A Look into Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is an abnormal eating condition. Individuals who have this suffer from a severe foreboding of weight gain. They gravely restrict the quantity of food they consume and can get severely underweight. Anorexia compromises both the body and mind. It can begin as a self-serving formula of dieting, but eventually, it mushrooms out of control. The anorexia patient ponders about dieting, eating, and weight day in and day out as an upshot of distorted personal image. Others will say the patient is too thin, but when she beholds herself in the mirror, she sees an overweight individual.

Anorexia generally commences during adolescence. Early therapy can be very productive but if the situation isn’t addressed early, anorexia nervosa can amalgamate into a lifelong illness. Untreated anorexia nervosa may give way to starvation and intense health issues, such as bone density reduction (osteoporosis), renal (kidney) injury, and heart troubles.

Some individuals pass away from these conditions. If you or a person you know suffers from anorexia nervosa, acquire assistance at once, because the longer this illness lingers, the more problematic it’ll be to recover from. By way of therapy, a former anorexia nervosa sufferer may feel healthier and thrive at a healthy weight.

Causes of Anorexia Nervosa

Eating disorders are often complicated, and researchers don’t really understand what springs them into existence. Nonetheless, eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa can be a result of a combination of family clinical history, social elements, and personality traits.

You may be more likely to encounter anorexia nervosa if:

• Other individuals in the family are overweight, have a dieting condition, or suffer from a mood conundrum not unlike clinical depression or panicking.
• You’re coping with stressful life occurrences, such as divorce, relocating to a new township or school, or losing a relative.

Anorexia nervosa attacks less than one percent of the population.

It also has ensuing characteristics:

• Adolescents: In ways similar to other nutrition-related maladies, anorexia nervosa usually commences in the adolescent years with rigorous dieting and speedy weight loss. However, it can begin even earlier or in adulthood.
• Approximately 9 out of 10 individuals with anorexia nervosa are female, but a few children and young men can suffer from it too.
• Many patients who have anorexia nervosa are Caucasian and hail from wealthy households. Nevertheless, the disorder may affect anyone.

Starvation in Anorexia Nervosa

As starvation sets in, the patients begin to portray signs of serious health ordeals in the organs. For example, they may:

• Feel frail, tired, or faint.
• Have thinning hair, dried out skin surface, and fragile nails.
• Have enlarged hands and feet.
• Develop a layer of baby-fine hair all over their body.

Diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa

If the physician believes that a person may have an eating problem, he or she may compare the patient’s weight with the normal range for an individual of that height and age. The doctor will also examine the patient’s heart, lungs, blood pressure, and skin to look for abnormalities introduced by the neglect of food.

There aren’t any surefire medications to deal with anorexia nervosa. Moreover, if you are depressed or nervous as a result of your anorexia, your health professional may suggest an antidepressant fix. Anorexia nervosa can take a while to recover from, and, unfortunately, it is common for victims to revisit their perilous eating habits as time progresses.

References

Fairburn C. G., Harrison P. J. (2003). “Eating Disorders.” Lancet. 361; (9355): 407–416.