Mental health articles

Anna is 13 years old. She is the middle child of three siblings. She is intelligent,sensitive and particularly enjoys cooking for her family and friends. She has a caring nature and, like her mother, is described as a ‘perfectionist’.

Annahas a small circle of very close friends. They all enjoy shopping togetherfor the latest fashions and avidly follow celebrity news and fashion/make-upadvice. Recently, they all decided to try a new diet. Initially, they were allvery motivated but after a short while they stopped the diet. Anna, however,continued the diet rigidly. She also began an exercise regime consisting ofjogging, aerobics and swimming. This regime increased to twice daily. Her friends commented that they rarely saw Anna as she was always busy with all her new exercise activities and when they did meet her she appeared dishevelled, withdrawn and irritable. Her family noticed that, instead of wearing her normal figure-hugging clothes, she was wearing baggy jeans and over sizedjumpers.

One day at school, Anna collapsed and her mother was called to accompany her to the hospital where she was shocked to see her daughter’s emaciatedbody and Anna’s retort, ‘I’m not underweight; I need to lose weight!’

Tags: anorexia nervosa, case study