Eating disorders are common. Data shows that approximately 9% of the U.S. population, or about 28.8 million Americans, will develop an eating disorder once in their life. Anorexia nervosa is one such eating disorder that causes people to starve themselves and exercise excessively. The lack of nutrition can lead to serious physical problems, including bone loss, infertility, heart damage, and brain shrinkage.
Anorexia usually starts in adolescence when a person’s body image changes, and they’re not sure how to deal with it. It’s a severe condition that requires professional help, such as therapy or medication.
Anorexia Nervosa: What It Is
Anorexia nervosa is a severe mental illness that can be life-threatening. It is more than just about weight loss. It’s also about feeling like you aren’t good enough and have to be perfect. Anorexia nervosa has many causes, including:
- Genetic factors
- Social influences
- Psychological factors
Anorexia nervosa can cause serious physical problems such as malnutrition or starvation, which may lead to death if left untreated. While anyone can develop anorexia nervosa, women are at a higher risk of developing this condition. Anorexia affects both men and women, but the condition is more common in females, especially teens between 13 and 19.
Signs and Symptoms
Anorexia nervosa can develop several physical and emotional signs and symptoms. Knowing and understanding these symptoms can help the development of the condition or prevent it from progressing to a severe stage.
Physical signs and symptoms of anorexia include:
- Weight loss that occurs over weeks or months
- Always feeling cold
- Muscle mass irregularities
- Slow heartbeat (bradycardia) or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
- Bluish or purple coloring of the hands and feet
- Dizziness and fainting
- Bloating and abdominal pain
- Low blood pressure
- Absent or irregular menstrual periods
- Feeling tired
- Shortness of breath
Some emotional and mental signs include:
- An irrational fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, despite being underweight
- The tendency to judge one’s self-worth according to one’s body weight or shape
- An unwillingness to acknowledge the seriousness of low body weight
- Feeling irritable and depressed
- Experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide
Causes and Diagnosis
There is no single cause of anorexia nervosa. Scientists believe that a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors contribute to the development of this eating disorder.
Anorexia nervosa tends to run in families. While there is some establishment on the connection between eating disorders and DNA structure, researchers are still working on many studies to establish concrete proof. This means that there is often a strong family history of the eating disorder, suggesting that it may be passed down genetically from one generation to another. However, these genes are not necessarily expressed in every case.
Dieting or weight loss can also result from environmental factors such as peer pressure and cultural norms surrounding body image and beauty standards.
Being diagnosed with anorexia nervosa means you have an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even underweight. This fear can lead you to become obsessed with your appearance when looking at yourself in mirrors or photographs, even if others don’t notice anything out of the ordinary about how thin you look.
You may focus on specific body parts (such as the stomach) while ignoring others; for example, some patients tend only to check their thighs for excess fat because they feel like those areas need immediate improvement.
How Anorexia Affects Your Body Long Term
If anorexia is left untreated, it can cause serious health problems. An estimated 3.3 million healthy life years are lost annually because of eating disorders. Long-term physical effects include:
- Infertility: Anorexia may make it difficult to get pregnant and have babies because of low body weight and reduced menstruation. It can also lower your chances of getting pregnant naturally or through fertility treatments by affecting hormone levels.
- Osteoporosis: This bone disease causes bones to become weak and break easily, especially in the spine, hips, wrists, and ankles. It is more likely that you have an eating disorder or are underweight due to malnutrition from not eating enough calories from food.
Treating Anorexia Nervosa
If you have been diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, you may wonder what the best treatment is for your condition. There are many approaches to treating anorexia, including psychotherapy, nutrition therapy, and surgery.
A recent experimental brain surgery helped two Californian women stop their food cravings. They suffered from binge eating disorder, and the surgeons placed a small device under their scalp. The device gave a slight jolt to the patients whenever they had a craving. This helped both Californian women to improve their condition.
However, the surgeons said this is brain surgery and comes with risks. Hence, therapy is always the best option to treat anorexia nervosa. If you suffer from anorexia nervosa or any other eating disorder, like the two Californian women from the study, you must consult with California therapists to control the condition.
Psychotherapeutic techniques include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and family therapy. CBT helps people change their behaviors by changing how they think about themselves and their eating habits. In contrast, family therapy helps families learn how to support each other during recovery. It is essential to seek out a professional and experienced therapist in your vicinity to help in your recovery.
Support groups are another essential part of recovery from anorexia nervosa because they offer support and encouragement from others who understand firsthand what it’s like living with this disorder. There are support groups available in many cities across the United States. Suppose you don’t have access to these. In that case, there are online forums where people with anorexia nervosa can talk about their experiences and offer support and advice to others struggling with eating disorders.
They also provide valuable information about healthy eating habits, which can help those struggling with this mental illness begin taking steps toward regaining control over their lives again!
Final Words
Anorexia nervosa is a severe mental illness that can lead to physical and even life-threatening complications if left untreated. It is essential for anyone who suspects that they may have this disorder to seek out medical help as soon as possible so that they can begin treatment and recovery. At the same time, their body is still healthy enough to handle it. If you or someone you know is struggling with anorexia nervosa, please seek help immediately. You are not alone, and many people out there want to help.
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