Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder where someone, especially females more so than males, has an intense fear of becoming fat. It is typical of a person with anorexia nervosa to think of themselves as fat. They also obsess over food and how much they are eating, and severely restrict foods.

Causes of Anorexia Nervosa

You can't blame any one cause for having this eating disorder. However, there are certain groups of people likely to get this disordered eating pattern. Some thoughts are:

Lifestyle expectations These girls that are ballerinas or into modeling have a certain high expectation of thinness.

Family expectations In families where the mother pushes thinness and believes that looks are everything, sometimes pressure their children into thinking that thin is the best.

Personality problems A person with disordered eating probably hates themselves a lot. They may be depressed and feel that they must play the role of a perfect person in every role of life.

Symptoms of Anorexia

Self-induced vomiting
Taking laxatives and diuretics to get rid of additional food.
Abusing diet pills
Eating bird-sized portions
Exercising all the time and then getting on the scale over and over to see how much weight is lost.
Constantly weighing food and worrying about a portion size.
Distraction at mealtime putting off eating food on the plate.
A body image that they feel they are fat.

Consequences

The body with this eating disorder is not receiving nutrients or energy. As a result, the person becomes seriously ill over time since electrolytes in the blood are way out of kilter, along with other vitamin levels essential to health.

Brain function is effected deeply, and sometimes there are fainting spells along with poor memory. The hair thins out becoming brittle, and the heart rate becomes irregular with low blood pressure.

Other things that happen are that the muscles become very weak and the joints swell, causing fractures and bone breaking. This is because since the body has no nutrition to speak of, there is no calcium present like we all need.

The immune system breaks down since there are no vitamins in the body or vitamins from food for nourishment. Therefore, one cold after another is common.

Death can also occur if the behavior continues.

Treatment for Anorexia

To get well from Anorexia requires a team of doctors, nutritionists, and psychologists that work together to help the person with their physical and emotional issues. Treatment may also include antidepressants for depressive problems that the person is likely having.