UM ESTUDO DE CASO DE ANOREXIA NERVOSA: desafios e possibilidades na terapia cognitivo-comportamental

Abstract

The propagation of a thin body culture and an aesthetic standard to be followed by society has increased the incidence and prevalence of eating disorders. These disorders, related to body image distortion, have been growing exponentially in several countries around the world. They are increasingly characterized as an area of interest for health professionals, however, there are still few Brazilian studies on the treatment of these pathologies from the point of view of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. Eating disorders are conditions known for aspects such as the morbid fear of gaining weight, voluntary reduction in nutritional consumption, massive food intake followed by vomiting and abusive use of laxatives and/or diuretics. These are serious pathologies with little discussed prognosis, which, in turn, bring patients biopsychosocial damage and high levels of lethality, in addition to suffering for families. In this way, the present article brings the experience with an illustrative case of anorexia nervosa, thinking about its form of evaluation and intervention. Based on the reporting and recording models, the cognitive-behavioral therapist describes the contingencies of which a behavior is a function, its beliefs and life history. Such information can help to understand the development of anorexia, and thus teach the patient ways to manage the disorder.