Anorexia Nervosa

Find a counsellor dealing with Anorexia Nervosa >>

Anorexia nervosa is an obsession with weight loss resulting in refusal to eat or irregularity in eating patterns. It is not a loss of appetite but a serious perception disorder.

Anorexia nervosa affects approximately 60,000 to 200,000 people so if you are suffering from this condition, you are not alone. Young females are the most common sufferers; around one in every hundred females aged between 16 and 18 experience it. However anorexia nervosa does not exclusively affect women, many men have also been diagnosed. Dancers, models, actors and food workers have been found to be high-risk individuals.

Individuals with this eating disorder look in the mirror and see a completely distorted perception of themselves; they are extremely thin but still see an overweight figure staring back at them. Sufferers become obsessive about eating rituals and develop an unusual way of eating, for example skipping meals and avoiding certain food, selecting a small variety of foods and only eating them in very small quantities. This is all usually done secretly.

Individuals suffering from anorexia often check their body weight more than once a day, many take up compulsive exercise which is usually quite intense such as cycling or running.

Symptoms:

Extreme body weight loss results from malnutrition

Extreme tiredness and weakness

Absence of menstruation in women and lack of testosterone in men

Hair loss on the head or excessive fine bodily hair growth

Dry skin

Irritability and depression

Causes:

Unfortunately research has not yet been able to identify a definite cause of anorexia, however it is thought that a combination of these factors below relate to the causes of this eating disorder.

Biological Factors

Research has shown that anorexia can be a genetic disorder and you are much more likely to develop it if there is a history of it in the family, especially if your mum suffered from it.
If a person has a high level of neurotransmitter serotonin, which is a chemical in the brain, they are less likely to have cravings for food.

Psychological Factors

Sufferers of anorexia tend to have similar psycological traits; expecting the very best from themselves at all times and feeling worthless if they fail at anything. There is no middle ground; something is either really good or really bad, and they percieve that being fat is really bad, therefore the thinner they are the better.
Anorexia can be triggered by a variety of emotional issues such as major life changes or upsets and physical or sexual abuse.

Social Factors

A persons occupation can be related to the presence of anorexia, for example models, dancers and jockeys are all encouraged to keep their body weight low in order to improve performance. However in extreme cases when the person can not stop losing weight, it can be very damaging to both their performance and their body.
Sometimes friends or partners can pressure a person about the way they look and results in an eating disorder.

Relationship Factors

Your family background and upbringing can lead to anorexia; the smothering or abandoning of children when young, or just the quips made by parents about the childrens bodies.
Early life trauma such as abuse or a major loss can also contribute to the cause of an eating disorder.

Media Factors

The theory that thin is percieved as normal and the role models in society today.

Common Side Effects:

Menstrual period ending

Dry, fragile bones and nails

Loss of hair

More sensitive to bruising

bloating and constipation

Feeling weak, tired and dehydrated

Isolation from others

Thinking about nothing but weight-loss

Feeling guilty and depressed

More Extreme Side Effects:

Heart problems or a low heart rate

Poor blood circulation

Infertility

Anaemia

Insomnia

Death

Medical Help and Treatment:

The most important part of an anorexic patients treatment is realising they have a problem and that their way of eating is not going to solve the other problems in their lives. However, 95% of sufferers cannot recognize that they have an eating disorder and believe medical treatment is just a way of others making them fat.

The first stage of treatment is to deal with the physical problem, rebuilding the anorexics physical state to a healthy weight and appearance, getting them out of any potential danger and returning to natural eating patterns. Then dealing with the psychological side of the illness. Treatment in early stages of anorexia is very important, as the eating disorder continues, the more dangerous it becomes. It is therefore imperative that those around an individual suffering from anorexia attempts to help by seeking out medical help, as the individual will often not be able to see they have a problem.

Difference Between Anorexia and Bulimia

Bulimics consume vast amounts of food then force themselves to vomit in order to get rid of it, anorexics do not eat large amounts of food, they limit their consumption to a minimum.

Individuals with bulimia can usually stay at a normal weight but anorexics tend to lose weight at quite a rate, sometimes dropping to below 6 stones.

Sufferers of bulimia do recognise their problem and are therefore much more likely to seek help themselves. The majority of individuals with anorexia however, cannot see they have a problem and it is therefore imperative that people close to them encourage them to seek help or find help for them.

--
This content is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the advice given by any professional.