The Emily Program’s Post

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Viewing eating disorders through the lens of anosognosia can help us better understand those who enter treatment unaware of the toll of their eating disorder. Research suggests that up to 80% of those with restrictive eating disorders face impairment of insight regarding the severity of illness. If your patient has an eating disorder, it is crucial to understand that certain aspects of their illness may be beyond your patient's insight right now. What's essential is connecting them with treatment, regardless of how "well" or "normal" they feel. Fortunately, the impacts of anosognosia are not permanent. Renourishment and comprehensive care can restore the brain's normal processing and understanding of the reality of an eating disorder. Source: Vandereycken, 2006.

  • Title text reads: "Anosognosia and Eating Disorders." Beneath the title reads the following text: "Anosognosia: an impaired ability to recognize one's own illness," "Related to changes in the anatomical structure of the brain," "Often shows up in anorexia or other restrictive eating disorders, where brain function is impacted by malnutrition," "What it is: a brain condition," "What it isn't: denial," "Eating disorder implications: Lack of awareness about the severity of one's own disordered thoughts, symptoms, and behaviors," and "Decreased motivation for treatment.” On the right side of the graphic, there is an illustration of a woman with a downcast expression, a scribbled thought bubble sitting above her.
Ken Parodi

Chef, Primrose School at Danville

6mo

Thank you, very informative

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