Anorexia nervosa - often simply called anorexia - is a serious eating disorder that is treatable but can be life-threatening without intervention. Many people suffer from anorexia, and it is important to learn the signs, symptoms, causes, risk factors, and treatment options for this disorder.
Learning Objectives
It is an eating disorder and a serious mental condition. People who have anorexia try to keep their weight as low as possible by not eating enough food or exercising too much, or both. This can make them very ill because they start to starve. They show a relentless pursuit of thinness and intense fear of gaining weight.
They often have a distorted image of their bodies, thinking they're fat even when they're underweight. They place a high value on controlling their weight and shape, using extreme efforts that tend to significantly interfere with their lives.
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Anorexia is different from dieting. We may confuse dieting with anorexia due to the similarity in restrictive eating patterns. In truth, these two aren't the same. Dieting is about controlling and reducing weight by a change in eating habits. In the case of anorexia, the person equates thinness with self-worth, and they perceive losing weight as a way to achieve happiness and self-mastery. Anorexia isn't really about food. It's an extremely unhealthy way to try to cope with emotional problems. While some diets may not be completely healthy, they usually do not come with potentially severe side effects. However, individuals with anorexia live in a state of semi or actual starvation, which can cause significant damage to their body systems. In some cases, anorexia can lead to fatal health conditions, including liver and heart failure. |
Anorexia Nervosa sufferers generally view themselves as overweight, even if they’re dangerously underweight. They tend to constantly monitor their weight, avoid eating certain types of foods and severely restrict their calories.
A person suffering from anorexia will show one or more of the following signs and symptoms:
The exact cause of anorexia is unknown. It is considered to be a combination of biological, psychological and environmental factors that trigger this condition.
Anorexia is more common among teenagers. This is because of all the changes their bodies go through during puberty. They may also face increased peer pressure and be more sensitive to criticism or even casual comments about weight or body shape.
| Restricting type |
These individuals place severe restrictions on the quantity and types of food one consumes. This may include counting calories, skipping meals, restricting certain types of foods or following obsessive rules |
| Binge eating and purge type | These individuals engage in a pattern of binge eating followed by compensatory purging behaviors such as forced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas |
| Atypical type | These individuals meet all criteria for anorexia except that despite significant weight loss, the individual's weight is within the normal range |
| Anorexia athletic | These individuals engage in excessive or compulsive exercise and do not consume the calories necessary for nourishment. It is also known as sports anorexia. |
Anorexia nervosa has a multitude of medical complications ranging from mild to severe. In fact, it is believed that 5-20% of anorexics die, usually from complications associated with self-starvation, such as: heart, kidney, or multiple organ failure, or illnesses like pneumonia, which may be due to an inability to fight infection—all ultimately due to the anorexia.
Here is an example of how anorexia leads to cardiac problems:
Starving, bingeing, and purging all lead to electrolyte imbalances. Electrolytes, which are chemicals like sodium, potassium, and chloride, help regulate the heartbeat. When dehydration occurs, electrolytes such as potassium are lowered, which may result in cardiac arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat—too fast, too slow, or lacking the proper rhythm. In addition to affecting the heart’s rhythm, anorexia can affect its size.
When people starve and lose weight, they do not lose only fat, they also lose muscle mass. Since the heart itself is a muscle, starvation can lead to decreases in both mass and chamber size. Starving causes an energy crisis, in response to which the body literally slows down to conserve what little energy it has left in order to perform the basic functions required to sustain life. In addition to the metabolism slowing down, the heart rate also slows down, a condition called “bradycardia.” Some anorexics have had heart rates as low as 25 beats per minute.
Gastrointestinal problems are another complication. Anorexics who vomit are at risk for internal bleeding, ulcers, and gastritis, a painful inflammation of the stomach lining. Vomiting can cause painful swelling of the esophagus, and places undue stress on the stomach, both of which are at risk of rupturing, a condition which is fatal unless immediate medical attention is available.
Some other dangers of anorexia are:
Eating a wide variety of healthy foods helps to keep you in good health and to protect against chronic disease. Healthy eating means eating a wide variety of foods from each of the 5 major food groups - Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein Foods, and Dairy.
Benefits of healthy eating are:
Other food items like cakes, cookies, ice creams, and chips are called 'discretionary choices' (sometimes referred to as 'junk foods') and they should only be eaten occasionally.
Movies, television, magazines, and advertisements constantly remind us of "thin, fit, and idealized body types" - that people often compare themselves to.
People end up creating unrealistic ideals for themselves based on what they see and feel distressed when they aren't able to meet those ideas or self-expectations
Of all the photos we see in media, including social media, there is a good chance most of them are edited with Photoshop or filters. This creates a distorted fantasy world and adds the pressure to be "the best" way.
Remember: Don't compare yourself to peers and celebrities.
Bodyweight doesn't say any more or less about character than eye or hair color does. Bodyweight has nothing to do with one's abilities and personality. One does not have to be a certain weight to have a satisfying life.
