What Are the Treatments for Anorexia Athletica?

Anorexia athletica is also known as compulsive exercise. Those who suffer from anorexia athletica differ from healthy avid exercisers in that workouts take over their daily lives. Compulsive exercisers continue to work out beyond more than is necessary to be in good health. This is because they feel an inherent need to, in order to avoid anxiety and guilt. There are a variety of treatment options for anorexia athletica, depending on the severity. Treatments may include medical attention, therapy, nutritional help, and/or hospitalization. Treating anorexia athletica may take months or years.

Signs and Symptoms

• Anorexia and compulsive exercising are the two main components of anorexia athletica. Sufferers get nutrients depleted from their bodies as a result of excessive workouts. Individuals who have anorexia athletica will not skip workouts, even if they are sick or injured. They may even miss work and social activities in order to exercise. Anorexia athletica sufferers are never satisfied with their achievements as a result of working out and are always thinking about their weight and exercising. They may lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time, but are still wary of relaxing because they want to continuously burn calories. Sometimes they will exercise twice as much after overeating or as a result of missing a workout session.

Medical Attention

• A doctor must be consulted if anorexia athletica is suspected. The doctor will assess any damage that has been done to the body, externally and internally. Compulsive exercising can lead to damage of bones, cartilage, ligaments, joints and tendons. In addition, muscle mass can be destroyed, because of the body's physical over-exertion combined with poor eating habits. A patient may need to see a physical therapist, depending on the severity of bodily damage.

Therapy

• Most individuals with anorexia athletica also suffer from depression and anxiety. Although exercising is done to help them keep such emotions at bay, it actually makes matters worse. It is a vicious cycle that is hard to overcome without the help of professional therapy sessions. By seeing a therapist, an anorexia athletica sufferer will likely have an improved self-image and self-esteem.

Nutritional Help

• Anorexia athletica affects an individual's eating habits as well. They may exercise so much that any nutrients that are consumed are depleted before they have a chance to nourish the body. Or, they might skip out on meals for fear of taking in calories. Healthy diet habits can be learned again with the help of a nutritionist.

Hospitalization

• Extreme cases of anorexia athletica can result in hospitalization in order to help the patient gain back weight so that they are within a normal range of body weight. Hospitalization is a last resort for sufferers of anorexia athletica. Most sufferers know that they have a problem, and if they choose to acknowledge and fix it, they are treated with other methods, like therapy. However, those who end up in the hospital tend to be anorexia athletica sufferers who truly believe that their behavior is healthy and normal. These individuals have such low self-esteem that personal achievements do not satisfy them. Some sufferers are even professional athletes.