Anorexia is an eating disorder that typically involves the loss of a significant portion of body weight, and phobia about gaining weight and becoming fat. While anorexia typically strikes adolescent women, males and females of any age can develop the disorder. If you suspect that you or someone you know has anorexia, talk to your health care provider about your concerns. This illness cannot be fought alone, and usually involves a comprehensive treatment team.
Definition
Anorexia nervosa is an emotional disorder that manifests itself as a fixation on food and weight loss, but the underlying issues typically involve the need for control, perfectionism, trauma and other issues. The National Eating Disorders Association lists four main symptoms of anorexia: refusing to maintain a body weight at or above the minimum normal weight for age and height; strong fear of being fat even though underweight; a disturbance in the way weight or shape is experienced or denial of the seriousness of low body weight; and loss of menstrual periods in post-pubescent females.
Weight Loss Methods
There are several ways a person with anorexia loses weight. Individuals with anorexia commonly restrict their food intake; they may also exercise excessively, abuse laxatives or diuretics, or even purge after eating. Anorexics take these behaviors to an extreme, and do not realize how much weight they have lost.
Health Consequences
Anorexia and its extreme weight loss can wreak havoc on the body, causing numerous health problems. NEDA explains that when your body does not have the essential nutrients it requires to function normally, it starts slowing down normal processes to save energy. Health consequences of anorexia include loss of bone density; muscle weakness and muscle loss; severe dehydration that can cause kidney failure; abnormal heart rate and very low blood pressure; dry hair and skin; hair loss; and overall bodily weakness.
Warning
If you or someone you know has anorexia or shows signs or symptoms of the disease, talk with a health care provider immediately. Anorixia is a serious, potentially fatal illness, and treatment involves a multidisciplinary team to help establish healthy eating patterns, stabilize any medical issues that may be present, and address the emotional components of the disease.
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