Anorexia Nervosa

“When I Look in the Mirror, I Don’t Feel Satisfied”

What is Anorexia Nervosa?

• Anorexia Nervosa is a psychological disorder in which a person has an intense fear of gaining weight. Someone with anorexia thinks about the calories of food although he or she may be very skinny.

• They tend to be perfectionists

Percentage and Who Has it

• In the U.S., more than 1,000 women die annually from anorexia nervosa.

• Among the people diagnosed with Anorexia, 95% Girls have it and 5% guys have it.

• About one out of every 100 adolescent girls has the disorder.

• Caucasians are affected the most out of all racial backgrounds.

• Upper class is more affected by Anorexia Nervosa than lower class.

Causes of Anorexia

• Culture- Women and few men in America are always under pressure when they see others looking better than them.

• Family- If mother or sibling has anorexia, there is more of a chance of developing this disorder.

• Traumatic events or stress

• Biological Reasons

• Personality- Someone with anorexia may not like her or himself, hate the way she or he looks, or feel hopeless.

How It’s Diagnosed

• The refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height. Maintaining a body weight less than 85% of the expected weight

• An intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though the person is underweight

• Self-perception that is grossly distorted, excessive emphasis on body weight in self-assessment, and weight loss that is either minimized or not acknowledged completely.

• In women who have already begun their menstrual cycle, at least three consecutive periods are missed (amenorrhea), or menstrual periods occur only after a hormone is administered

Signs and Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa (psychological)

• Depression and social withdrawal.

• Attention and concentration can decrease.

• Sleep can become disrupted and lead to fatigue during the day.

• The individual can become irritable and easily upset and have difficulty interacting with others.

• Drastic mood change

Signs and Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa (physiological)

• Heart and circulatory system: abnormal, slow hearth rate along with low blood pressure.

• Gastrointestinal complications: Constipation and abdominal pain; the rate at which food is absorbed into the body is slowed down.

• Absence of Menstrual Cycle

• Loss in Bone Density

• Anemia

Treatment

• Hospital Treatment for Malnutrition

• Gaining 1 to 3 pounds a week back

• Group Therapy

• Family Therapy

• Nutritional Education

Prognosis

• 6% die from Anorexia Nervosa

• Could lead to Cardiac Arrest

• Suicide

• With treatment, approximately over half will fully recover.

How I feel about my body

• I feel like I am still fat and I am ugly because of the amount of calories I usually intake.

How I think I look

• I feel like I am very fat, but I think if I don’t eat, I will get skinnier.

I feel tired with this Disorder

• I feel tired nowadays because I don’t eat as much, but I don’t want to eat the gross calories in foods so I must do what I am doing.

I Hate People Now

• EVERYONE annoys me!!!! Peiple don’t understand that they are really annoying to m. They call me moody. I don’t think I am.

No one likes me

• Everyone I talk to give me attitudes and disgusting looks as if I am fat. I hate that and that’s why I think I need to lose more weight.

Paranoia??

• People think I am paranoid. I am just a normal human being! Everyone gets scared and anxious about things along with me! I just worry about calories!

My eyes

• Around my eyes, they are turning black, just like models and makeup. Each day I feel like imbecoming prettier and skinnier.

• Doctors say I am low on iron, but I deny that.

Kidney Stones?!

• My sides of my body hurt because of my rigorous exercise routine. Not because I don’t drink enough water. My body does not have kidney stones.

What I eat and how I feel about it

• I rarely eat anything. Just drink. If my body doesn’t need it, I don’t feed it. Otherwise, I can’t become a model like I want to be! When I don’t eat, I feel great, but when I eat, I get upset and hate it.

Protruding

• My bones are protruding, which shows a good sign that I am losing weight and not taking in too many calories.