Anorexia
Nervosa is an eating disorder which consists of a person severely
limiting the amount of food he or she consumes. A person suffering
from Anorexia usually sees themselves in a distorted fashion
and has an intense fear of gaining weight. Their manipulation
of food intake and weight loss is a method for dealing with
emotional issues. Anorexia is considered a disease and must
be treated professionally. If a person continues without treatment,
the long term effects could be fatal.
Anorexia can be caused
by a number of different issues. Causes of Anorexia include
psychological issues (certain personality traits such as perfectionism)
or a career or hobby that requires the person to look a certain
way (model, ballet dancer, etc.). Anorexia is commonly found
in athletes who are required to maintain a certain appearance
or weight (wrestling).
Some conditions that occur due to Anorexia are malnutrition,
heart problems, hair loss, osteoporosis, depression, fatigue
or anxiety. Of the 1% of the population that suffers from Anorexia,
90% are women. Anorexia usually develops during childhood but
there are cases which begin in adulthood.
Warning signs for
Anorexia include:
• Deliberate self-starvation with weight loss
• Fear of gaining weight
• Refusal to eat
• Denial of hunger
• Constant exercising
• Greater amounts of hair on the body or the face
• Sensitivity to cold temperatures
• Absent or irregular periods
• Loss of scalp hair
• A self-perception of being fat when the person is really too
thin
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