Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia is an eating disorder where people starve themselves. Anorexia usually begins in young people. Individuals suffering from anorexia have extreme weight loss. Statistics shows one percent of teenage girls in the U.S. develop anorexia nervosa and up to 10% of those may die as a result.

Risk Group
Anorexia affect primarily people in their teens and twenties, but studies report both disorders in children as young as six and individuals as old as seventy-six.

Causes for Anorexia:
1. Biological factors: Genetic.
2. Psychological factors: People who feel inadequate.
3. Family factors: Overprotective family.
4. Social factors: appearance-obsessed friends or romantic partners.
5. Cultural factors: Culture characterized by competitive striving for success.
6. Media factors: Produces messages, which develop wrong body images

Symptoms:

1) Physical
Body weight that is inconsistent with age, build and height usually 15% below normal weight.
a) Girls do not start periods or loss of at least 3 consecutive menstrual periods in adults.
b) Not wanting or refusing to eat.
c) Weakness.
d) Brittle skin.
e) Shortness of breath.
f) Sex drive disappears or is much diminished.

2) Psychological
In addition, anorexia nervosa often includes behavioral and emotional problems
a) Depression
b) Irritability
c) Withdrawal
d) Person may develop strange eating habits classifying food into "good/safe" and "bad/dangerous" categories.
e) The person loses, or tries to lose, weight.
f) Fear of weight gain and obesity.
g) Wears baggy clothes, sometimes in layers
h) Moody, irritable, cross, snappish, and touchy.
i) Feels inadequate, fearful of not measuring up. Frequently experiences depression, anxiety, guilt, and loneliness.

Complications of Starving:

If not stopped, starving can lead to irreversible physical damage and even death. Medical problems, which can arise, are listed below:
1. Irregular heartbeat, cardiac arrest, death
2. Kidney damage, renal failure, death
3. Liver damage
4. Loss of muscle mass. Broomstick arms and legs.
5. Permanent loss of bone mass. Fractures, Osteoporosis, and hump.
6. Low immunity.
7. Anemia, malnutrition. Disruption of body's fluid/mineral balance.
8. Fainting spells, sleep disruption, bad dreams, mental fuzziness.
9. Depression
10. Anxiety

Treatment:
Fortunately, treatment is available for eating disorders. The most common element surrounding Eating Disorders is the inherent presence of a low self-esteem. Thus treatment consists of Counseling, treating physical problem, Psychotherapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
1. It involves changing responses to stressful situations, and learning to cope with situation rather than use food as a first resort.
2. Helps in changing self-perception about body shape and weight.

Interpersonal psychotherapy
1. Focuses on improving relationships with family and friends
Anti-depressants: Drugs to help alleviate sadness and despair.
Self-help groups: People suffering from same problems come together and help to overcome the problem by sharing

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