People who are anorexic have an
eating disorder called
anorexia nervosa. A person who is anorexic can literally starve himself or herself to death. An anorexic will eat very little, even though this person is already thin. Anorexics have an intense and overpowering fear of body fat and weight gain, with repeated dieting attempts and excessive weight loss.
An anorexic is often characterized as a perfectionist and overachiever who appears to be in control. In reality, an anorexic suffers from low self-esteem and is overly critical of himself or herself. They are also very concerned about pleasing others.
Anorexia affects from 0.5 to 1 percent of the female adolescent population, with an average age of onset between 14 and 18 years. An estimated 0.5 to 3.7 percent of females suffer from anorexia nervosa in their lifetime.
An anorexic is identified, in part, by:
- A refusal to eat
- An intense desire to be thin
- Repeated dieting attempts
- Excessive weight loss.
To maintain an abnormally low weight, a person who is anorexic may diet, fast, or over-exercise. This person may often engage in behaviors such as self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas. An anorexic believes that she or he is overweight even when extremely thin.
Often, a person will start to become anorexic after a stressful life event, such as the beginning of puberty or moving out of the parents' home.
Anorexia is diagnosed if a person has the following characteristics:
- Weight at least 15 percent below what is considered normal for others of the same height and age
- Misses at least three consecutive menstrual cycles (if a female of childbearing age)
- Has an intense fear of gaining weight
- Refuses to maintain the minimal normal body weight
- Believes he or she is overweight, although, in reality, this person is dangerously thin.
The first step in treating an anorexic to ensure the person's physical health, which involves restoring a healthy weight. Reaching this goal may require hospitalization. Once an anorexic's physical condition is stable,
treatment for anorexia usually involves individual psychotherapy and family therapy, during which parents help their child learn to eat again and maintain healthy eating habits on his or her own. Behavioral therapy also has been effective for helping an anorexic return to healthy eating habits. Supportive group therapy may follow, and self-help groups within communities may provide ongoing support.
Anorexia can slow the heart rate and
lower blood pressure, increasing the chance of
heart failure. Anorexics who use drugs to stimulate vomiting, bowel movements, or urination are also at a high risk for heart failure. Starvation can lead to heart failure, as well as damage to the brain.
Anorexia may also cause hair and nails to grow brittle.
Skin may dry out, become yellow, and develop a covering of soft hair called lanugo. Anorexics may also experience mild anemia, swollen joints, reduced muscle mass, and light-headedness as a result of the disease.
In severe cases, anorexics may develop brittle bones that break easily as a result of calcium loss.
The course and outcome of an anorexic's illness varies among individuals: some fully recover after a single episode; some have a fluctuating pattern of weight gain and relapse. Others experience a chronically deteriorating course of the illness over many years. The mortality rate among anorexics has been estimated at 0.56 percent per year, or approximately 5.6 percent per decade, which is about 12 times higher than the annual death rate due to all causes of death among females ages 15 to 24 in the general population. The most common causes of death are complications of
anorexia, such as cardiac arrest or electrolyte imbalance, and suicide.
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