Anorexia Nervosa is a eating disorder that is characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss. People with anorexia feel that no matter how thin they are, they are still overweight. Anorexics are obsessed with a fear of being overweight. “It is estimated that approximately 90-95% of anorexia nervosa suffers are women. Anorexia has one of the highest death rates of any mental health condition.”(NEDA). The number of adolescents that are concerned with being overweight is alarming. Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents with an estimated 50% of girls between the ages of thirteen and fifteen believing they are overweight. It is estimated that 40% of nine year old girls diet, 80% of thirteen year old girls have dieted and 40-60% of high school girls are dieting. (www.mirror-mirror.com) The number of males with anorexia nervosa is increasing. One estimation is that there are at least a one million males with anorexia. Males are less likely than females to be diagnosis with anorexia. Many stars and athletes' have problems with anorexia. It is not just a disease of females only. Every where you look there is a push to be thin. The media promotes both thin females and males as what is the perfect form to be.
What are some of the symptoms that can be seen with anorexia?
There are usually four primary symptoms than can be seen with this type of eating disorder. Denial of seriously low body weight is one of those four primary symptoms. Even when told that they are to thin, they do not believe that this is true, and feel that they are always overweight. The second primary symptom is a intense fear of getting or being fat, even though they are seriously underweight. There is a resistance to maintaining a body weight that is normal for height and age for the third primary symptom that is seen. The last primary symptom of anorexia for girls and women post-puberty, is the loss of menstrual periods.(NEDA). Other warning signs that anorexia nervosa may be a problem are hair loss, sensitivity to cold, abnormal weight loss, compulsive exercise, refusal to eat or highly restrictive eating where abnormally low calories are consumed, intense persistent fear of gaining weight, and excessive facial or body hair. Not all of these symptoms have to be present for a diagnosis of the eating disorder anorexia nervosa. To make a diagnosis of anorexia the physician will look at a history of what is normal and what physical/mental changes are occurring. They may order lab work to be done as part of their diagnostic work up.
What treatment plan is usually prescribed?
There are many facets to the treatment plan when dealing with someone with a eating disorder such as anorexia. The physician will treat the medical conditions that have been caused by the eating disorder, which can be many. The physician will usually make referrals to social services, mental health, and a nutritionist. Social services will assist with community resources and financial aspects of the care that is needed. A nutritionist is involved in helping the person learn dietary measures needed to gain weight is needed or to help with maintaining weight. Mental health will work with the psychological issues that surround this very dangerous disorder. There are retreats for people with eating disorders to help them learn how to control and live with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa.
One of the serious problems that is being seen today is the pro-anorexia/bulimia movement. Pro-anorexia/bulimia is readily available to anyone on the internet. Pro-anorexia/bulimia supports the life style of the person with these types of eating disorders. Some of the sites have advertisements that promote this behavior. Anorexia is a dangerous eating disorder that can and does have serious consequences that can lead to death. Death can be from body system failures or from suicides due to the psychological effects that it has on a person.
