What is Anorexia?
According to Cleveland Clinic, anorexia nervosa is a treatable and serious eating disorder that is characterized by extreme food restriction and an intense fear of gaining weight. People fighting this will limit the number of calories as well as the types of foods they eat. They will lose weight and struggle to maintain an appropriate body weight based on their height, age, stature, and physical health. This can also include an obsession with exercise to lose what they believe is extra weight. People with anorexia may have body dysmorphia, creating a distorted self-image. This extreme weight loss can lead to malnutrition, causing dangerous health problems.
Who is at risk?
Anorexia does not impact one type of person. People of any age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and economic status can find themselves battling this. People of all body weights, shapes, and sizes deal with this as well. While anyone can be impacted, the most common people affected are adolescent and young adult women. It does occur in men and the number of children and older adults is increasing. Approximately 1%-2% of the world population is affected by anorexia. This is a complex condition, meaning the exact cause is unknown. There is research showing a combination of things can be responsible. Approximately 50%-80% of the risk of developing an eating disorder is genetic, due to changes in brain chemistry. Overwhelming and painful emotions can cause people to limit food as an attempt to cope with these feelings and trauma that may have been experienced. Culture, environment, and peer pressure are all factors that can contribute as well. Culture idealizes thin bodies placing an unnecessary pressure on people and peer pressure from teasing, bullying, and ridiculing because of appearance due to these culture standards. Not everyone looks the same and being healthy is not shown by physical appearance.
Many people picture those with anorexia to be very slim, but that is not always the case. Individuals with large bodies can also have anorexia. Unfortunately, these people may be less likely to be diagnosed due to cultural stigma against fat and obesity. Those who are slim and underweight may not necessarily have anorexia either. There is no specific body type that anorexia impacts. It is much more than appearance.
Symptoms and Warning Signs
Anorexia also involves mental and behavioral components. An intense fear of gaining weight, an obsessive interest in food, calories, and dieting, fear of certain foods, denying the seriousness of low body weight, and feeling a strong desire to be in control are all emotional and mental signs of anorexia. Changes in eating habits or routines, using diet pills or appetite suppressants, compulsive and excessive exercise, and making meals for others but not themselves are all behavioral signs of someone fighting anorexia. Side effects from starvation and malnutrition create physical symptoms of anorexia, which include dizziness, fainting, slow or irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, shortness of breath, always feeling cold, muscle weakness, and bluish or purple coloring of the hands and feet. These are all signs a person could be battling anorexia.
How to Help
If you are anyone you care about is showing symptoms of anorexia, please know there is help available and recovery is possible. The hardest part is recognizing and accepting the illness is there. This can be hard when a certain belief has been held for years. It is important to find help before the condition becomes serious and life-threatening. Psychotherapy, medication, nutrition counseling, and group therapy are all forms of recovery and aid for those fighting anorexia. In severe cases, hospitalization may be required. There is help out there for anyone fighting anorexia. The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders can be reached at 888-375-7767. This number is available if you or someone you know may be fighting.
