Robbi K Alexander

1 THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF SEVERE AND ENDURING ANOREXIA NERVOSA Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe and deadly illness characterized by very low body weight, distorted body image, and fear of gaining weight, with significant medical and psychosocial consequences and a mortality rate among the highest of all psychiatric disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2022; Arcelus et al., 2011; Thornton et al., 2016).

By Robbi Alexander, PhD Roadblocks are common in life and can cause anyone to feel a sense of hopelessness every now and then. For individuals living with an eating disorder, however, roadblocks can seem insurmountable, and the loss of hope can be a significant barrier to long-term recovery.

Accessible summary What is known on the subject? Individuals with eating disorders (EDs) experience hopelessness, suicidal thoughts and behaviours at elevated rates compared to the general population. Current knowledge of recovery from EDs does not address nurse engendered hope. This study aimed to explore differences between patients’ and nurses’ perceptions of hope‐engendering nurse actions and the relationship actions have with patients’ perception of hope.