ANOREXIA NERVOSA

Everybody has probably heard of anorexia, but do you really know what it is? With an increasing amount of people, especially females looking for a model figure, thinking their fat, the mind guides the body to eating absolutely nothing. Although the pronoun "she" is used often, Anorexia does occur in Males.


The #4 young lady is and example of an anorexic and the #7 girl is an average size young lady. (The picture is from here.)

 

What is Anorexia?
Anorexia Nervosa, which is also known as the self-starvation disease, is usually recognized by the refusal to eat, except in small amounts. It is considered as an eating disorder among bulimia and compulisive eating. The reason behind the refusal to eat is usually from psychological disorder. After dieting, the person is not satisfied and stops eating because they believe they are too fat, and the dieting goes out of control. The refusal to eat goes on until concerns are made to the control that the person has over one's body. A cycle starts of restrictive eating, often to a point of starvation, in order to feel a sense of control over the body. An obesession is then formed and it becomes similar to an addiction of a type of drug or substance.

 

What is a typical anorectic like?
A typical teenager with anorexia nervosa is a perfectionist and a high achiever in school. While struggling through school, she suffers from low self-esteen, irrationally believing that she is fat regardless of how thin she becomes. She is desperate in needing a sense of control over her life, and the teenager experiences a sense of control only when she says "no" to the normal food demands of her body. The girl starves herself in a relentless pursuit to be thin. The starving often reaches to the point of serious damage to the body, and in a small number of cases may lead to death. (Eating Disorders)
Anorectics are usually very interested in food and sometimes they fix fancy meals for their families, but they will not join the family in eating the meal. Each case differs from person to person, though. Anorectics are afraid to eat and fear that even one bite of the wrong kind of food will make them fat. To burn up as many calories as possible, anorectics usually follow strict exercise programs. (Wolhart, pg.6)

 

How can I help an anorectic?
Because anorexia nervosa is a complex psychological disorder, it is ideal to be treated by psychotherapy or family therapy. Please make sure the anorectic is taken care of, and please get advice from as many sources as possible.
Force feeding is perhaps the most obvious answer, but it is not always the best choice, since the patient is already suffering from severe psychological problems. It is important to be certain that you are not inflicting any further damage to the anorectic. Unfortunately, some treatment strategies have amounted to little more than a battle of wills between equally determined sides.
Although hospitalization has proved helpful in some cases, the anorectic in other cases is not cured, and hospitalization can be decastating. Hospitalization appears to be a short-term solution to the problem, while the real solution lies within the self-esteem of the anorectic. (Landau, pg. 53)
If your friend has an eating disorder, she might refuse to get help, and accuse you of being jealous or trying to ruin her diet. If this happens, you need to talk to someone else about your concern. Try talking to your parents, an understanding teacher, or a school counselor. They may have some ideas about how to help your friend. (Wolhart, pg.44)
The real solution to the problem lies in the self-esteem of the anorectic. Please consult a more local physician, for each individual case depends upon the anorectic. Advice should be taken from all possible sources.

 

Where can I find more information?


 For more information on anorexia nervosa and bulimia, write to: