What is Anorexia?

Anorexia, also known as anorexia nervosa, is an extreme eating disorder where the patient has an insane fear of gaining weight and this causes severe weight loss.

People with anorexia are very mindful of what they eat. Their food contains very few calories, and they’re usually obsessive about exercising. When they feel like they’re gaining too much weight, they engage in terrible acts like forcing themselves to vomit or using drugs like laxatives, diuretics, or enemas.

More often than not, anorexia isn’t always about food; it’s an unhealthy way to try to deal with life and emotional problems. People suffering from this disease attach so much importance to their weight and body size that it affects their self-esteem. They feel like the thinner they are, the more value they have. Anorexia is an extreme eating disorder that sometimes leads to death.

What Are The Symptoms Of Anorexia?

Anorexia symptoms are both physical and emotional.

The physical symptoms include:

• Thin appearance
• Abnormal blood counts
• Fatigue
• Insomnia
• Dizziness or fainting
• Absence of menstruation
• Constipation and abdominal pain
• Dry or yellowish skin
• Intolerance of cold
• Irregular heart rhythm
• Low blood pressure
• Dehydration 
• Swelling of arms or legs, to mention but a few. 

Emotional and behavioral Symptoms:

These include attempting to lose weight by doing the following:

Behavioral symptoms

• Refusing food intake, aggressive dieting, or fasting.
• Exercising excessively
• Bingeing and forcing oneself to vomit food may require the use of laxatives or some herbal products.

Emotional Symptoms

• Skipping meals and refusing to eat regularly
• Avoiding eating in public
• Denying being hungry or making flimsy excuses not to eat.
• Lying about how much you eat
• Constantly checking their weight.
• Constantly checking their shape in the mirror, looking for where they’ve gained extra weight.
• Wearing multiple clothes
• Reduced interest in sex.

Causes of Anorexia

There’s no known cause for anorexia yet. But it can be associated with biological, psychological, and environmental factors.

Biological Factors

Some people may have some genetic changes that make them perfectionists. That feeling of sensitivity, perseverance, and perfectionism may be inbuilt, and they just find themselves wanting to maintain a perfect body. This could be related to anorexia.

Psychological Factor

Some people with anorexia may be suffering from obsessive-compulsive personality traits that make them not feel hungry for a long time because they’re trying to stick to a routine. They’re also perfectionistic and feel like they’re never in their best shape.

Environmental Factor

Today’s culture has associated success with the size of your body. If you’re too fat or plump, you’re considered a failure. Many young girls fall victim to this pressure, and over time they develop anorexia. These girls just want to get as thin as possible so they can be viewed as successful too.

Prevention of Anorexia

There’s no specific cure for anorexia because it’s a sickness of the mind and body. The only way to prevent anorexia is to identify the symptoms early. Physicians, pediatricians, and most especially parents, are in the best position to notice the symptoms of anorexia in their wards.

The moment you notice this, ask questions about how they eat and what they eat and monitor their eating routine. And if you discover behavioral and emotional symptoms, you can engage They engage them in serious discussion about their self-esteem and why they shouldn’t let the size of their bodies control their lives. You can discuss better eating habits or seek professional assistance.