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Anorexia I

September 2nd, 2005

What is anorexia?

Anorexia (a-neh-RECK-see ah) nervosa, typically called anorexia, is a type of eating disorder that mainly affects girls and young women. A person with this disorder has an intense fear of gaining weight and limits the food she eats. She

* has a low body weight
* refuses to keep a normal body weight
* is extremely afraid of becoming fat
* believes she is fat even when she’s very thin
* misses three (menstrual) periods in a row—for girls/women who have started having their periods.

What causes it?

Anorexia is more than just a problem with food. It’s a way of using food or starving oneself to feel more in control of her life and to ease tension, anger, and anxiety. While there is no single known cause of anorexia, several things may contribute to the development of the disorder:

* Biology. Several biological factors, including genetics and other related hormones, may contribute in the onset the disorder.
* Culture. Some cultures in the U.S. have an ideal of extreme thinness. Women may define themselves on how beautiful they are.
* Personal feelings. Someone with anorexia may feel badly about herself, feel helpless, and hate the way she looks. She has unrealistic expectations of herself and strives for perfection. She feels worthless, despite achievements and perceives a social pressure to be thin.
* Stressful events or life changes. Things like starting a new school or job or being teased to traumatic events like rape can lead to the onset of anorexia.
* Families. People with a mother or sister with anorexia are more likely to develop the disorder. Parents who think appearance is very important, diet themselves, and criticize their children’s bodies are more likely to have a child with anorexia.

What are signs of anorexia?

A person with anorexia will have many of these signs:

* Looks a lot thinner
* Uses extreme measures to lose weight
* makes herself throw up
* takes pills to urinate or have a bowel movement (BM)
* takes diet pills
* doesn’t eat or follows a strict diet
* exercises a lot
* weighs food and counts calories
* moves food around the plate; doesn’t eat it
* Has a distorted body image
* thinks she’s fat when she’s too thin
* wears baggy clothes to hide appearance
* fears gaining weight
* weighs herself many times a day
* Acts differently
* talks about weight and food all the time
* won’t eat in front of others
* acts moody or depressed
* doesn’t socialize

Read Anorexia II

Entry Filed under: eating disorders

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