Excerpted from the free ebook “Natural Help for Anorexia“. To save this ebook and read it later, please right click HERE and choose “save as”.
Anorexia nervosa is classified as an eating disorder where sufferers have an obsession with food and are overly concerned with being thin. They are often so terrified of gaining weight that they go to extreme measures to lose or maintain a body weight that is below normal for their age and height.
Anorexic individuals restrict the amount of calories they consume, sometimes to the point of self-starvation or purging by vomiting the small amount of food they do eat. They also use laxatives excessively or over-exercise so that their bodies burn more calories than they eat.
However, anorexia is more than simply the need to be thin or to restrict food intake. It is often psychologically tied to the lack of control the person may be experiencing in other aspects of their lives. On a subconscious level, anorexic individuals may feel a sense of accomplishment that they have control over something in their life. The constant mental pre-occupation with food and their weight means that mental anguish or other emotions are avoided and not dealt with.
People with anorexia nervosa are often overly sensitive to world issues, and often take the worries of the world onto their shoulders. The strict restriction of food may be used as a measure of how good they are at restraining themselves, taking willpower to an extreme degree. They can see it as a great feat, and inwardly applaud their determination.
Who Suffers from Anorexia and is it Serious?
Anorexia is much more prevalent in Western Societies than elsewhere in the world. This can be attributed to the commonly held Western notion that a slim figure is attractive – a notion that is perpetuated by the media and fashion.
Anorexia affects mainly young women; the most common age of onset being between 15 and 19. Approximately 90% of all cases are female. This can also be linked to a societal ideal that encourages women to be thin and men to have a strong muscular body type.
Anorexia is a very serious disorder with a high mortality rate, and often results in severe medical consequences if left untreated. Most people with anorexia do not believe that they have a disorder and usually view their weight loss as an accomplishment.
For this reason, they seldom seek help for themselves and are usually brought into treatment by a concerned parent or friend. There is hope, however, as there are successful treatments available, and many anorexics are able to overcome their disorder and regain a healthy body-weight and sense of self.
What are the Effects of Anorexia on the Body?
Inadequate amounts of food results in malnutrition, which adversely affects all the body’s organs. Many anorexic girls permanently damage their vital body systems and functioning, which often includes the reproductive organs, heart, and kidneys.
Anorexic girls commonly experience loss of menstruation (amenorrhea). Anorexia can have serious medical complications and severe symptoms, as the effects of self-starvation and purging take a serious toll on the body’s health.
Some of the many consequences of anorexia include:
* Loss of menstruation (amenorrhea)
* Dry skin and brittle nails
* Brittle and thinning hair
* Sensitivity or intolerance to cold temperatures
* Cardiovascular problems such as chronically low blood pressure and heart rate, palpitations, and in extreme cases, heart failure
* Electrolyte imbalances: low potassium, sodium and magnesium
* Kidney stones or kidney failure
* Changes in brain chemistry, often resulting in depression
* Lowered immune system functioning
* Constipation and bloating
* Headaches due to malnutrition
* In severe cases, nerve damage such as numbness or mild paralysis in the feet or leg can occur
When Should I Worry About Anorexia?
Signs of anorexia nervosa include obsessive thoughts of food and being frantically concerned with body image or weight gain. People exhibiting signs of anorexia typically feel less anxious when they have control over their strict diet and disciplined weight loss. Other signs of anorexia include feeling hopelessly unsatisfied with your figure every time you look into the mirror, even though your family and friends comment on how thin you are.
Many anorexics fail to see that this is a problem, or their fear of weight-gain overshadows their fear of health complications and physical discomfort.
Anorexia is a serious condition and has been identified as the psychological disorder with the highest mortality rate, with 10% of all cases being fatal due to resulting medical complications. It also has a very high suicide rate, as it often co-exists with depression.
Parents who are concerned that a child has anorexia should seek professional advice and assessment. While many teenagers develop picky eating habits, anorexia is a serious condition requiring medical treatment. Anorexic girls and young women often must be treated in medical facilities where they are monitored 24 hours a day.
What are the Symptoms of Anorexia?
* Severely low body mass index in relation to age or height that is self-induced
* Refusal to maintain normal body weight
* Unhealthy obsession with food and the amount of calories taken in compared to the amount used
* An intense fear of gaining weight
* Distorted body image – will often think she or he is fat even though noticeably thin
* Often feels self-worth is dependant on body shape
* Misses at least three consecutive menstruation periods
* Increased downy hair on face and limbs (lanugo)
Disorders that May be Related to Anorexia
* Bulimia nervosa is closely related to anorexia, and in many cases anorexics become bulimic.
* Depression is high among individuals with anorexia
* Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is closely related
* Substance abuse is also common among anorexics
Tips for Coping with Anorexia
* Talk to your dietician or medical doctor about necessary supplements. It may take time before you change all your old eating habits, and until then, you need to ensure that your body is receiving all the nutrients it needs.
* Stick to your treatment and meal plans. It will be difficult at first, but focus on the fact that you are on the road to a healthy body and mind.
* Try not to push supportive people away. Understand that caring friends and family who push you to stick with your treatment have your best interests at heart, and they only want to see you get better.
* Buy a journal. Keeping a record of your thoughts and feelings can be very helpful. You can track your progress and note when and why negative eating thoughts arise. Try to uncover the emotional reasons behind your eating disorder.
* Resist the urge to constantly weigh yourself or check yourself in the mirror. These habits only serve to encourage an unhealthy lifestyle.
* Adopt a loving relationship with yourself. Treat your body with love and respect by implementing a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet, exercise, and enough rest. Set aside times where you pamper and treat yourself.
* Try to stop criticism as soon as it enters your mind. Judging yourself is an unhealthy habit at the heart of eating disorders. Accept yourself as well as those around you as beautiful inside and out – just as is. Do not buy into media’s view of the unrealistically skinny figure.
* Remember that while you may feel a sense of control when self-starving or controlling your weight, you are in fact out of control – it is the anorexia that is in control until you make the decision to change.
* Recognize the influences in your life that promote your disorder. Avoid too much TV and reading beauty magazines, as they give a distorted view of beauty. You may need to avoid certain friends if they encourage your old habits, or address the people that put pressure on you to be thin.
There is much more information in the ebook “Natural Help for Anorexia“. To save this ebook and read it later, please right click HERE and choose “save as”.
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