Anorexia nervosa.

Anorexia nervosa occurs predominantly in white, middle-class, adolescent females with perfectionistic tendencies. Their solution to the intense guilt induced by any sensory pleasure is to deny themselves the pleasure of eating. Amenorrhea is universal. Diagnostic criteria include a 25 percent weight loss. Therapies are long and involved different approaches. All recognize that food is the medicine for the body and that some form of supportive psychotherapy is the medicine for the mind.