Anorexia nervosa is a dangerous eating disorder that involves an unhealthy and self-destructive fear of gaining weight. An estimated 0.6% of people in the United States struggle with this disease, and its prevalence among men and women, adults and adolescents, is increasing.
If left untreated, anorexia can lead to serious medical complications, including death. Anorexia is a mental health disorder that has no racial, ethnic, or social boundaries. It does not discriminate based on age, gender, or socioeconomic status. Due to its dangers, it is crucial to seek professional help to overcome anorexia.
What Is Anorexia?
Anorexia is a mental health disorder that leads to serious physical consequences, including death. It is an eating disorder that causes people to eat very little and become dangerously underweight.
People with anorexia often have a distorted image of their bodies, thinking they’re fat even when they’re extremely thin. They may use extreme methods to control their weight, such as fasting or self-induced vomiting after eating. However, anorexia is not about weight loss or dieting; it is an overwhelming fear of gaining weight or being fat, even when one is already extremely thin.
Signs of Anorexia
It is essential to be able to recognize anorexia and its signs and symptoms. This way, it can be treated before it becomes life-threatening.
Anorexia is often accompanied by anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The key to recognizing anorexia is identifying the presence of these accompanying conditions. To help you recognize anorexia, you must understand that its most prominent signs and symptoms include the following:
- Intense fear of gaining weight or being fat despite being very thin
- A preoccupation with dieting or food
- Depressed mood or feelings of anxiety
- Obsessive and compulsive behaviors, such as counting calories or measuring food portions, or creating rules regarding food intake
- Unusual sleeping patterns
- Increasing isolation and decreasing socialization
Medical Dangers
Although anorexia affects millions of people, many are not aware that it can be fatal. The dangers of anorexia can affect anyone. Studies show that anorexia can often affect your organs, especially the heart and kidneys, and eventually cause death. It can also lead to electrolyte imbalances and cardiac arrest. Anorexia can cause your bones to deteriorate, resulting in osteoporosis and fractures. Additionally, it can affect your fertility and cause miscarriages.
Treatment for Anorexia
It is important to note that anorexia is a treatable and manageable disorder; however, the sooner it is treated, the better the outcome. Anorexia can be treated, and many people recover fully, but it is important to seek help as soon as possible. A combination of therapeutic modalities ranging from behavioral therapy to individual therapy to medication can be used to treat anorexia.
Anorexia is a serious mental illness with the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. However, people with anorexia can make a full recovery. Getting help as soon as possible increases the likelihood of recovery. The earlier someone with anorexia seeks help, the better the outcome.
Most people with anorexia benefit from seeing a specialist team that can offer a range of treatments. The key to recognizing anorexia is being able to identify the presence of its accompanying conditions, such as depressed mood, anxiety, obsessive and compulsive behaviors, social isolation, and unusual sleeping patterns. If you or someone you care about struggles with anorexia, don’t ignore the warning signs any longer. The Guest House offers treatment for anorexia and its underlying causes. Call (855) 483-7800 for more information.