Anorexia is a mental illness characterized by a severe disruption of eating behavior, where an individual consciously and strictly limits their food intake. This was a challenge faced by a young, beautiful woman named Nikita Singhal. Read on to learn how she conquered the disease. More on iedmonton.net.
How It All Began
At just seven years old, Nikita encountered anorexia for the first time. She stopped eating, which led to her hospitalization. She spent nearly six days in the hospital, where she underwent forced feeding. According to Nikita, it was an incredibly difficult experience.
After being discharged, her treatment continued on an outpatient basis. Over the years, she visited many doctors and took various medications. At that time, she managed to overcome the illness.
The second time anorexia reemerged was when she was 17 years old. Nikita experienced severe depression and had suicidal thoughts, leading to another hospitalization. Through her experience, she understands the terrifying nature of the disease and its treatment.
This second battle with anorexia began after Nikita lost her grandfather and faced issues with peers at school. These events triggered her eating disorder. She rarely left the house, her height was 165 cm, but her weight had dropped to just 35 kilograms. Over time, she refused treatment and eventually became bedridden. Alarmed, her parents intervened and sent her for treatment for a second time.
Nikita recalls the painful experience of having nasal and gastric tubes inserted for feeding. The root cause of her illness was a lack of control over her life. She constantly felt that she didn’t want to eat. Full recovery took 1.5 years.
According to Statistics Canada, eating disorders are extremely challenging to treat, poorly understood, and affect over one million Canadians.
A study published in JAMA Open Network revealed a rise in hospitalizations for individuals with anorexia nervosa in Canada, with a worrying increase in cases among children and adolescents.
The Practice of a Young Psychiatrist
Nikita is determined to change these grim statistics. Now an adult, she became a psychiatrist and completed her residency at Edmonton General Hospital to revolutionize anorexia treatment. Her personal journey inspired her to pursue this career, and she aims to help others overcome the abyss she once faced.
In an interview with a local publication, Nikita shared her thoughts on the challenges of treating anorexia. She highlighted the failures in current approaches and emphasized the need for better strategies. She credits the treatment methods that worked for her and stresses the importance of tailoring therapy to the unique needs of each patient.
Nikita is currently developing innovative methods for treating anorexia, including the use of psychedelics—a treatment she personally benefited from. These substances have helped her maintain her mental health.
Reflecting on her battle with anorexia, Nikita admitted that she rarely looked at herself in the mirror during that time. She viewed her body with hatred and struggled with deep self-loathing. After undergoing psychiatric treatment, taking medication, and completing psychotherapy courses, her perspective changed. She now views herself with pride and confidence.
Nikita is deeply grateful to her parents, whose unwavering support helped her overcome the disease. She emphasizes that anorexia is a deceitful illness and urges people to seek medical help at the first signs. Early intervention is crucial to successful treatment.