Anorexia nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa as an Addiction: A Theoretical and Clinical Perspective Student's Name Institutional Affiliation Course Name Instructor's Name Due Date Anorexia Nervosa as an Addiction: A Theoretical and Clinical Perspective I. Introduction The psychiatric disorder Anorexia nervosa (AN) is self-starvation and weight loss that stems from intense fear of gaining weight and distorted perceptions of body shape. The behavioral symptoms of anorexia nervosa are similar to those of substance use disorders through compulsive behaviors and limited behavioral responses. Anorexia nervosa can be classified as an addiction because clients develop compulsive patterns of behavior that emotionally reward them through restrictive behaviors. Young adult women are the client population under study, and this paper examines the theoretical rationale that substantiates this conceptualization. The paper will discuss cultural issues before presenting an effective treatment approach and addressing potential counter-transference issues. II. Theoretical Framework: Anorexia Nervosa as an Addiction The emerging research illustrates that anorexia nervosa (AN) shows features that align with addiction disorders as opposed to traditional eating disorders. This view creates a new paradigm to account for both compulsive behavior and brain-based foundations alongside psychological factors that drive the disorder (Munro et al., 2016). Viewing AN as an addiction helps researchers to examine better why the disorder continues to affect patients in spite of its harmful nature, along with enabling them to recognize new treatment options. Compulsive Behavior and Reward System: Altered Brain Reward System Reinforcing Restrictive Behaviors Compulsiveness is the primary shared feature of addiction and anorexia nervosa disorders. Self-starved behavior and excessive exercising behavior are observed in AN patients even though they lead to serious medical complications and severe personal harm. These behaviors go beyond the level of habits because neurobiological changes are responsible for their reinforcement. The brain's reward system, which is controlled by dopamine, plays a basic function when people develop these habits. Studies have demonstrated that anorexia nervosa patients demonstrate faulty dopamine activity that impacts their healthcare program ordinance evaluation system. Eating triggers pleasure mainly because food stimuli activate dopamine pathways in common human experience (Munro et al., 2016). The brain response associated with pleasure from eating adjusts abnormally in AN patients since their system becomes unresponsive or functions contrary to this reaction, resulting in both a positive reaction to eating and a negative reaction to food consumption. After weight loss or starvation occurs, dopamine pathways become activated, yet this leads to both control over themselves and euphoric sensations in individuals with such mental disorders. Due to this neurological effect, individuals maintain harmful dietary choices because restrictive actions find unintended reinforcement even when the results are dangerous. Brain imaging shows that AN patients demonstrate increased activation within their reward systems while self-starving or reaching weight reduction targets. These experiences link to drug or alcohol consumption effects observed in individuals who have SUDs (Vasiliu, 2023). Habitual restrictive behaviors develop into compulsions after brain changes caused by reward system modification, making it progressively tough for people to escape their controlling patterns. Starvation functions as an unhealthy behavioral method that helps people manage their emotions. Anorexic behaviors help individuals with AN achieve temporary relief from intense emotions of anxiety along with shame and inadequacy (Van Den Berg et al., 2022). The emotional relief triggered by self-starvation causes the behavior to strengthen so that it creates an ongoing cycle that proves very challenging to break through counseling alone. Parallels with Substance Use Disorders: Similarities in Compulsive Behaviors and Withdrawal Symptoms The connection between anorexia nervosa and substance use disorders exists at multiple levels with biological similarities while sharing psychological and behavioral characteristics. These comparable health disorders center on the intense preoccupation with substances or behaviors (in cases of drugs or weight loss control) and display continuous involvement despite negative outcomes (Sanchez et al., 2022). The similarity in these characteristics is evidence that justifies applying addiction models to AN condition. Both conditions share comparable withdrawal experiences through symptom manifestation. When substance use stops, withdrawal causes physical symptoms together with psychological distress in people diagnosed with SUDs. Patients feel high emotional distress, including irritability, tight anxiety, and guilt when they cannot maintain their strict dietary limitations. The distress felt by those who need to consume forbidden foods produces sensations similar to withdrawal symptoms of substance addiction. Perfectionism and cognitive rigidity are the two primary pathways through which AN develops its connection with SUDs. The mental composition of people with anorexia nervosa features obsessive compulsiveness through their need for control alongside rigid thinking patterns (Clemente-Suárez et al., 2023). Three characteristic traits result in people exhibiting perfecting behaviors for food consumption and body image criteria, leading to sustained anorexia nervosa development. Cultural Implications: Societal Beauty Standards Exacerbating Body Image Concerns Anorexia nervosa develops and persists mainly because of cultural influences. Western culture promotes slenderness as its primary ideal beauty standard that matches modern personal achievement and empowerment methods that people use to define themselves. The unnatural standard of beauty receives support from social networks through their selective photo-sharing process for public posting. During their adolescent development phase, youthful female adults show heightened sensitivity to social opinions, so they become very vulnerable to outside influences, according to Allison et al. (2021). The societal norm of remaining thin creates an atmosphere that accepts food restriction as common practice and generates admiration. People who receive weight loss compliments from others can develop eating disorders because these compliments reinforce dangerous eating habits. The praise received from society about body shape prompts individuals to implement increasingly extreme approaches to body modification. The experience of anorexia nervosa and its treatment is significantly influenced by cultural norms. In some cultures, thinness is associated with illness rather than beauty, leading to less pressure to conform to specific body standards. However, these cultures are not immune to eating disorders. This highlights the urgent need for a cultural shift in beauty standards to reduce the prevalence of anorexia nervosa. III. Client Population: Young Adult Females The widespread occurrence of anorexia nervosa among young adult females remains concerning because they start developing symptoms during their teenage and early adulthood periods. Social demands create high susceptibility in this group since external pressures strongly influence the emergence and maintenance of AN. Vulnerability to Societal Pressures: Body Image Issues and Onset of Eating Disorders Younger women experience body image concerns primarily because of their pursuit to be slim, which society forc...