Anorexia is an eating disorder which can cause dreadful health disorders and serious complications. Know more about what anorexia is, it's characteristic and health risks associated with it.
Slim and sleek body is a desire of young girls and women these days. Slim body is considered to be a must have for looking beautiful. For obtaining such body lots of women do heavy workouts regularly and opt for low fat, low calorie diet. Some of them also indulge in improper methods of controlling weight. And some become the victims of eating disorder. Few are not even aware that they are facing some kind of disorder. One such disorder which is common amongst women and girls who desire to have a slim body is anorexia. Read on to know more about it.
What is anorexia?
Anorexia is an eating disorder. It is known as anorexia nervosa which means nervous loss of appetite. It does not mean that anorexic patients do not feel hungry but the strong felling of losing weight helps them to control hunger. Even if they eat food they have a tendency of vomiting all the food. They also use laxatives, enemas or diuretics in an improper manner.
This behaviour results in number of health disorders. The intensity in which this disorder affect patients can be classified in to short lived, mild or chronic. The other condition which is similar to anorexia is termed as bulimia. However they are distinguished form each other because of some characteristics.
Person suffering from bulimia tend to eat food but they throw it out whereas the person suffering from anorexia tend to starve themselves. However anorexics also have tendency to purge as mentioned earlier. The bulimic patient does not lose much weight as compared to an anorexic. Binge-eating and purging is a specific characteristic of a bulimic patient.
What are the symptoms of anorexia?
Anorexia is different from having a thin body which can be genetic. Here are some of the characteristics which you will observe in yourself if you are an anorexic. You can detect following physical and psychological changes.
- Unnecessary and excessive fear of weight gain
- Unnecessary heavy work outs and exercise
- Controlling diet forcefully
- Controlling hunger unnecessarily
- Can not resist vomiting after consuming food
- Abnormal weight loss
- Very thin body and dry skin
Health risks to an anorexic patient
Anorexia can cause serious health complications. Anorexia can affect anyone irrespective of the gender. Most of the victims of anorexia are young girls generally form the modeling and acting profession. Here are some of the health risks which an anorexic patient suffers from.
- Delayed menstruation
- Difficulty in breathing
- Weakness and dizziness
- Bone loss
- Anemia
- Miscarriage
- Stomach disorders
- Hair loss
- Scaly and dry skin
- Kidney failure, heart failure or failure of any other organ of body
Anorexics also suffer from the mental imbalance which is adding on to the mortality rate. Almost 15 to 20 percent of anorexic patients commit suicide due to the emotional issues. However early diagnosis and treatment can prove useful to avoid such circumstances. The most important need is to support patient emotionally and provide proper care. Treatment of an anorexic patient depends totally on the support, care and love of closely associated people to the sufferer.
The person affected by anorexic may also show indifference in behaviour and disagree to get treated. At times they may have to be hospitalised forcibly but it is essential. The two main aspect of treating an anorexic are gaining normal weight and resolving psychological issues. The most important thing that these people should be made conscious about is gaining a healthy weight and not reducing weight. Half battle is won when anorexic patients realise that looking beautiful is all about feeling beautiful and healthy.
Does thinness of body necessarily signify any health disorder? Why most of the people affected by Anorexia are women? What is the difference between anorexia and bulimia disorder? To share your tips, views, and experiences, click here.
