Anorexia

Anorexia is an eating disorder that is characterized by patients losing large amounts of weight due to voluntarily starving themselves. Some anorexics also abuse laxatives, cause themselves to vomit if they do eat, and exercise excessively, sometimes to the point of exhaustion. Considered a mental illness, anorexia causes its victims to have a distorted sense of their body shape and size. Anorexics also tend to be obsessed with food and weight loss.

The vast majority of anorexics are women, but between 10 and 25% of victims are men. It is estimated that approximately 40% of people afflicted with anorexia are between 15 and 19 years of age. Occasionally, children are diagnosed with anorexia. Anorexia can run in families, and has been linked with depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A person or family with a history of depression or OCD may have an increased risk of developing anorexia. Sometimes anorexia can be caused or aggravated by a zinc deficiency. Anorexics tend to have low self-esteem and be perfectionists in other parts of their lives. A large percentage of anorexics are found to have been physically or sexually abused previously.

There are physical as well as psychological symptoms of anorexia. Physical symptoms are the same as the symptoms of starvation. These include drastic weight loss, a very low body mass index, low blood iron, a lack of menstrual periods in women, fainting, headaches, and general weakness and illness. As the disease progresses, patients may experience nerve damage, hair loss, abnormal body hair, decreased heart rate, and decreased body temperature. Approximately 6% of those diagnosed with anorexia will ultimately die from the disease. This includes the number of patients who commit suicide, as suicidal tendencies are not uncommon in those with anorexia.

Psychological symptoms include a preoccupation with weight loss, feeling as though they are overweight when they are obviously underweight, and vehemently denying that they are not healthy. Anorexics often feel as though they are in control of what they are eating and refuse to acknowledge that they have an eating disorder.

Both physical and psychological treatments are important for someone recovering from anorexia. Physically, a patient must be supported in weight gain. This might include hospitalization, intravenous nutrition, and close supervision by a nutritionist. Often a patient will be given zinc supplements if they are deficient. Sometimes antidepressants or other drugs are prescribed to help the patient overcome depression, anxiety, or OCD. Psychological counseling is essential to help the anorexic patient realize the extent of their illness, and to help them come to grips with their need to gain weight. Both individual and group therapies are often recommended. In many cases, family counseling is important as well. Psychological therapy can also help these patients with any issues that they may have with depression or anxiety, which may have contributed to his or her anorexic tendencies.

The treatment of anorexia is intense and may last for years, or even a lifetime. Most patients, about 80%, fully recover with intensive physical and psychological therapy. The remaining 20% may have one or more relapses over the course of their lives.

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