The Beginner's Guide to Understanding Anorexia

Sarah Adams

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02 Jul 2022

Eating Disorders

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by weight loss (or lack of appropriate weight gain in growing children); difficulties maintaining an appropriate body weight for height, age, and stature; and, in many individuals, distorted body image. People with anorexia generally restrict the number of calories and the types of food they eat. They may also exercise compulsively, purge via vomiting and laxatives, and/or binge eat. These behaviors can significantly impact health. Untreated, it can be fatal. Many people who have anorexia see themselves as overweight even though they are in fact underweight. Eating, food, and weight control become obsessions. People with anorexia typically weigh themselves repeatedly, portion food carefully, and eat very small quantities of only certain foods. Some people with the disorder eat large amounts of food at one time (binge) followed by purging behaviors such as self-induced vomiting or misuse of laxatives or diuretics to produce weight loss (purge). About half of those who have anorexia will develop bulimia nervosa at some point during their illness.

What is Anorexia?

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that involves restricting calories in order to maintain a low body weight. Anorexia can be especially dangerous because it often leads to serious medical complications, including death.

People with anorexia may also exercise excessively or experience a pattern of binge-and-purge behavior where they eat large amounts of food (binges), then try to rid themselves of the extra calories by vomiting, taking laxatives or diuretics, fasting and/or excessive exercising (purges).

What triggers anorexia?

Stress
Lack of self-esteem
Family history
Society's obsession with thinness

Anorexia is a mental illness, not a choice or lifestyle choice, and it can be treated if you seek help for it early enough to get the treatment you need to recover from anorexia before the condition worsens and becomes chronic or life threatening.

What are the signs of anorexia?

Anorexia is a serious mental illness that causes a person to stop eating and lose weight. Anorexia does not have one specific cause, but it can be triggered by many different factors like:

Genetics - Studies show that anorexia may be hereditary. Your risk of developing an eating disorder is higher if someone in your family has one.
Media - The media portrays thin bodies as attractive and desirable, which can affect how you perceive yourself and body image issues related to self-esteem may contribue towards the development or maintenance of an eating disorder (Rodin & Silberstein, 1998).
Stressful events - Childhood sexual abuse or traumatic life events such as a divorce or death in the family are common triggers for those who develop eating disorders.
Mental illness - Those with other mental health problems are at higher riks for developing an eating disorder, including bipolar disorder, depression, OCD, anxiety disorders and schizophrenia.
Cultural influences - In some cultures where food is scarce due to poverty or famine, children learn from watching their parents that small portions mean survival whereas large ones mean wastefulness so they become accustomed to restricting their intake even when sufficient quantities exist.

How do you treat anorexia?

If you’re concerned about your eating habits, the first thing to do is talk to your doctor. They can help you figure out if anorexia is the problem and what kind of treatment would be best for you. Treatment options include:

Psychotherapy (talking with a therapist)
Educational programs aimed at individuals or groups (for example, school-based programs that teach healthy eating habits)
Family therapy (working with families on issues related to anorexia)

You may have heard the term "eating disorder" before, but you might not know exactly what it means. An eating disorder is a mental health condition that involves extreme concern with weight and body shape, sometimes to the detriment of physical and emotional health. In the United States, 30 million people suffer from an eating disorder. The two main types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

The first step in preventing or treating anorexia is to educate yourself. It can be difficult to recognize the signs of anorexia in yourself or someone you know, but it is important that you try your best. If you are struggling with an eating disorder, please talk to a doctor or healthcare professional about getting help today.