Beyond the Torment: To The Bone

"Wounds don't heal with sorrow"

Caring for a loved one with an eating disorder may be a daunting experience, especially if you are new to the road. One ought to understand what is the nature of the persistent disorder.

A few maybe be affected with Anorexia nervosa, and a few with Bulimia.

This post solely focuses on Anorexia Nervosa, Its symptoms, precautions, cure, etc., through the lens of the movie names: To the Bone.

Directed by Marti Noxon, the 2017 American drama film To the Bone. The story follows a young woman, played by Lily Collins, who struggles with Anorexia.

Ellen is a rambunctious 20-year-old anorexic girl who spent the better part of her adolescence dragged through several treatment clinics, only to emerge several pounds lighter each time. Her unstable family agrees to transfer her to a group home for kids run by a non-traditional doctor to find a solution. Ellen, taken aback by the unorthodox regulations, must figure out how to confront her addiction and attempt self-acceptance for herself.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder characterized by low body weight, a great fear of gaining weight, and erroneous beliefs about importance, form, and the desire to be small.

Anorexia nervosa is a complicated disorder: significant weight reduction or a low body mass index. Despite the considerable weight loss, a person with atypical Anorexia nervosa may be of average weight.

Other physical indications and symptoms of nutritional deficiency include:

• significant muscle mass loss

• listlessness, tiredness, or fatigue

• blood pressure is too low

• dizziness or lightheadedness

• hypothermia (low body temperature with cold hands and feet)

• dry skin, bloated or disturbed stomach

• Hands and feet that are swollen

• hair thinning

• Menstruation cessation or less frequent periods

• Infertility/insomnia

• bone density reduction, increasing the risk of fractures

• brittle nails

• constipation

• heartbeats that are irregular or abnormal

• Lanugo, which is acceptable downy body hair increased facial hair

• People who vomit regularly have poor breath and tooth decay.

The individual may also exhibit the following behaviors:

• restricting their overall food intake or the variety of foods they consume, being too concerned with weight, body size, diets, calories, and nutrition, exercising excessively, taking laxatives, or inducing vomiting

• evaluating their physical weight and size, regularly discussing being "big" or being overweight, denying feeling hungry or skipping mealtimes

• creating food routines, such as eating items in a precise order cooking for others without eating, withdrawing from friends, and social contact displaying despair.

Anorexia nervosa is frequently characterized by concerns about body weight and shape; However, these may not be the primary causes. Experts are unsure why the syndrome occurs, but genetic, environmental, biochemical, and other variables may all be involved.

Anorexia nervosa can also emerge as a strategy for some people to seek control over a part of their lives. Controlling one's food intake feels like an accomplishment to the person, so the behavior continues.

Risk Factors

A person's chance of developing anorexia nervosa can be increased by several variables, including:

previous criticism over their eating habits, weight, or body type

a history of teasing or bullying, particularly about weight or body type

a sense of social or professional pressure to be thin, low self-esteem, and anxiety

possessing an obsessional or perfectionist personality

sexual exploitation

a history of dietary pressure to conform to societal values that are not their own, such as racism

However, many people suffering from anorexia benefit from counseling. The most well-established therapies for binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa are CBT and IPT. FBT is the most well-established therapy for children and adolescents suffering from anorexia nervosa and may also help those suffering from bulimia nervosa.