Anorexia Nervosa

INTRODUCTION

Anorexia nervosa (anorexia) is an eating disorder that causes people to lose more weight than is considered healthy for their age and height. It’s most common among young women and increasingly among young men.

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BODY

CAUSES

There are no simple answers to the causes of anorexia and other eating disorders.

Family and social pressures

In addition to the cultural pressure to be thin, there are other family and social pressures that can contribute to anorexia. This includes participation in an activity that demands slenderness, such as ballet, gymnastics, or modeling. It also includes having parents who are overly controlling, put a lot of emphasis on looks, diet themselves, or criticize their children’s bodies and appearance. Stressful life events—such as the onset of puberty, a breakup, or going away to school—can also trigger anorexia.

Biological causes of anorexia

Research suggests that a genetic predisposition to anorexia may run in families. If a girl has a sibling with anorexia, she is 10 to 20 times more likely than the general population to develop anorexia herself. Brain chemistry also plays a significant role. People with anorexia tend to have high levels of cortisol, the brain hormone most related to stress, and decreased levels of serotonin and norepinephrine, which are associated with feelings of well-being.

EFFECTS

Hair: thins and gets brittle.

Muscles, Joints, and Bones: weak muscles, swollen joints, and bone loss, fractures.

Skin: bruise easily, dry, yellow skin, brittle nails, get cold easily, growth of fine hair all over body

Heart and Blood: Low blood pressure, slow heart rate, heart failure, anemia and other blood problems

Heart and Blood: Low blood pressure, slow heart rate, heart failure, anemia and other blood problems.

Intestines: constipation, bloating

CONCLUSION

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TREATMENT

The biggest challenge in treating anorexia is helping the person recognize that he or she has an illness. Most people with anorexia deny that they have an eating disorder and often enter treatment only once their condition is serious. The goals of treatment are to restore a healthy body weight and normal eating habits. A weight gain of around 1 kg per week is considered a safe goal.