Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder, and people who have anorexia cut down the number of calories and limit the type of food they eat. Besides that, the patient also tries to purge the food because of intentional vomiting.
Consequently, the person loses or fails to maintain a healthy weight per age, height, and physical health. Various factors can cause the condition, but genes, trauma, and environment could be the major causes. The condition is easier to treat as various therapies are available.
So, if any of your loved ones is suffering from this eating disorder, create a room for acceptance and help them get rid of unusual eating habits!
What are the Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa?
Anorexia involves physical, mental, and behavioral issues. It is impossible to diagnose anorexia from a person’s outer look. Anorexia is shown in a variety of emotional, behavioral, and physical ways.
It’s important to get treatment if you or anybody close to you exhibits the anorexic signs and symptoms listed below.
Physical Symptoms
Anorexia’s physical symptoms may consist of:
- Fatigue
- Fainting
- Rapid weight reduction
- Finger pigmentation that is bluish in tone
- Insomnia
- Hair fall
- Body covering with soft hair
- Constipation
- Dry skin
- Abnormal heartbeats
- Dehydration
- Low blood pressure
- Inflammation in the legs or arms
Emotional and Behavioral Symptoms
Emotional and behavioral signs of anorexia include:
- Strong fear of gaining weight
- Having a fear of food, calories, and dieting
- Irritability
- Dull attitude
- Social disconnection
- Wearing many outfits to conceal the appearance
- Hesitating to eat in front of others
- Eating only low-fat meals
- Finding excuses not to eat
What are the Causes of Anorexia Nervosa?
It is unknown what specifically causes anorexia nervosa. However, it’s thought that a few elements, including psychology, biology, and environment, are involved. Let’s look over each factor here one after the other:
Biology
Anorexia nervosa may develop in response to factors influenced by hormones and genetics. There is evidence that anorexia and serotonin (a substance that is created in the brain) are related.
Environment
A person may develop anorexia nervosa as a result of social pressure to look slim. Youngsters are strongly influenced by unrealistic body images that they see in magazines and on television, which causes a desire in them to be skinny.
Physical Causes
Hormone fluctuations that affect how the body and mind support mood, hunger, thought processes, and memory are examples of physical reasons. Another indication that anorexia occurs in families is that it might be hereditary.
Psychological Causes
Eating as a way to deal with extreme stress or overwhelm in various aspects of one’s life is one psychological explanation of eating disorders. Depression, anger, loneliness, a lack of confidence, and feelings of inferiority could also play a role in the disorder’s development. Furthermore, relationships may be difficult for those who suffer from eating problems.
What Are The Types of Anorexia Nervosa?
Do you know how many types of anorexia nervosa are? There are 3 types of Anorexia Nervosa; now let's find the details of each type here:
Restricting Type
When you practice strict diets, fast, or keep yourself engaged in excessive physical activity, you can lose weight by decreasing your caloric intake, which is known as the restrictive type of anorexia.
Atypical Anorexia
With atypical anorexia, you don’t have to be underweight to exhibit all of the harmful behaviors and symptoms of anorexia. Your body is experiencing excessive stress from exercise or diet routines, although you have an appropriate weight range.
Purging Type
When you use laxatives and diuretics or vomit to lose weight, you have the purging kind of anorexia. Have you ever experienced the urge to vomit food as you think it could make you fat?
How is Anorexia Nervosa Treated?
Accepting that you need assistance is one of the most difficult challenges in the treatment of anorexia nervosa. Many people who suffer from anorexia nervosa don’t think they are sick. Restoring your body to a normal weight and creating regular eating habits are the major objectives of treatment. Anorexia nervosa is a lifetime struggle for a lot of people.
Here is how this eating disorder is treated:
Therapy
To beat anorexia nervosa, you and your family go for different therapies available. Group, family, and individual therapy are a few of the most common therapies used to treat this disorder:
Group Therapy
Individuals suffering from anorexia nervosa may interact with others who suffer from the same condition through group treatment. However, it may result in a race to be thinner than others. You go to group therapy sessions run by physicians to get rid of this disorder.
Family Therapy
Family therapy helps you maintain healthy eating habits and lifestyle by involving your family members. The therapy aids in the settlement of disputes within the family as well. It can support anorexia nervosa survivors.
Individual Therapy
A type of counseling is known as cognitive behavioral therapy. CBT assists in altering negative attitudes and actions. It aims to teach you how to manage intense feelings and develop positive confidence.
Hospitalization
Your primary care physician may decide to admit you to the hospital for some time to deal with the effects of your anorexia nervosa, depending on how much weight you have lost. If you are dehydrated or your weight is very low, you can be shifted to an artificial feeding tube and fluids. Your physician may decide to admit you to the hospital for serious therapy if you keep denying food or if you show signs of mental illness.
Medication
Anorexia nervosa cannot be treated with medicines. However, antidepressants might be recommended to treat the feelings of sadness and anxiety that anorexic individuals commonly suffer. These could improve your mood. But, antidepressants do not lessen the desire to lose weight.
Conclusion:
Anorexia nervosa, which is a severe complex eating disorder, is marked by the fear of gaining weight. In this condition, the person does not eat the required calories, loses weight significantly, and becomes weak eventually. Different treatment options are available, and with the help of family, one can easily overcome this condition.
