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Pregorexia - Anorexia that Dangers Pregnant Mothers and their Children
There are many factors that go into the cause of an eating disorder, and each woman who arrives here in Southern California to seek help from our eating disorder treatment centers has her own personal history and unique set of circumstances which we will help her unravel and work through during the process of treating her at the Victorian.
Pregorexia is a new buzz word for a disorder that is anything but new. Pregorexia is a disorder similar to anorexia but one that occurs during and after pregnancy. The media seems to be fueling our society's interest in the physiques of celebrities at all stages of life, including during and after pregnancy. It is no surprise that approximately 5% of women from every walk of life will suffer from this unnatural desire not to gain the 25-35 suggested pounds that physicians recommend.
Pregorexia Occurs During a Difficult Stage - Pregnancy
Pregnancy is one of the joyous rites of being a woman but the process of carrying and giving birth to a child can be fraught with stress. The behavioral health industry has made great strides in recent years to identify disorders and their related triggers to better give obstetricians and family practitioners tools to help the women who may be suffering in silence. Much progress has been made in allowing women to feel okay about themselves if they are experiencing a symptom of post-partum depression or another pregnancy related challenge.
Pregorexia causes the woman who suffers from it guilt and shame similar to what is experienced by almost all sufferers of anorexia. This guilt and shame is heightened by the sense of responsibility the woman feels toward her unborn baby and the stigma that she may feel is associated with a woman who cannot properly care for her baby.
Another difficulty is the narrow range of recommended weight gain that doctor's prescribe for pregnant women. Too much weight gain can be unhealthy for both baby and mother and contribute to problems like diabetes. Too little weight gain can be very damaging for both mother and baby and lead to premature and low birthweight babies who have increased likelihood of developing a wide range of physical and developmental problems including:
- anemia
- ADHD
- rickets
- heart disease
- depression
- poor growth and cognitive development
Exercise is another area where potentially pregorexic women can receive mixed messages. Most physicians recommend a moderate amount of exercise to improve the mother’s mental and physical health and aid delivery and recovery. However, it is not recommended that pregnant women exercise with the goal of controlling their weight.
A Supportive System in CA for Women who Suffer from Symptoms of Anorexia
All of the above mentioned factors including confusing recommendations from physicians and the influence of a woman's family and the media combine in a unique way for every pregorexic woman.
Here at the Victorian Eating Disorder Treatment Center, we have counselors on staff who have experienced pregorexia first hand and are therefore uniquely qualified to treat pregorexic women. Our eating disorder treatment staff knows that the best remedy is to welcome the woman into our caring and intimate facility and immediately provide her with proper nutrition and reduce her stress level for the health of her and her baby. We've studied all of the various recommended health and fitness goals for a pregnant woman and we've found that often they seem conflicting. Our staff knows for certain that stress is very much the enemy of a healthy pregnancy. Creating an environment for the pregnant women to feel comfortable in is a great start toward halting the anorexic eating and exercise pattern.
Treatment for Substance Abusing Mothers
The Victorian is also known as the premier treatment facility in the United States for the treatment of an eating disorder and co-occurring addiction - be it alcoholism, or dependence on drugs or even prescription medications. Our affiliation with Sober Living by the Sea's rehab programs affords us 23 years of substance abuse counseling and treatment experience.
The Victorian is here to Help
We want you to feel comfortable in contacting us for more information and we cannot help the woman who doesn't contact us (or have a loved one contact us). There is no risk whatsoever in picking up the phone and calling us today at 888.268.9182. All calls will be strictly confidential and our admissions and intake team has the ability to start the screening and assessment phase of treatment over the phone to begin the process of treating you or your loved one for anorexia or pregorexia.
We also have a variety of links to the right which will provide a valuable resource to understand more about what causes eating disorders, how we simultaneously treat an eating disorder and addiction, take the eating disorder quiz, or learn more facts about anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.
