Anorexia Symptoms

 

While lists of Anorexia symptoms abound, many people fail to realize that anorexia symptoms go well beyond the physical signs. Moreover, anorexia symptoms often overlap with symptoms of other eating or emotional disorders, and thus diagnosing anorexia requires special care and a professional consultation.

 

Anorexia symptoms have been formalized into a set of specific criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders used by psychiatrists. However, many anorexia symptoms are apparent to the untrained eye as well, and may be especially noticeable by friends and family of the person suffering.

 

Eating disorders are about more than someone making choices about food. Anorexia symptoms include other behaviors and emotional manifestations as well.

 

Here are but some physical anorexia symptoms:

 

Dramatic weight loss, excessive energy, insomnia, loss of menses, growth of fine body hair, dizziness or fainting, lowered body temperature (feeling cold), constipation, dental cavities due to self-induced vomiting, dry mouth, long-term medical complications such as heart problems, edema, low potassium levels.

 

Anorexia symptoms related specifically to food include:

 

Greatly reduced food intake and narrowing of food choices (i.e. complete avoidance of fats and/or carbohydrates), cutting food into tiny pieces, chewing excessively, food “rituals” (i.e. eating in very particular patterns or times), eating odd food combinations, cooking for others, not eating in public, avoidance of mealtimes, pretending to eat, vomiting.

 

Behavioral anorexia symptoms include:

 

Use of laxatives, enemas, or diuretics to induce weight loss, rigid exercising, wearing layered clothing to hide one’s body, increasing isolation from friends and family, lowered sex drive.

 

Some psychological anorexia symptoms are:

Excessive concern with body image (”I’m so fat”), an intense fear of weight gain even while underweight, poor self-image, rumination over diet, calories and recipes, etc., inflexibility, need for control, irritability, mood swings, depression, suicidal thoughts, poor memory or poor judgement.

There are also several risk factors that may accompany anorexia symptoms. Some of these risk factors include:

Being female, Caucasian, adolescent or young adult, high academic achiever, perfectionistic personality, family history of addictions or eating disorders, parents who are concerned about weight/weight loss, easily influenced by social attitudes regarding body image.

 

Anorexia can be fatal, and thus recognizing anorexia symptoms can lead to early intervention, proper treatment, and ultimately saving a life. However, the biggest challenge in treating someone with anorexia symptoms is getting the person to recognize that he or she has an eating problem. Most persons with anorexia nervosa deny that they are ill and often enter treatment only when their condition is far advanced.

 

If you know someone who is exhibiting anorexia symptoms, encourage them to seek help and offer to help them find a place to get treatment. Most importantly, offer them your support and show them that you care.