They may weigh themselves several times a day or spend a great deal of time looking at their figure in the mirror. Even though they are very thin, people who suffer from this disorder actually think they are overweight.

When they look in the mirror, they do not see themselves as others do. All they are concerned about is losing more weight or the never ending fear of weight gain. Although doctors do not know what causes anorexia nervosa, patients who are afflicted with this disorder often have similar personality and behavioral traits.

Many times they are perfectionists who are very critical of themselves. A person who suffers from anorexia may feel an overwhelming need to be in control of everything around them. Some patients are even under the illusion that if they lose weight they will be happier and life in general will be better. Exercising several times a day or for long periods of time is not uncommon for people with anorexia. They will do anything to achieve what they feel is the perfect body.

A few or several of the following symptoms may be present in people who suffer from anorexia: weight loss, loss of appetite or refusal to eat, over exercising, hair loss or change in appearance of the hair, overwhelming fear of weight gain, unusual eating habits such as refusing to eat around others or chewing food excessively, and constant dieting or the use of weight loss supplements.

treating anorexia is somewhat similar to treating a person who suffers from alcoholism. In order for the person to receive treatment and recover, they have to actually want to change.

If the person does not admit they have a problem or does not believe that there is anything wrong with them, often they will not respond well to any type of medical treatment or counseling therapy.

This is especially a problem in people with anorexia since they do not see themselves as being too thin. Many times they will resist treatment or help. People who have suffered from anorexia for a long period of time will need extensive treatment and follow up counseling.

While getting the person back to a healthy weight is the ultimate goal, doctors must also treat the underlying cause. They need to try and understand what feelings or problems caused the disorder to occur in the first place.

Changing a person’s way of thinking is essential in preventing a reoccurrence of the disorder. Prompt treatment is especially important for a person suffering from anorexia. The longer the disorder persists, the harder it is for the person to physically recover.

Although only a small percentage of the population suffers from anorexia, it has a fairly high fatality rate when left untreated. Patients who refuse to eat are usually kept under hospital care and receive feedings through a tube until they are able to eat on their own again.

The sufferer will also have a greatly distorted vision of there own body, they will always see themselves as being overweight even when they are no more than barely skin and bones.

Both types of anorexia may also include depression as a symptom and as a result of there denial of the problem it is often friends and relatives who are the first to notice and bring up the fact that they do indeed have an illness.

Anorexia is thought be a “women’s problem” but while it is true that it does affect more women than men; men do suffer from anorexia too. The disease most commonly occurs in young women between the age of 15 and 18 and often the onset usually occurs during adolescence, it can also occur in later life but this is rare.

Binge/purging Anorexia

The anorexic suffering from bingeing anorexia will have the tendency to induce vomiting once they have eaten. The sufferer will eat and once digested they will immediately be overcome with a sense of guilt for the actions and will force themselves to be sick to rid themselves of the food.

This can lead to serious problems with the digestive system and in particular the oesophagus which due to the acid could burst or rupture. Another form of purging is with the use of laxatives many anorexics think that the use of laxatives can actually help lose weight but they are wrong as laxatives only work at the lower end of the bowel.

Restrictive Anorexia

The second type of anorexia is called restrictive, as the name suggests the sufferer will restrict the amount of food taken into the body, with this type of anorexia the sufferer won’t eat binge on food and then vomit, they just don’t eat.

The will have the same overall thoughts and feelings about how there body looks and will have the same fear that they are overweight, the same sense of worthlessness and they can be affected greatly by depression which goes hand in hand with anorexia.

The sufferer may also exercise sometimes to the extreme in the attempt to rid them selves of the fat they see themselves as having.

Boyfriends arise on the scene at this age as does every teenager’s nightmare, acne, falling out with friends; school work and exams all play a significant part in this stage of a teenager’s life. It has happened to us all and will continue happening throughout time.

Gradually though the changes have gotten worse, your child isn’t the happy smiling young lady blossoming into womanhood you expected her to be. The changes happening to her body aren’t the ones you thought you would see, along with the terrible teenage years you now have a much more serious problem to contend with. Your budding teenage daughter is losing weight rapidly; the jeans that once hugged her hips are now falling way below them. Her cheeks which were always fresh and rosy red have now begun taking on a sallow look, her skin perhaps a little ashen or clammy.

It’s not the fact that she’s “going through a stage” for the underlying reasons for her spending more time in her room or that she’ll eat while doing homework up there, the plain fact is that she has a more sinister reason for not wanting to eat with the rest of the family.

