAK makes today possible to win the battle over anorexia.