A nurse on an inpatient mental health unit is teaching an adolescent client who has anorexia nervosa about relaxation techniques. Which of the following statements should the nurse make?

Introduction: Anorexia nervosa is a severe eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of weight gain and perceptual distortions regarding body image. Therapeutic management focuses on nutritional rehabilitation and the implementation of coping mechanisms to manage the profound anxiety often associated with food intake and perceived loss of control. A. Guided imagery is a highly effective relaxation technique that encourages the client to visualize peaceful and positive scenes. For an adolescent with anorexia nervosa, this cognitive tool helps shift the focus away from obsessive thoughts about caloric intake or body dissatisfaction, providing a healthy mental escape that reduces the physiological symptoms of acute stress. B. This statement is clinically counterproductive. Journaling is actually a recommended therapeutic technique for clients with eating disorders. Writing down feelings allows the individual to externalize internal conflicts, identify specific emotional triggers, and process complex thoughts in a structured way. Discouraging this practice would hinder the client’s ability to develop self-awareness and healthy emotional regulation. C. Shallow breathing, or thoracic breathing, is physiologically associated with the "fight or flight" response and can actually increase feelings of anxiety and panic. The nurse should instead teach diaphragmatic or deep breathing techniques, which stimulate the vagus nerve and activate the parasympathetic nervous system to promote a biological state of calmness. D. Adolescents with anorexia nervosa often engage in compulsive, excessive exercise as a means of purging calories. Upon admission to an inpatient unit, exercise routines are typically restricted or highly monitored to prevent further caloric deficit and physiological strain. Encouraging the continuation of a previous, likely maladaptive, exercise routine would be detrimental to the client's recovery.