Anorexia Nervosa
You’re sitting alone in your room with nothing to do. You don’t really have anyone to see because most of your friends have stopped talking to you. Your mom and dad are making lunch, but you want nothing to do with that. Your stomach growls so you drink another glass of water so make it stop hurting for a second. The only thing you can think about is eating, but more specifically, not eating. You grab your laptop and go to your favorite website. The home page of “House of Thin” greets you, and you immediately feel less on edge. You skip over the disclaimer page and head straight to the thinspiration. Your computer screen is suddenly filled with images of emaciated women. You wish more then anything you could look just like them. You fond over the women’s sunken faces and exposed rib cages. You click over to the tips and tricks section to see if the author has added anymore content about hiding your disorder. You’re in luck, the author talks about how you should paint your nails in order to hide the yellow tint of them because of the lack of nutrients. After browsing the tips and tricks section, you click over to the chat rooms. That’s when you feel the most relieved, you see that two of your “friends” are online and begin to talk to them. They are the ones that understand you the most. They are the only ones who have been there for you through this whole ordeal and you feel like you could tell these people anything. You feel a little less lonely because you know there are other people who are going through the same thing. You get up to use the bathroom, but as you’re about halfway there you start to feel weak and dizzy. You faint with a big “thunk” when you hit the ground. Mom and dad rush in to see what happened. The next thing you remember is waking up in the hospital with your parents and doctors standing over you. An IV is in your arm and you’re hooked up to a number of machines. You hear the doctor say that your heart is extremely weak and there is a big possibility that you’re going to have heart failure. It’s that moment that you realize you’re killing yourself.
In the United States, females between the ages of 15 to 24 are 12 times more likely to die from anorexia nervosa then any other cause of death. Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder that is characterized by very little food intake and an irrational fear of gaining weight. Anorexia usually begins during the teen years or young adulthood. It is more common in females, but may also be seen in males. The disorder is seen mainly in white women who are high academic achievers and who have a goal-oriented family or personality.
Symptoms
In the United States, females between the ages of 15 to 24 are 12 times more likely to die from anorexia nervosa then any other cause of death. Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder that is characterized by very little food intake and an irrational fear of gaining weight. Anorexia usually begins during the teen years or young adulthood. It is more common in females, but may also be seen in males. The disorder is seen mainly in white women who are high academic achievers and who have a goal-oriented family or personality.
Symptoms
- Have an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even when she is underweight
- Refuse to keep weight at what is considered normal for her age and height (15% or more below the normal weight)
- Have a body image that is very distorted, be very focused on body weight or shape, and refuse to admit the seriousness of weight loss
- Have not had a period for three or more cycles (in women)
- People with anorexia may severely limit the amount of food they eat, or eat and then make themselves throw up. Other behaviors include:
- Cutting food into small pieces or moving them around the plate instead of eating
- Exercising all the time, even when the weather is bad, they are hurt, or their schedule is busy
- Going to the bathroom right after meals
- Refusing to eat around other people
- Using pills to make themselves urinate (water pills or diuretics), have a bowel movement (enemas and laxatives), or decrease their appetite (diet pills)
- Other symptoms of anorexia may include:
- Blotchy or yellow skin that is dry and covered with fine hair
- Confused or slow thinking, along with poor memory or judgment
- Depression
- Dry mouth
- Extreme sensitivity to cold (wearing several layers of clothing to stay warm)
- Loss of bone strength
- Wasting away of muscle and loss of body fat