Anorexia Nervosa

eating disorders

Anorexia is considered to be an eating disorder. It can also fall under some other catergories, like a "condition", "mental disorder", "emotional disorder", and a "physical disorder". It depends possibly on the cause (depression, BDD, media, ect.) and also who you ask, as some doctors / people only believe it is a certain type of condition, and not another.

I'm going to assume you are skipping lunch to lose weight. By denying your body food for such a long stretch of time (from breakfast until dinner) I can almost guarantee you will overeat at dinner. You will then probably end up consuming more daily calories than if you had eaten lunch. Eat smaller, more frequent meals and you'll never feel hungry and you will most likely ingest LESS total daily calories than by eating only breakfast and dinner. Not related to weight loss, not eating for such a long stretch makes it more difficult for your brain to focus. It will make it more difficult for you to do your job or pay attention at school. Keep your body fueled and it will treat you right. Keep your body in starvation mode (even if you don't FEEL starving) and it will fight you.

It messes up the serotonin receptors in your brain that make most people feel happy and joy.

It also deprives the brain of ATP (energy), which gives the sufferer a similar mind as someone who is extremely sleep deprived or has the flu.

In addition, it makes the brain sensitive to things like caffeine.

I think it depends on the person and your self esteem. I think eating disorders vary depending on what is happening in your life. If you question that you have one, then you probably do. It is extremely unhealthy and you should see a doctor.

By doing it anyway, but with the comfort of good friends of family who will support you. Examine the fear inside you and feel it rise, and you will notice that it will come and go without any work by you. It peaks and eases on its own and it is that very feeling that is stopping you. Ask yourself why you are afraid of a feeling? Its just adrenal glands shooting off andrenalin around your body that makes you feel that way and is nothing to be afaid of.

Anorexia, defined by a loss of appetite accompanied by weight loss or poor weight gain, usually denotes a VERY SERIOUS psychological disorder. This is such a complex subject matter that I will list the most salient side-effects from anorexia nervosa - * liver failure, renal failure, electrolyte imbalances (sodium and/or potassium may become abnormal in the blood), heart disorder (arrhythmias), and death. The list of complications is much longer but these are some of the most serious. Several famous people have died from anorexia - one person that comes to mind is Karen Carpenter (of the Carpenters' singing group, back in the 1970's). Loss of bone density and resulting risk of fractures. Loss of teeth with receeding gums and foul breath. Sores and breakouts on the skin, and even loss of hair. Kidney and liver failure are also common, as well as permanent damage to the internal organs and systems. The body can go into menapause very early and prevent a female from having children. All of these make the person susceptible to illness and diseases of all types, many of which can be fatal. And the person looks really, really ugly, just skin and bones, hollow eyes and knobby joints.

Eating disorders cause immeasurable suffering for individuals and their families. Eating disorders have reached epidemic levels in America-- all segments of society are affected: men and women, young and old, rich and poor, all minorities, all socio-economic levels Seven million women. One million men. AGE AT ONSET OF ILLNESS: 86% report onset of illness by the age of 20*. 10% report onset at 10 years or younger 33% report onset between ages of 11-15 43% report onset between ages of 16-20. DURATION OF ILLNESS/MORTALITY: 77% report duration from one to fifteen years* 30% report duration from one to five years. 31% report duration from six to ten years. 16% report duration from eleven to fifteen years It is estimated that six percent of serious cases die. Only 50% report being cured NOTE: In 2006 it is noted that a higher rate of individuals with eating disorders are cured. Like alcoholics being persuaded to take that next drink, individuals with eating disorders must always watch for the signs of fading into another onslaught of poor eating habits. The corrects stats are not available because many Anorexics refuse help (they honestly feel they are still too fat and it's also used as a control mechanism unbeknownst to them because they are unhappy in their lives) and many will refuse counseling, while others realizing there could be something wrong find it difficult to retrain their brain to realize they need to eat to live. There is a high rate of suicide and deaths in Anorexics. It's a living nightmare. If they don't seek help their body will begin to feed off itself, their organs will shut-down and they are at high risk for heart attacks and death is a certainty. Scientific proof has not totally been established whether this is a glitch in the person's brain (like other psychological diseases) and can't be helped, or it's learned behavior from all the Anorexic models and actors out there. Although Anorexia hits more women than men, men are certainly included in this. More and more actors are coming "out of the closet" and want help and getting it. It is possible, if the Anorexic realizes that they do have a problem to get help, become well and live a healthy life-style, but, it's true, like an alcoholic that can't have that first drink after sobriety, the Anorexic must always be cautious they don't fall through the cracks of the Anorexic world. Thinking back when I grew up in the 40s and 50s you never saw Anorexic girls. Yes, some may be thinner than others, but it was genetic and they ate well. I blame the advertising world, movie industry and diet companies for portraying what the #10 gal should look like. There is so much peer pressure on the teens out there that they will try many stupid concoctions to look better be it their weight, facial features or body builds. If you are OK on the inside and psychologically fit, then the rest is just packaging and confidence of oneself comes from the inside. We can't all be one of the beautiful people and if one was smart they would know that beauty fades fast and we need to work on our inner selves. More and more celebrities are coming out and admitting Anorexia and Bulimia and hoping to help other young people realize what they are doing to their bodies. Thin IS NOT in! Even the modeling world is getting the heat and "full-figured" women such as the likes of Marilyn Munroe are coming back into play. If you ask a young man they generally prefer women with a little meat on their bones. Young men could help more as well by telling a friend or girlfriend they are not looking good when they are too thin. I would think coming from a young man is more important than coming from an adult (after all, teens think we adults know diddly anyway.)

