Anorexia
What is Anorexia?
Anorexia Nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening
eating disorder characterized by self-starvation
and excessive weight loss.
Anorexia Nervosa is a loss of weight
to unhealthy levels that is achieved by a variety
of compulsive behaviors and characterized by physical,
social and psychological symptoms. More
detailed professional descriptions include the
refusal to maintain body weight for age and height
(most clinicians use 85% of normal weight as a
guide), an intense fear of gaining weight and
a dominating fear of “being fat”,
regardless of actual weight. The seriousness
of the weight loss and its physical effects is
typically minimized or denied by the anorexic.
Eating disorders experts have found
that prompt intervention and intensive treatment
significantly improves chances of recovery. Therefore,
it is important to be aware of some of the warning
signs of anorexia nervosa.
- Dramatic
weight loss.
- Preoccupation
with weight, food, calories, fat grams, and
dieting.
- Refusal
to eat certain foods, progressing to restrictions
against whole categories of food (e.g. no carbohydrates,
etc.).
- Frequent
comments about feeling “fat” or
overweight despite weight loss.
- Anxiety
about gaining weight or being “fat.”
- Denial
of hunger.
- Development
of food rituals (e.g. eating foods in certain
orders, excessive chewing, rearranging food
on a plate).
- Consistent
excuses to avoid mealtimes or situations involving
food.
- Excessive,
rigid exercise regimen--despite weather, fatigue,
illness, or injury--the need to “burn
off” calories taken in.
- Withdrawal
from usual friends and activities.
- In
general, behaviors and attitudes indicating
that weight loss, dieting, and control of food
are becoming primary concerns.
Health Hazards
Anorexia
nervosa involves self-starvation. The body is
denied the essential nutrients it needs to function
normally, so it is forced to slow down all of
its processes to conserve energy. This “slowing
down” can have serious medical consequences.
- Abnormally
slow heart rate and low blood pressure, which
mean that the heart muscle is changing. The
risk for heart failure rises as heart rate and
blood pressure levels sink lower and lower.
- Reduction
of bone density (osteoporosis), which results
in dry, brittle bones.
- Muscle
loss and weakness.
- Severe
dehydration, which can result in kidney failure.
- Fainting,
fatigue, and overall weakness.
- Dry
hair and skin, hair loss is common.
- Growth
of a downy layer of hair called lanugo all over
the body, including the face, in an effort to
keep the body warm.
Anorexia Nervosa has one of the
highest death rates of any medical condition.
The mortality rate associated with anorexia
nervosa is twelve times higher than the death
rate of ALL causes of death for females fifteen
to twenty-four years old (Sullivan, 1995)*. Between
5-20% of individuals struggling with anorexia
nervosa will die; Probabilities of death increases
within that range depending on the length of the
condition (Zerbe, 1995)*. Despite these statistics,
research shows that anorexia nervosa can be successfully
overcome with adequate and appropriate treatment.
Many individuals have approached
their loved one regarding his/her eating disorder,
with no success. It may be helpful when
talking with your loved one, to have a third party
present that is professionally trained and knowledgeable
about anorexia nervosa.
Addiction Intervention Resources
moves your family out of crisis and assists in
addressing your loved one’s eating disorder.
Sources
National
Eating Disorders Association
American Psychiatric Association
(1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
for Mental Disorders, 4 th ed. APA: Washington
D.C.
American Journal of Psychiatry,
Vol. 152 (7), July 1995, pp 1073-1074, Sullivan,
Patrick F
Zerbe, K.J. (1995). The Body
Betrayed . Carlsbad, CA: Gurze Books.
To read more information on our Intervention Programs, Click Here or call our National Call Center 800.561.8158