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[PsychoticMuse]

Anorexics, The Force-Feeding of

Summary: Should the medical profession force-feed anorexics as part of their treatment?


Introduction

This debate was originally written by:Alexis Hearnden ( United Kingdom ) and is used in full to sperr further conversation on the given topic. All rights to the original document are given to the author- all opinions expressed hold no barring on the original author but the users/persons who typed them.


Context

Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder defined as severe, self- inflicted starvation and loss in body weight to at least 15% below that expected for the individual’s sex and height. In the UK (and many other western countries) anorexia nervosa is classified as a mental illness. Anorexia nervosa should not be confused with Bulimia (cycles of bingeing and vomiting). Anorexia is typically associated with women and body image and is thought to be made worse by unrealistic media portrayals of the female body. Having said this, one in ten sufferers is male. Mortality varies between 5% and 18%. Anorexia nervosa has been detected in patients from 6 to 76 years of age and has a far higher incidence in the Developed World, affecting 1% of female adolescents.Patients who are dangerously thin are sometimes force-fed through a naso-gastric (through the nose) tube. Normally, medical treatment cannot be administered without the consent of the patient, however, in the case of mentally ill patients, their distorted perceptions of reality may render them unable to make a choice. Despite this, medical ethics, pragmatics and human rights call the treatment into question.


Arguments


Pros

Anorexics are typically treated under mental health legislation (e.g. the UK 1983 Act). They do not make a free choice because they are not rationally able to weigh up decisions and consequences. The patient is not “capable of forming unimpaired and rational judgements concerning the consequences” (British Medical Association 1992).

Medical ethics say that a doctor has a responsibility to keep the patient alive to administer treatment. In the UK Diana Pretty was denied the right to die by the House of Lords even though she consistently request it. The Israeli Courts ordered the force- feeding of political hunger strikers arguing that in a conflict between life and dignity, life wins. India prosecuted a physician who allowed a hunger striker to die. The medical profession take their responsibility for life very seriously on a global level.



Cons
Force feeding is undignified. The European Convention on Human Rights prohibits “degrading” treatment in Article 3. The patient’s right to refuse treatment should be respected even if they are mentally ill.(N.B. Anorexia is not recognised as a mental illness in every country).


Compulsory treatment may only be successful in the short term. In the long term it does nothing to reduce the fear of food, weight and hospital felt by the patient and is a barrier to treatment. Suicide accounts for 27% of anorexia deaths. Compulsory treatment may make the patient more depressed and at greater risk from harm.

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I will admit with this debate i am on the fence. I am for the force feeding, only because it could save their life at the end of the day, but the force feeding should be cuppled with high-intense therapy sessions and getting to the core of their eating disorder. (what caused it, and to reverse the effects of)

But i am also against it, as does any one really have the right to determine what ANYONE does to their own body? My friend brought up a good point, that it's pretty well the same thing as getting a tattoo, or body piercing. Why should we choose for them if they wish to "self destruct" in such a manner?

Anorexia is not a Mental imparment in the same sense as schizophrenia is. And thus the paitent can make decisions of their own accord about their own health and welfare. They can pay the bills, they can buy a car, they can hold a conversation with out needing assistance in everything they do (not saying that even schizophrenics need it all the time, but this is just an example). If they are offered the help, and they do not wish to take it- then leave them be. Forcing the issue isn't going to help matters in the least.

So in short, I don't know which side i am on. Really at the end of the day, if you force feed them, they will gain the weight in the short term, and the moment they leave the doctor's care as being deemed fit, they will typically fall right back in to the spiral they created for themselves. It's no different then an addicts spiral, only this one is mostly fear induced.

What do you all think? For? Against? Why?

[NeppyNepNep]

Hmm, this is a really tough one. Honestly, as for a brief period I was on the path to becoming anorexic, I am against this. Force feeding someone can only make the problem worse in the long run. For example if you force feed your children, they have a greater chance of developing eating disorders and hating food and hating eating. I didn't like it when people tried forcing me to eat. It was horrible.

Really it should be used as a last, desperate resort. Before they even try it, they should try and get behind the reason for the patient doing it, and why they are doing it and instead of forcing them to eat, encourage them to eat. It was how TrippyTripp got me eating again. He didn't need to force me. Most anorexics do it because they believe that they are fat or ugly. I believe it is classed as a mental disorder because the patient may have underlying Body dysmorphic disorder, which makes them believe that they are fat. I know even though I was skinny I thought myself a grossly overweight. I honestly think it's an interesting disorder. Anyway, I've said my piece. What have other people got to say about it?