Mental Disorder Dictionary: Anorexia Nervosa

What is Anorexia? Anorexia (anorexia nervosa) is a classified eating disorder that causes people to lose excessive body weight relative to their age and height. Those who have anorexia have distorted views of their body image/figure and a negative perception of how their body should look like. Contrastingly, even if a person is confirmed to be underweight, they still have an intense fear of weight gain and they put in extreme efforts in avoiding the doing so; it can greatly harm their lives. Anorexia is not considered to be “caused” by behavior choices rather it is related to changes in the brain. Such resulting factors coherently show that this eating disorder is hard to overcome and consistent maintenance is required to return to normal body weight. Who is prone to anorexia?

Many factors contribute to increasing the likelihood of getting anorexia, such as if a person comes from a family with a history of health problems. Other factors such as behavioral, physiological, and social factors all correlate to those who already have anorexia/ones that are beginning to show symptoms. Additionally, people involved in sports that rely heavily on physical maintenance are also at risk (i.e. ballet, bodybuilding, modeling, gymnastics). Anorexia often begins in the early development of young adulthood when the production of hormones is at its peak. During this period, it can lead to excessive criticism of one’s self-image/body or having the persistent belief to follow a certain beauty standard to fit cultural norms. Common symptoms of anorexia Anorexia has many varying symptoms as when body weight differs for each person even if they are not seen as “overweight” by others. Whether it’s regarding food and weight or physical and emotional, sudden changes are notable and can lead to drastic decisions in the early stages of anorexia. Food and weight-related symptoms - Often, individuals ignore their own body’s calling for the necessary nutrition that it needs. Deliberately denying hunger can lead to issues in the brain, causing the fear of being overweight and pushing themselves to exercise excessively as a coping mechanism. Resultingly, eating disorders develop, and eating patterns are arranged to where it is not considered overall healthy, limiting the amount of food they eat in a single session. Physical and emotional symptoms - Physical and emotional symptoms can be easily recognized by those around a person with anorexia. As these types of symptoms can be caught in the early stages, they can be treatable with attention and the right appointments with professionals. Noticeable physical symptoms can be:

• Dehydration and fluid loss; dry skin and yellow blotched appearances

• Being very thin/thinning of bones, low BMI for age & height (in most frequent cases)

• Thinning, loose, or falling pieces of hair

• Stomach pains, bloating, constipation, and numerous amounts of bathroom visits after meals

• Fatigue in common activities such as walking normally & being very tired easily

• Extreme sensitivity to temperature or low immunity to illnesses Emotional & behavioral symptoms can be:

• Mood changes such as grouchiness and lashing out at others that they have already been on good terms with (or universally anybody that affects them)

• Frequent fixation on appearances, ex: comparisons to fit or skinny actresses, singers, and models … unhealthy urge to check on personal looks and presentation

• Showing obvious signs of trouble sleeping and an irregular circadian rhythm

All the following examples of various symptoms can be detected by friends and family of the individual. Often, even individuals hide their symptoms from those who care about them, thinking that they will pose as a burden or a bother to them. Recognition of underlying issues can be easily treated in the early stages of anorexia, eliminating the future hazards that may occur. DANGERS of anorexia

Ignoring signs and symptoms may lead to long-term health complications and is extremely fatal when it goes unrecognized. Heart problems, low blood pressure, bone loss, brain damage, and even death are possible results of untreated anorexia. Be mindful of the long-term effects and how anorexia can affect other parts of one’s life and relationships. Treatment As previously stated in the symptoms section, malnourishment affects the brain leading to the difficulty of self-identifying initial issues. The importance of recognition can be life-saving for those who are experiencing eating disorders and abnormal patterns in food consumption. Brushing off or turning a blind eye to any of the previous symptoms listed will further increase difficulty in the treatment process and will take more time to subdue current issues and problems. Be attentive to those who are acting differently from where you usually see them and recommend consultations, professional health administrations, doctors, or reminders to schedule an appointment. Even if you believe that you are overreacting, it’s better to not allow possible behaviors to ensue and impend disruption to their daily life. Sources

Berger, Fred K. “Anorexia: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.” Medlineplus.gov, 2013, medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000362.htm.

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Mayo Clinic. “Anorexia Nervosa.” Mayo Clinic, 2018, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anorexia-nervosa/symptoms-causes/syc-20353591.

“Health & Conditions: Anorexia.” Www.hopkinsmedicine.org, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/eating-disorders/anorexia-nervosa