Kenneth A. Finch, Ph.D.

   Licensed Mental Health Counselor

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Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa is a dangerous condition in which people can literally starve themselves to death. People with this disorder eat very little even though they are already thin. They have an intense and overpowering fear of body fat and weight gain, repeated dieting attempts, and excessive weight loss. This particular eating disorder affects from 0.5% to 1% of the female adolescent population with an average age of onset between 14 and 18 years.¹ Anorexia is identified in part by refusal to eat, an intense desire to be thin, repeated dieting attempts, and excessive weight loss. To maintain an abnormally low weight, people with anorexia may diet, fast, or over exercise. They often engage in behaviors such as self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas. People with anorexia believe that they are overweight even when they are extremely thin. Often, the beginning of illness will occur after a stressful life event such as initiation of puberty or moving out of the parents' home.

Those with anorexia are often characterized as perfectionists and overachievers who appear to be in control. In reality, they suffer from low self-esteem and confidence and overly criticize themselves. They are also very concerned about pleasing others.

Complications

The most severe and noticeable consequences of anorexia nervosa resemble those of starvation. The body reacts to the lack of food by becoming extremely thin, developing brittle hair and nails, dry skin, lowered pulse rate, cold intolerance, and constipation as well as occasional diarrhea. In addition, mild anemia, reduced muscle mass, loss of menstrual cycle and swelling of joints often accompany anorexia.

Beyond experiencing the immediate effects of anorexia nervosa, individuals suffer long-term consequences throughout the life cycle, regardless of treatment. In addition to the risks of recurrence, malnutrition may cause irregular heart rhythms and heart failure. Lack of calcium places anorexics at increased risk for osteoporosis both during their illness and in later life. A majority of anorexics also have clinical depression while others suffer from anxiety, personality disorders or substance abuse, and many are at risk for suicide. Approximately 1 in 10 women afflicted with anorexia will die of starvation, cardiac arrest, or other medical complication, making its death rate among the highest for a psychiatric disease.²

Footnotes

1. American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association, 1994. 2. National Institute Of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health. "Eating Disorders, " 1994.