Long -Term Hospitalization for Anorexia Nervosa (A Case Report)

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder in which a person refuses to stay at even the minimum body weight considered normal for their age and height. Persons with this disorder may have an intense fear of weight gain and a distorted body image. Inadequate eating or excessive exercising results in severe weight loss. The exact cause of anorexia nervosa is not known, but social attitudes towards body appearance, as well as family factors, are believed to play a role. It usually begins in adolescence and more prevalent in female than male. This report addresses positive effects of long-term hospitalization in treatment of anorexia nervosa. The Case: A case of 20-years girl was admitted to Women Psychiatric Ward of Farabi Hospital by persistence of her family. Main symptoms were losing weight, avoiding to eat, believing to obesity. Non-medication therapies accompanied with medicine therapy was considered during her hospitalization period (six months). She was discharged with relative improvement in her weight and appetite. Anorexia nervosa did not lose its relatively poor prognosis in the last decades. Advances in etiology and treatment may improve the course of patients with anorexia nervosa in the future. Therapeutic achievements using combined methods with long term treatment were successful in this case.