Anorexia
"A
disorder characterized by fear of becoming fat and refusal
of food, leading to debility and even death."
Anorexia, from the Greek an, not,
and orexis,
desire, means a
loss of desire to eat. Nervosa, derived from the French
word, nerveux,
means
having to do with the nerves (psychological cause).
Therefore, Anorexia Nervosa is defined as the "loss of
appetite caused by psychological illness".
Anorexia nervosa is a chronic debilitating illness in which
the individual exhibits an altered eating pattern, often
restricting and decreasing food intake, resulting in
subsequent weight loss. In an attempt to somehow control
their life, the sufferer undergoes a mixture of emotional,
psychological and physical changes. This misunderstood
illness usually follows some stressful life event, such as
the death of a loved one or increased pressure to perform
well at school. Low self-esteem is often a major
characteristic of someone suffering from anorexia. Anorexia
usually begins with a form of dieting of some sort. The
dieter begins by watching what she eats, then progressively
becomes obsessed with what, how much, and when she consumes
food. As the person loses weight, they receive positive
reinforcement from others as thinness is worshiped in our
society. These initial comments, such as "you look good,
did you lose weight?", only intensify the disorder.
Suffers of anorexia see themselves differently from others.
They have an abnormal attitude to weight and an abnormal
perception of their body, often insisting that they are
fat, when in reality they are emaciated. They experience a
powerful desire to be abnormally thin, feeling that's the
only thing they can control and do well in their life.
Food deprivation may lead to cessation of menstrual cycles,
weakened muscle tissue, loss of bone density, lowered heart
rate, and a persistent coldness in one's hands and feet.
Anorexics often experience pain and physical discomfort,
and poor sleeping patterns. As anorexia progresses, the
individual becomes socially and emotionally withdrawn,
often due to the loss of energy caused by reduced food
intake. Depression and irritability are often common. A
person with anorexia may develop food rituals or unusual
eating behaviours as a result of their obsession with food
and weight. Discomfort is often felt when eating with other
people, but are often eager to prepare meals for others.
Medical Criteria for Anorexia:
• loss of 15% of normal body weight
• unreasonable, overwhelming fear of becoming fat that
persists in spite of being underweight
• perception that body is overweight when it's
significantly underweight, and refusal to admit weight loss
is a problem
• absence of three consecutive menstrual cycles
