PIIMIC Glossary

E

Eating disorders - Examples: Bulimia (binge-eating followed by self-induced vomiting), Anorexia Nervosa (excess dieting resulting in harmful weight loss), abuse of diet pills, laxatives, diuretics. These are forms of "self-injury" increasingly common in adolescent girls, less common in adults. Initiated by peer pressure, plus unhealthy attitudes and misinformation about food, nutrition and body image (for example, many teenage girls are not aware that it is normal to accumulate fat during puberty, and that doing so is important to normal and healthy development). In young teenagers much of this behaviour is temporary but it can become severe, even fatal. In Anorexia Nervosa cases, the mortality rate is high with a suicide rate of about 9 per cent. . Over 90 per cent of teenagers with eating disorders are girls (as young as 12). A new study of teenage girls in Ontario found 27 per cent of them have eating disorders, a much larger number - and younger - than expected. Eating disorders can develop complications such as, alcohol and drug use, depression, and premature death from organ failure or suicide. The risk of endangerment in severe and debilitated cases – along with any apparent psychiatric features, may meet the criteria of the Mental Health Act for intervention and emergency medical attention. Ongoing specialized clinical therapy is usually needed for chronic uncomplicated cases, treated by supervision and regulation of eating habits, cognitive behaviour therapy, psychotherapy, anti-depressant medication.

ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) - A last-resort treatment for life-threatening or severely chronic depression, using carefully controlled electric shock to induce a seizure. Therapists use modern hi-tech equipment, which is said to provide rapid improvement by the third treatment. The procedure can be used in BC but only after meeting several criteria, including patient’s consent.

EPI (early psychosis intervention) - Led by the University of Melbourne, Australia, EPI is now becoming a worldwide movement which aims at prevention by treating psychiatric disorders during the earliest possible stages, when signs and symptoms are starting to emerge and before the first psychotic break. Startup funding for demonstration projects in BC was provided by the BC Ministry of Health in 1999 and ongoing support has been approved by some regional health boards authorities, notably the Fraser Valley. See website www.psychosissucks.ca

EPS (extrapyramidal symptoms) - A side effect (tremors, jerks) uncommonly caused by some traditional anti-psychotic medications, usually controlled by another (anti-parkinson) medication.