Anorexia also known as anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder in which a person has an intense fear of gaining weight and becoming obese, therefore they do not eat enough calories to sustain the needs of their body thus they become disgustingly underweight. There are two types of anorexia, which are restricting and purging. With the restricting type, the person will follow strict diets, go without food, and exercise to extreme limits in order to lose weights. With purging, the person will use diuretics, vomiting, or laxatives to rid their body of calories after eating. In both types, the person with anorexia does not accept the fact they are underweight and in many cases have been hospitalized in order to save their lives. They are literally starving themselves to death.

Causes of Anorexia

It may be hard for many to understand why a young girl might starve herself to death and wonder what causes this behavior. Well, as far as research goes, there are biological reasons such as hereditary, psychological causes such as overachievers and perfectionists, and of course our society that has taught us to look a certain way in order to be accepted. 

Warning signs of Anorexia

The beginning physical signs of anorexia include the loss of menstrual periods, lack of energy, weakness, feeling cold all the time, dry skin, yellow skin, constipation, abdominal pain, insomnia, restlessness, dizziness, headaches, fainting, and the growth of fine hair over the face and body.

• Eating signs
• Dieting to the extreme such as cutting out all carbohydrates and fats from their diet
• An obsession with counting calories
• Constantly reads diet books
• Pretends to eat
• Hides food or gives excuses why they are not hungry
• Has food on their mind all the time, which may lead to collecting recipes or even cooking for others but then refusing to eat
• Will not eat in public
• Body appearance and their image of their body
• Huge weight loss
• Thinks they are fat or that certain areas of their body is large such as thighs, buttocks, etc…
• Obsessed with their shape or their size
• Constantly checking their weight
• Always looking for problems with their appearance
• Refuses the thought of being underweight
• Purging signs
• The use of diet pills, diuretics, or laxatives excessively
• Vomits after eating
• Extreme exercising to the point of injury or exhaustion

Treatment for Anorexia

Treatment for Anorexia normally includes a mental health professional, a dietician, and a medical physician. In many cases, those with anorexia need a hospital stay due to the serious weight loss than could have brought on other medical problems. The patient will need to gain the weight back that was lost. To begin with, the treatment must restore your body to a healthy weight and then start learning healthy eating habits. Of course, this is not done alone. A mental health professional will work with the individual and work through the problems that are causing the person to believe they are overweight. In most cases, the problem has nothing whatsoever to do with their weight, but can be from lack of self-esteem or other psychological problems 

Through counseling, the patient will learn healthy ways in which to think about food and about their body. It is best if family counseling is also included, as patients with anorexia nervosa will need support from their loved ones in order to change their routine and begin living life instead of worrying about every move they make. 

Early detection is of course the best way to help a person with anorexia. Once a person begins to starve himself or herself other medical problems can occur such as heart problems.