Anorexia :-
Anorexia is an eating disorder and significant mental health condition.
People who have anorexia try to keep their weight as low as possible by not eating sufficient food or exercising very much, or both. This can make them very ill because they begin to starve.
They frequently have a distorted image of their bodies, thinking that they are fat even when they are underweight.
Men and women of any age can get anorexia, but it is most usual in young women and generally begins in the mid-teens.
Anorexia Signs & Symptoms :-
• If you are under 18, your weight and height being lesser than expected for your age,
• If you're an adult, having an uncommon low body mass index (BMI),
• Absent meals, eating very less or ignoring eating any foods you see as fattening,
• Thinking that you are fat when you are a healthy weight or underweight,
• Taking medicine to lower your hunger (appetite suppressants),
• Your periods gets stop (in women who have not reached menopause) or not starting (in younger women and girls),
• Physical problems, like feeling lightheaded or dizzy, hair loss or dry skin,
Some people with anorexia can also make themselves sick, do an more amount of exercise, or use medicine to help them poo (laxatives) or to make them pee (diuretics) to try to stop themselves by gaining weight from any food they eat.
Anorexia Causes :-
We do not know exactly what give rise to anorexia and other eating disorders. You can be more probable to get an eating disorder if :
• You or a any member of your family has a history of eating disorders, depression, or alcohol or drug addiction,
• You have been blamed for your eating habits, body shape or weight,
• You are overly concerned with being slim, specially if you also feel pressure from society or your job for example, ballet dancers, jockeys, models or athletes,
•You have anxiety, low self-esteem, an obsessive personality or are a perfectionist,
• You have been sexually abused.
Health Risks of Anorexia :-
Long-term anorexia can give rise to critical health problems connected with not getting the right nutrients (malnutrition). But these will commonly begin to improve once your eating habits return to normal.
Possible complications include :
• Problems with muscles and bones _ including feeling tired and weak, osteoporosis, and problems with physical development in children and young adults
• Fertility problems
• Loss of sex drive
• Difficulties with the heart and blood vessels _ involving poor circulation, an irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, heart valve disease, heart failure, and swelling in the feet, hands or face (oedema)
• Problems with the brain and nerves _ including fits (seizures), and problems with concentration and memory,
• kidney or bowel problems,
• Having a weak immune system or anaemia,
Anorexia can also put your life at risk. It is one of the main causes of deaths connected to mental health problems. Deaths from anorexia can be due to physical complications or suicide.
Anorexia Treatment :-
You can get better from anorexia, but it can take time and recovery will be different for every person.
Your treatment plan will be modify to you and should consider any other support you may need, such as for depression or anxiety.
If you're over 18, you should be offered a type of talking therapy to help you control your feelings about food and eating so that you are able to eat sufficient to be healthy. Talking therapies that are usually used to treat anorexia in adults include:
• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT),
• Maudsley Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adults (MANTRA),
• Specialist supportive clinical management (SSCM),
If you are under 18 years, you should be given family therapy. You can also be offered another type of talking therapy, such as CBT or adolescent-focused psychotherapy