She doesn’t eat or if she does then it’s very little. Something that maybe started out as noticing she was a few pounds heavier than most of her friends has quickly turned into a deep seated phobia, she doesn’t particularly want to lie and deceive her parents that alone is probably adding to the problems she now has.

Your child has developed anorexia, she has now actually gone beyond just losing a few pounds and is convinced she is still overweight. She is herself totally different from the person you see.

There will be many more underlying symptoms and if not caught and dealt with very serious consequences for her painfully thin body. Anorexia will begin to have an affect on the heartbeat and blood flow, the body becomes dehydrated from lack of fluid and the sufferer may become dizzy or faint.

If not caught and help sought eventually the disease will damage kidneys, bones, muscles and ovaries. This is the worst case scenario of course and if recognised and dealt with in the early stages a full recovery with no lasting damage is made.

It is therefore important not to quickly strike off those mood swings as “teenage troubles”, however difficult times can be bringing up a teenager there may actually be a much more serious underlying cause.

First of all anorexia is not limited to teenage girls. Although it is more common among them than any other age group, anorexia can affect both men and women regardless of their age. Young girls in their teenage years may be more susceptible to the disease simply because of all of the changes they are undergoing both physically and mentally.

Many women suffer from a lack of self esteem and anorexia may help them feel like they are more in control of their lives. In today’s very appearance conscious society, women are often very aware of their weight. In people with anorexia, their concern about their weight is overwhelming. Secondly, men who suffer from anorexia or any other eating disorder are not always gay. A person’s sexual orientation does not cause anorexia.

However, homosexual men may be more likely to suffer from this disorder than other men simply because they are more conscious of their appearance or they may use anorexia as a way of dealing with their sexual preference.

Since they cannot control their sexuality, they may feel more in control of their lives by taking control of their weight. Another common misconception about anorexia is that patients can never fully recover from the disorder.

This simply is not true. Although successful treatment often depends on the extent and length of time the condition has been present, many patients recover fully and do not suffer from frequent relapses.

One of the most important parts of treatment after successfully regaining lost weight is to deal with the emotional aspects of the disorder. Anorexia sufferers need to have counseling and support for a long period of time after they have recovered physically.

Those who recognize and understand the possible causes of this affliction are less likely to suffer from any type of eating disorder in the future. Both the body and the mind must recover from anorexia. Lastly, you cannot always tell by looking at a person if they suffer from anorexia.

Some people may be thin for other reasons not related to anorexia. Also, although patients with anorexia often are about 15 percent below the average body weight for a person their size and height, this is not always the case.

Even a person who is just ten pounds underweight can be suffering from anorexia. The illness may be in the early stages and not as easily recognizable by others. It is important for parents and family members to become involved if they feel a loved one may suffer from this disorder.

Although anorexia should be properly diagnosed by your physician, many times friends and family members are the first to notice the warning signs. Early treatment and recognition of this illness is important to prevent irreversible damage to the body.

The road to total recovery can be a long one and it’s not always an easy one, it’s not just a simple case of starting to eat properly and putting on weight, the anorexic also has to have a clear understanding of what happened to them.

They will have change the deep rooted feelings they have and the way they think not only about food but also what they think of themselves too.

No Wonder Pill

There is no magic wonder pill we can pop into our mouths three or four times a day to cure anorexia, in fact there has been very little good research written about the various treatment options available for anorexia.

In fact it isn’t written in stone that the various treatment options will work for certain, only one thing is known for sure and that is the sufferer themselves hold the closest thing to a “wonder” pill within themselves with the admission of the problem. That alone is a huge step on the road to recovery which once has been taken then looking into the various options of treatment is the next way to go.

Some of the Options Available

Here will be listed very briefly several options that are available for the anorexic to take, a more detailed look into each option will follow in a series of articles on the specific option.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy isn’t a daunting as its name might suggest, the treatment is simple “talking”. Though in fact as simple as talking is a great deal of benefit can be gained by just that, talking and getting your deep-set fears and thoughts out in the open. Read More…

Cognitive therapy

This therapy helps you change your negative thoughts and feelings by replacing them with positive thoughts, it helps you gain a better insight into yourself as a person and gives you back control over the person you are not the one you have become. Read More…

Antidepressants

Anti-depressants were once thought to be a method suited in the treatment of anorexia but now are advised against in the belief that simply won’t be beneficial. Read More…

Hospitalization

If the anorexic has lost weight to the extreme that they are severely under nourished then a hospital stay be may be advised by the physician.

Hormone Supplements

Oestrogen supplements may be offered as treatment simply because it will help build up bones that have become weak due to the strain the sufferer has put on there body with refusal to eat properly.

