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Restrictive Food Intake Disorder And Anorexia Nervosa

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Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder and Anorexia Nervosa are disorders classified as “eating and feeding disorders” in the DSM-V. An eating disorder is most commonly defined as “any of a range of psychological disorders characterized by abnormal or disturbed eating habits.” Unfortunately, eating and feeding disorders are seldom recognized as extremely prevalent or in desperate need of help. According to the Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. With that being said, Anorexia Nervosa and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder are two disorders that deserve proper recognition and discussion. In order to properly recognize the prevalence and importance of these disorders, it is vital to understand them. To understand these two disorders will require a deeper look into the classifications, diagnosis, symptoms, and prevalence of each disorder. It will also be important to discuss the differences in approaches to treating these two disorders. Anorexia Nervosa and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, while similar, are two completely different disorders; both deserving of proper understanding and recognition. Anorexia Nervosa is perhaps one of, if not the most well-known eating disorder. Anorexia Nervosa is the condition of a lack or loss of appetite and is also classified as an emotional disorder characterized by an obsessive desire to lose weight by refusing to eat.

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