Anorexia Symptoms

Eating disorders are taking on epidemic proportions, especially among young women who are increasingly exhibiting anorexia symptoms. Anorexia nervosa is a complex, difficult disease that many people fail to really understand.

Anorexia symptoms go well beyond someone simply wanting to lose weight. In fact, despite severe weight loss, people suffering from anorexia do not feel thin, attractive or desirable; rather, one of the primary symptoms of anorexia is that they feel fat, unattractive and inadequate. They also feel trapped.

People exhibiting anorexia symptoms are obsessed with thoughts of weight, body image, food and calories. Many sufferers are not even free of the disease in their sleep, as they are haunted by dreams of food. Unusual eating habits often develop, such as avoiding food and meals, not eating in public, cutting food into little pieces, and carefully weighing and portioning food. It is common for people with anorexia symptoms to collect recipes and prepare lavish feasts for family and friends but not partake in the meals themselves. People with anorexia symptoms repeatedly check their weight, and most engage in intense and compulsive exercise. Typically, anorexia symptoms include loss of monthly menstrual periods in women, and impotence in men. Besides restricting food intake, other means of controlling weight include purging food by way of vomiting, and the abuse of laxatives, enemas, and diuretics.

Living with or knowing someone suffering from anorexia is exasperating, despairing, and confusing. Anorexia symptoms include behavior that seems manipulative or selfish, and it can be difficult to remember that the disorder is a manifestation of lack of control, unhappiness and extreme distress.

If left untreated or treated early, anorexia can be fatal. Yet people with anorexia often deny that they have a problem or they downplay the seriousness of their condition. If you suspect someone is exhibiting anorexia symptoms, take immediate action and seek help.

Diagnostic criterion of anorexia symptoms includes a body weight of 85% or less than that which is typical for someone of similar build, age and height; an intense, profound fear of gaining weight or becoming fat; a distorted body image wherein one sees oneself as fat despite obvious thinness.

The course and outcome of anorexia nervosa varies across individuals: some recover fully; some develop a fluctuating pattern of weight gain and relapse; others exhibit a chronic course of illness and deterioration over many years. For yet others, anorexia is fatal, the most common causes of death being complications of the disorder such as cardiac arrest, electrolyte imbalance, or suicide.

There are myriads of support groups, treatment centers, books, articles, and websites that can serve as valuable resources for those with anorexia symptoms and their families. Indeed, both eating disorder sufferers and their loved ones are afflicted by the disorder and are in need of support, inspiration, education, and treatment opportunities.

On the Internet, many websites offer the following:  easy-to-read articles and information about eating disorders and recovery issues in children, adolescents, senior citizens, athletes, etc.; self-help recovery programs; DSM-IV-TR eating disorder description; literature research references; referrals to treatment centers, doctors, therapists, support groups; extensive lists of eating disorder sites; online discussion forums; comprehensive list of national and international eating disorder in-patient programs; opportunity to Q & A; employment, internship and educational opportunities in the field; eating disorder awareness behavior tests; purchase of educational curriculum, promotional items, videos,