[Healing the mind by healing the body in anorexia nervosa]

Abstract

In anorexia nervosa, physical and psychological vulnerability confines the sufferer to the confines of his or her pathology. The physical body is the first victim of undernutrition, but also the first resource for restoring the psychic and emotional body. Reduced food intake has repercussions on cognition and affect, all of which affect relational capacities. Accompanying, understanding and caring for people means reaching out to them and their bodies, to re-establish the link between what has been broken, and to establish a relationship of trust with them.

Keywords: anorexia nervosa; anorexie mentale; dysmorphophobia; dysmorphophobie; dénutrition; estime de soi; nursing; self-esteem; soins infirmiers; therapeutic touch; toucher à visée thérapeutique; undernutrition.