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Facts & Dangers
about Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa is an emotional
disorder characterized by severe weight loss (or failure
to gain weight in young people).
Individuals with anorexia nervosa are determined to become
thin and have an intense, irrational fear of becoming fat,
both of which often increase as weight is lost.
Weight is lost through a
variety of methods: severe caloric restrictions, fasting,
relentless exercising, use of over-the-counter
diet aids, diuretics and laxatives, and in some cases,
self-induced vomiting. Most individuals with anorexia
nervosa strongly deny
the disorder, in part, because they often "feel fat" even
when they are thin. They may experience a sense of control
by restricting food intake and often turn away from food
in an attempt to cope with life's stresses. Approximately
six
in 1,000 young women suffer from anorexia nervosa.
Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa
-
Abnormal weight loss of
ten percent or more with no known medical illness accounting
for the loss
-
Restriction
(reduction) of food intake
-
Denial of hunger and/or
the problem
-
Decrease in the consumption
of foods containing animal fat
-
Intense fear of weight
gain
-
Abnormal reproductive functioning
(amenorrhea in women, low testosterone
levels in males)
-
Prolonged
exercising despite fatigue
and weakness
-
Peculiar patterns
of handling food
-
Distorted
perception of weight, body-size
and/or
shape
-
Inability to
control weight-loss and
amount of exercise
-
Social
isolation
-
Unusual sensitivity
to the
cold
-
Weight-loss
through use
of vomiting, diuretics
and/or laxatives
-
Lanugo:
fine hair
on the body
surface
-
Symptoms
of starvation
Warning Signs of Anorexia Nervosa
-
Abnormal
weight loss of 25% or more with no known medical
illness accounting for the loss.
-
Reduction in food intake,
denial
of hunger and decrease in consumption of high
carbohydrate and fat-containing foods.
-
Prolonged
exercising despite fatigue and weakness.
-
Intense
fear of gaining weight.
-
Peculiar patterns of handling
food.
-
Amenorrhea in women (loss
of menstrual cycle).
-
Some exhibit
bulimic episodes of binge
eating followed by vomiting and/or
laxative diuretic
abuse.
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information provided on this site is for educational purposes
only and is not intended to be medical advice or to be used for
diagnosis or treatment. None of the information should be used
as a substitute for evaluation and treatment by a qualified medical
or mental health professional. If you have, or suspect you have
a health problem, you should immediately contact a physician
or other health care professional in your area.
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