Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by abnormal weight loss, an intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted body image.
People with anorexia nervosa suffer from a severe disturbance in their body image, where they always see themselves as much fatter than they really are. This distorted body image leads to an intense fear of gaining weight, even if the person is extremely thin.
This fear of gaining weight results in extreme restriction of food intake. People with anorexia may stop eating altogether or eat very small amounts of food. They may also engage in other behaviors to lose weight, such as self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, or using laxatives.
When a person suffers from anorexia, their life revolves around how much food they eat and their body weight. They become fully convinced that they are fat, so they may not eat enough food. Sometimes they may binge on a large amount of food at once, then force themselves to vomit, and even when they become very thin, they still want to be thinner.
The patient may do the following:
- Complain about weight gain even if they are very thin
- Constantly think about food
- Measure the amount of food they eat and count the calories consumed
- Hoard, hide, or discard food
- Skip meals
- Pretend to eat or lie about how much food they have eaten
- Exercise more than usual
- Wear baggy clothes or many layers of clothing
- Weigh themselves multiple times a day
- Feel self-satisfaction based on a personal perception of how thin they have become
What problems can anorexia cause?
Severe thinness is not the only problem resulting from anorexia, as it can cause damage to the entire body when too much weight is lost. Anorexia can lead to:
- Loss of menstruation in women
- Fatigue and weakness
- Dizziness and fainting
- Low blood pressure and slow heart rate
- Dry skin and brittle hair and nails
- Cold intolerance and feeling cold all the time
- Constipation and abdominal pain
- Electrolyte imbalances that can be life-threatening
- Bone thinning (osteoporosis)
- In severe cases, organ failure and death
Because anorexia nervosa is a serious mental and physical illness, early diagnosis and treatment are essential. Treatment often involves a combination of medical care, nutritional counseling, and psychotherapy to address both the physical and psychological aspects of the disorder.
