Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa or Anorexia is an eating disorder characterized by self starvation, restriction of food intake, or calories, and sometimes excessive weight loss. Anorexia is a serious psychological disorder that goes well beyond out-of-control dieting. It is a refusal to maintain a normal body weight for ones height. It is an intense fear of gaining weight or being fat, despites sometimes significant weight loss. Some women cease to have menstrual cycles. Often there is an extreme concern with body weight shape a size. The person with anorexia may initially begin dieting to lose weight. Over time, the weight loss becomes an illusion of mastery and control. It can become an obsession and is similar to drug addiction. The anorexic loses perspective of their appearance because they have distorted opinions about their self image. No amount of dieting or starvation can satisfy their desire to be thin.

Anorexia Signs & Symptoms

Of all the psychological disorders, Anorexia Nervosa has the highest mortality rate. Many of the symptoms of Anorexia can have life threatening consequences. Some of the sufferers will have some but not necessarily all of the following symptoms:

Restricting caloric intake to less than needed to maintain healthy ideal body weight
Following a severely limited diet even if underweight
Forced vomiting or other compensatory behaviors like laxative use, diuretic use or compulsive exercise
Absence of menstrual cycles for three or more consecutive months
Fear of eating in social places or in front of others
Increased isolation and depressive symptoms
Relentless pursuit of thinness
Obsessive thinking and talking about weight, shape, size, appearance, or food
Rituals around body checking, exercise, or food
Loss of interest in activities and relationships
Body dissatisfaction, body image distortion
Chewing and spitting as an attempt to control weight
Taking in excessive amounts of fluid or restricting fluid intake
Use or abuse of diet pills, herbal supplements, or teas