Both anorexia and alcohol can damage the body. Each can lead to organ problems and potentially organ failure, which may end in death in some cases. Both are dangerous diseases (anorexia and alcoholism) that can be treated, too.

This one is rather obvious. Malnutrition which anorexia causes (not eating enough) will lower the sperm count in a man. If the sperm count gets too low it will be difficult or impossible for him to get a woman pregnant. Women anorexics also become less fertile. Starvation will eventually cause a woman to stop menstruating and she will not be able to conceive or get pregnant. Anorexia causes many other problems as well, some of which can be permanent depending how emaciated a person get.

After you throw up you should eat saltines, apple sauce, or ginger ale. The ginger in ginger ale will sooth your stomach. After throwing up you should not eat anything big or that has a lot of acid like regular soda or pine apple.

You will become thin... However healthy eating and excersise are far better means of getting rid of excess weight as they will improve your health unlike anorexia. Anorexia will only cause problems to your body!

It can. Lack of nutrition can cause teeth decay, as not enough nutrients are in the body to support healthy bone (teeth are bones) growth.

Anorexia was first "discovered" in 1863 by two English doctors. However, this was the first time it was considered to be an actual disease. Records of anorexia date back to the times of ancient Greeks, where reports of self-starvation (anorexia) and throwing up after meals (bulimia) were recorded in monastaries. And priests wrote that Catherine of Sienna dies after starving herslef through eating only berries and fruits and refusing to eat at most meals, both which would be a sign of severe anroexia.

Usually the eating disorder starts in the mind. Eating disorders are psychological disorders (image disorders).

Anyone can suffer from an eating disorder, and this includes males. The fashion industry puts forward certain images of males and some boys/young men feel they need to conform. It seems that aating disorders are more common in women but they certainly exist among men - and need to be treated.

An estimated 150,000 to 175,000.

Yes, although anorexia nervosa in women is much more popular.

You body only stores EXCESS food as fat. Thus if you are starving yourself you will not have any excess food to store as fat. Indeed if you stop eating your body will start to use your fat stores as food.

Stomach ulcers, inflamation or even ruptures in the esophagus, chronic irregular bowel movements(Laxative abuse), dehydration, tooth decay, anemia, sore throats, swelling of the salivary glands and death. I'm sure there are more.

Some do and some don't. A problem many have is accepting it. Having anorexia implies that you have sort of lost control over "dieting", in a sense. Most anoriexics feel they have contorl and order over their bodies, and that they aren't in any real danger from the eating diorder at all. Sometimes, anorexics are in denial and don't want to "know" or accept that they have it. Most, however, have some knowledge - even if it's in the far back of their minds - that they have some sort of problem.

Yes, as a recovering anorexic, I was diagnosed by a specialist with anorexia nervosa with bulimic symptoms. Both anorexia & bulimia get worse if left untreated, eventually leading to cardiac arrest and/or multiple organ failure. Some examples of this are Christy Henrich, Karen Carpenter & Sheena Carpenter. If you think you have an eating disorder it is IMPORTANT that you seek Phsycological help, ASAP! Absolutely. They can both lead to death if left untreated.

It depends on the person. Some anorexics become very thing within a few weeks. WHile many will eventually gain most of the weight back, and then some, as they go on with life, some do remain thin.