Disordered eating: A defense against psychosis?

✍ Scribed by Hugo, Philippa J. ;Lacey, J. Hubert

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 97 KB
• Volume: 24
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0276-3478
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1098-108x(199811)24:3<329::aid-eat12>3.0.co;2-r

✦ Synopsis

The authors present four cases suffering with either bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa in conjunction with a psychotic illness. In all cases there appeared to be a reciprocal relationship between the eating disorder and psychosis such that improvement in eating precipitated or exacerbated the psychotic symptoms. We suggest that disordered eating serves as a defense against psychosis. Difficulties in treating such patients are discussed.