Pooky has a long history of anorexia and felt like she was constantly walking through the revolving doors of illness and recovery. When hospitalised for anorexia in 2017, she was diagnosed with autism. This led to a radical revision of her treatment, and she finally found herself able to understand and take a grip on the illness that had controlled her for so long. In this talk, Pooky will share some of the lessons learned along the way and provide some ideas for how we might tailor our support for eating disorder patients on the autistic spectrum.
anorexia
Fi’s journey to understanding her anorexia and autism
In this heartfelt journey of self-discovery, Christine McGuinness uncovers a hidden world of thousands of autistic women who, like her, have been ignored by science and society. Find out more about anorexia and autism.
Autism-anorexia link ‘must be acted on’
The NHS must change the way it assesses eating disorders to take account of a link with autism, a research charity has said.
Autistica said findings suggested one in five women presenting to UK clinics with anorexia may also have autism and tailored therapy was vital.
One woman said her autism had made her “obsessed” with counting calories, even though she did not want to lose weight.
Health watchdog NICE said more research was required.
Sophie McInnes, 24, told the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme her anorexia had developed not from issues surrounding body image or weight but because she had developed a set of rules for herself about how many calories she could eat.
She said she had wanted to put on weight but her autism – at that stage undiagnosed – had meant she would not let herself.
“It was all about the calories, all about the numbers,” she said, having begun to write down what she was eating aged 19.
“I actually admitted myself into the eating disorder unit because I had started exercising a lot and I wasn’t eating anything.
“They put me in a wheelchair and said my weight was so low that if I didn’t eat, I would need to be sectioned.”
Read the rest of the article here.
Anorexia nervosa – an overview
Anorexia is an eating disorder and serious mental health condition.
People who have anorexia try to keep their weight as low as possible by not eating enough food or exercising too much, or both. This can make them very ill because they start to starve.
They often have a distorted image of their bodies, thinking they are fat even when they are underweight.
Men and women of any age can get anorexia, but it’s most common in young women and typically starts in the mid-teens.
Signs and symptoms of anorexia
Signs and symptoms of anorexia include:
if you’re under 18, your weight and height being lower than expected for your age
if you’re an adult, having an unusually low body mass index (BMI)
missing meals, eating very little or avoiding eating any foods you see as fattening
believing you are fat when you are a healthy weight or underweight
taking medication to reduce your hunger (appetite suppressants)
your periods stopping (in women who have not reached menopause) or not starting (in younger women and girls)
physical problems, such as feeling lightheaded or dizzy, hair loss or dry skin
Some people with anorexia may also make themselves sick, do an extreme amount of exercise, or use medication to help them poo (laxatives) or to make them pee (diuretics) to try to stop themselves gaining weight from any food they do eat.
Read more about the symptoms of anorexia and warning signs in others.
Getting help for anorexia
Getting help and support as soon as possible gives you the best chance of recovering from anorexia.
If you think you may have anorexia, even if you are not sure, see your GP as soon as you can.
They will ask you questions about your eating habits and how you’re feeling, and will check your overall health and weight.
They may also refer you for some blood tests to make sure your weight loss is not caused by something else.
If they think you may have anorexia, or another eating disorder, they should refer you to an eating disorder specialist or team of specialists.
It can be very hard to admit you have a problem and to ask for help. It may make things easier if you bring a friend or loved one with you to your appointment.
You can also talk in confidence to an adviser from eating disorders charity Beat by calling its adult helpline on 0808 801 0677 or youth helpline on 0808 801 0711.
Getting help for someone else
If you’re concerned that a family member or friend may have anorexia, let them know you’re worried about them and encourage them to see their GP. You could offer to go along with them.
Read more about talking to your child about eating disorders and supporting someone with an eating disorder.
Treatment for anorexia
You can recover from anorexia, but it may take time and recovery will be different for everyone.
Your treatment plan will be tailored to you and should consider any other support you might need, such as for depression or anxiety.
If you are over 18, you should be offered a type of talking therapy to help you manage your feelings about food and eating so that you are able to eat enough to be healthy. Talking therapies that are commonly used to treat anorexia in adults include:
cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
Maudsley Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adults (MANTRA)
specialist supportive clinical management (SSCM)
If you are under 18, you should be offered family therapy. You may also be offered another type of talking therapy, such as CBT or adolescent-focused psychotherapy.
Read more about the treatments for anorexia.
Health risks of anorexia
Long-term anorexia can lead to severe health problems associated with not getting the right nutrients (malnutrition). But these will usually start to improve once your eating habits return to normal.
Possible complications include:
problems with muscles and bones – including feeling tired and weak, osteoporosis, and problems with physical development in children and young adults
fertility problems
loss of sex drive
problems with the heart and blood vessels – including poor circulation, an irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, heart valve disease, heart failure, and swelling in the feet, hands or face (oedema)
problems with the brain and nerves – including fits (seizures), and difficulties with concentration and memory
kidney or bowel problems
having a weakened immune system or anaemia
Anorexia can also put your life at risk. It’s one of the leading causes of deaths related to mental health problems. Deaths from anorexia may be due to physical complications or suicide.
Causes of anorexia
We don’t know exactly what causes anorexia and other eating disorders. You may be more likely to get an eating disorder if:
you or a member of your family has a history of eating disorders, depression, or alcohol or drug addiction
you have been criticised for your eating habits, body shape or weight
you are overly concerned with being slim, particularly if you also feel pressure from society or your job – for example, ballet dancers, jockeys, models or athletes
you have anxiety, low self-esteem, an obsessive personality or are a perfectionist
you have been sexually abused
Anorexia nervosa: why do so many people in the autism community have eating disorders as well? What is your experience?
Anorexia nervosa: why do so many people in the autism community have eating disorders as well? What is your experience?
In this video Mair and William discuss anorexia nervosa in autistic people, how it presents and how to support autistic people with the disorder. The interview was filmed for Network Autism at the National Autistic Society Professional Conference in 2018.
Anorexia nervosa in autistic people: an interview with Mair Elliott and Dr William Mandy from National Autistic Society on Vimeo.