Zinc Supplements

Zinc is another method thought to be useful in the treatment of anorexia; Zinc is thought to help the anorexic put on weight.

Clinics/Counseling

There are several options available as potential treatment for the anorexic sufferer, entering a clinic to attend a course is one of them. Your doctor can help you find one in your area or there are several to be found online. Read More…

Anorexia not only affects the way they feel about food and its not just simply the refusal to eat, the anorexic will have deep seated feelings and thoughts about themselves, mostly negative thoughts and this affects the way they think of other family members too.

Very often the disease will have a devastating affect on the family’s relationship to the point of almost total breakdown within the family unit, gone are the days when the family sat around talking and laughing discussing what happened at school or work almost total communication may have been lost.

Feelings such as resentment worry of course, anger from both the sufferer and family members may exist, and sadness and shame will all play a major part in the feelings. Along with these feelings the ever increasing feeling of desperation and disbelief at what is happening will show. It is important for everyone to remember that the family is not the cause behind the illness, neither is it the fault of the person afflicted with anorexia for the illness is something which the sufferer really has no control over.

There is no simple explanation for those affected by anorexia just as there is no simple cure for it. Very often members of the family will ask themselves, “What could I have done to prevent this happening”, “what went wrong, could I have stopped it happening”.

The answer is simply no, and there sooner this realization occurs then a start can be made with the family as a whole towards recovery not only for the anorexic but also for the family.

The best course of action after having seen the family doctor is perhaps a series of therapy with a family therapist. While this doesn’t offer any magical cure for the actual disease it does help the sufferer to get there thoughts and feelings out and also for the family as a whole who are also able to get there feelings out in the open.

They also receive the assurance that this wasn’t the fault of anything that they did or could have done. It is extremely important that the family work together and be honest and open with there feelings for this will bring them closer to helping the anorexic gain control back of not only there own life but that of the family as well.

Q1: What is Anorexia?

Q2: What types of Anorexia are there?

Q3: What is the diagnosis for Anorexia?

Q4: What are the effects of Anorexia?

Q5: What is the difference between Anorexia and Bulimia?

Q6: What are the effects of Bulimia?

Q7: What are the symptoms of Bulimia?

Q8: What types of Bulimia are there?

Q9: What treatments are available for Anorexia and Bulimia?

Q10: Do men suffer with Anorexia and Bulimia?

Q1: What is Anorexia?

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that most commonly affects teenage girls and young women. However, it can also occur in adults, both male and female. People with anorexia nervosa are extremely conscious and obsessive about their weight. Read More…

Q2: What types of Anorexia are there?

There are two different types of Anorexia that people suffer from; the first is restricting anorexia and the second, binge eating/purging anorexia. The underlying characteristics for both types are basically the same; with both types of anorexia the sufferer will have a total fear of weight gain. Read More…

Q3: What is the diagnosis for Anorexia?

Early diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa plays an important role in the complete recovery of the disease. The earlier it is caught the chances of a full recovery with no lasting damage are increased greatly. If you think a family member or a friend may have anorexia it is crucial you talk with them and try to get them to see that they are in fact ill and need medical help. Read More…

Q4: What are the effects of Anorexia?

Anorexia Nervosa is a dangerous disorder due to the severe medical complications that it can cause. Anorexia Nervosa is a condition where a person starves him or herself and/or exercises excessively, to the point of where his or her body suffers from the symptoms and complications of severe starvation-induced malnutrition. The symptoms and effects of Anorexia are the same as they are with people who suffer from malnutrition due to famine. Read More…

Q5: What is the difference between Anorexia and Bulimia?

Anorexia and Bulimia are equal opportunity eating disorders. There is no certain race, gender, sexual or religious background in which these eating disorders are more predominant. Anorexia and Bulimia are psychological problems that just happen to deal with food. There are some similarities in the two eating disorders, but they are not necessarily two sides of the same nervosa coin. Read More…

Q6: What are the effects of Bulimia?

Bulimia is an eating disorder which strikes people who have a problem with self-image. They are fixated with their weight and tend to judge themselves harshly for imperfections that most likely no one else sees. Bulimics may appear normal to their peers, but they live in their own world of guilt and shame. Read More…

Q7: What are the symptoms of Bulimia?

Recognizing Bulimia in a loved one can be a difficult task, especially if you have no idea that your loved one has any type of eating disorder. However, there are a few signs that can signal there is something wrong. Read More…

Q8: What types of Bulimia are there?

