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Signs & Symptoms | Causes | Medical Complications

Anorexia is characterized by extreme weight loss accomplished by very restrictive eating and/or fasting. Individuals with anorexia are unwilling or unable to maintain a body weight that is normal or expectable for their age and height.

Persons with Anorexia typically will display a pronounced fear of weight gain and a dread of becoming fat although they are dramatically underweight. Concerns and perceptions about their weight have an extremely powerful influence and impact on their self-evaluation. The seriousness of the weight loss and its physical effects is minimized or denied. Also, the person can be extremely sensitive about being fat, or has an intense fear of becoming fat and of losing control over the amount of food he or she eats. This hypersensitivity is accompanied by the desire to control their emotions and reactions to these emotions.

Persons who suffer from Anorexia often have low self-esteem and a tremendous need to control their surroundings and emotions. The eating disorder is often a reaction to external and internal conflicts such as anxiety, stress, and unhappiness. Many people with the disease also feel undeserving of life’s gifts and pleasures. Starvation or restriction, obsessive exercise, calorie counting, a constant obsession with food and health issues, the use of excessive amounts of laxatives, diuretics, and/or diet pills, and a persistent concern with body image can all be some of the indicators that someone suffers from Anorexia. A sub-type of individuals with Anorexia regularly engage in binge-eating or purging (or both). Some persons in this group do not binge, but do regularly purge after the consumption of small amounts of food.

Signs & Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa

• Distorted Body Image
• Drastic weight loss and weight is still dropping
• Intense fear/anxiety about gaining weight
• Preoccupation with weight, calories, food, etc.
• Feelings of guilt after eating
• Denial of hunger
• Low self-esteem
• Avoids many social situations, and withdraws from usual friends and activities
• Constant excuses for not eating
• Frequent comments about feeling "fat" despite weight loss.
• Excessively and compulsively exercises
• Constant complaints of being cold
• Develops certain food rituals
• Paleness, dizziness, or fainting spells
• Intense, dramatic mood swings
• Gaunt appearance, yellowish skin-tone, and dark circles below the eyes
• Cessation or Disruption in menstrual cycle (for postmenarcheal females)
• Exhaustion and fatigue
• Wearing loose clothing
• Abuse of laxatives, diet pills, or diuretics
• Hair loss

Causes of Anorexia Nervosa

Causes of Anorexia include a number of interrelated biological, psychological and social factors, which can increase the chances of an individual developing the disorder. Some suggested contributing factors include:

• Genetics: Family history of Anorexia. About one-fifth of those with Anorexia have a relative with an eating disorder
• Biology: Abnormalities in brain chemistry. Serotonin, a brain chemical that is involved in depression, may play a role
• Life changes or trauma: Severe trauma or emotional stress (such as the death of a loved one or sexual abuse) during puberty or pre-puberty
• Culture: A cultural environment that puts a high value on thin or lean bodies
• Personality Trait: A tendency toward perfectionism, fear of being ridiculed or humiliated, a desire to always be perceived as being "good." A belief that being perfect is necessary in order to be loved

Medical Complications of Anorexia Nervosa

• Anemia
• Kidney stones, complete kidney failure
• Irregular or complete loss of menstrual period
• Erosion or loss of teeth
• Irritability
• Difficulty concentrating
• Memory loss
• Loss of energy
• Bone loss / Osteoporosis
• Dry, yellow skin
• Heart damage / heart attack
• Hair loss
• Fine hair appearing all over body
• Depression
• Resorting back to a child-like state of mind
• Death

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