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder most commonly known for the binging and purging actions of the sufferer. Bulimics will go on eating binges, where they eat uncontrollably for a short period of time, and then will induce vomiting in hopes of compensating for the calorie intake and prevent weight gain. Read More…

Q9: What treatments are available for Anorexia and Bulimia?

There are several different treatment options available for the anorexic, the most important and first step on the road to recovering from anorexia is the moment the sufferer admits they do in fact have a problem. This is the hardest and most crucial one but one that’s necessary on order to make any progress towards establishing regular and “normal” eating habits. Read More…

Q10: Do men suffer with Anorexia and Bulimia?

Most people think of women, especially young women and teens, when they hear about Anorexia Nervosa. The reason for this is sound, since teen girls and young women tend to be under a lot more pressure than teen boys and young men when it comes to being and looking thin. Read More…

Peer, media, and societal pressures aside, however, Anorexia can, and does, affect males also, although admittedly in smaller numbers. Males under the age of 14 account for about five percent to ten percent of diagnosed Anorexia Nervosa cases, and nineteen percent to thirty percent of diagnosed cases are older male teens.

Despite the fact that Anorexia Nervosa is less common in males, the symptoms and causes of the disorder when it does present itself appear to be the same for both sexes. This would be pressure from outside influences, although with males it may manifest itself more in over-exercising or extreme muscle building without consideration for proper nutrition and weight maintenance.

One of the problems that males with Anorexia Nervosa face is that their condition may not be as readily recognized as it is in females.

Since many doctors are trained to look for signs of this condition in females, a male with this condition might be diagnosed with something else, or might be given unnecessary tests to search for other causes for the extreme weight loss or malnutrition.

This can have negative connotations for a male with Anorexia Nervosa, as it is a serious condition that must be treated as quickly as possible with therapy and constant medical supervision.

Males with Anorexia Nervosa may also be less forthcoming with answers when asked about their eating and exercise habits, as they may be ashamed of having what is considered a “female” disorder.

Both parents and doctors of male teens should be open to the possibility of Anorexia when they notice extreme weight loss and obviously changed eating habits, so that the condition can be diagnosed and treatment can be started as early as possible.

Anorexia Nervosa is caused by underlying emotional problems, which the young male may try to deal with by focusing on his weight.

The young male sees being able to “control” his food intake and his weight as proof that he is in control of his entire life, which is far from the truth.

Peer pressures, school pressures, and more severe anxiety-producing events such as physical or sexual abuse in childhood can become more than a young male can deal with, and his anxiety can manifest itself in the form of Anorexia Nervosa.

Anorexia and Bulimia – The Similarities

Both Anorexia and Bulimia have the same underlying cause – low self-esteem. With today’s society putting so much emphasis on what is perceived as the “perfect” body and weight, those people with eating disorders see themselves as imperfect.

However, that is not the only underlying cause. Depression and abuse – emotional, verbal, sexual and physical – are also common factors that contribute to the eating disorders of Anorexia and Bulimia.

It is important to note that depression and abuse are not always a factor but that it is prevalent in many cases. In addition, in both disorders, eating is out of their power and self-control. Both of their focus is on food, although there are different ramifications.

Anorexia and Bulimia – The Differences

The result of Anorexia and Bulimia on a person’s health is very similar, but the steps leading up to the conditions are not. With Anorexia, a person consciously does not eat in order to achieve what they perceive as the “perfect” body When they look in the mirror, they do not see how gaunt and skeletal they appear. Rather, they see themselves as needing to lose “just a few more pounds.” With Bulimia, a person consumes large quantities of food to numb their feelings.

However, shame and guilt creep in and kick off the urge to purge. They purge via vomiting, excessive exercising, and the use of laxatives or diuretics. Anorexia becomes readily visible once a person drops way below a normal weight.

Yet, with Bulimics, they could appear to have a normal body weight or even appear slightly overweight. Unless you caught them in the act of bingeing or purging, you would most likely never guess there were any problems.

Medical issues are yet another area where Anorexia and Bulimia differ. For instance, with the constant bingeing and purging, Bulimics can suffer from decaying teeth and even stomach and esophagus problems, all stemming from the regurgitation of stomach acids.

People who suffer from Anorexia deal with a variety of health issues like the lack of a menstruation cycle and a lower body temperature. In both eating disorders, they do share some of the same medical problems not listed above like malnutrition, electrolyte imbalances and interruption of body eliminations.

Some of these medical issues lead to stroke or heart attack, which is the leading cause of death in people with eating disorders. So while there are some similarities in these two eating disorders, they are also vastly different.