what is anorexia

People are quite obsessed with a perfectly slim and even very slim figure, this in the long run causes very strong self-esteem conflict and even health problems and depression for them. That is when they fall into the hands of anorexia. Do you know what it is and how dangerous it can be? In the following article, we will talk about it, its effects, who can suffer from it, and many more.

WHAT IS ANOREXIA?

Anorexia is a psychological condition, in which the person who suffers from it has the obsessive desire to maintain body weight well below normal. The person is afraid of gaining weight, and therefore controls the diet and even exercises to the point of interfering with their daily life.

This disorder frequently affects girls and women, but lately also boys and men and unfortunately, it has been proven that it is one of the eating disorders that begin to occur at 11-12 years of age.

Those who suffer from anorexia are at risk of dying, due to complications associated with suicide, ingestion of laxatives and dietary aids, and vomiting after consuming food, for this reason, people should be warned even from websites that promote anorexia and bulimia with deadly advice.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF ANOREXIA?

The symptoms of anorexia are physical, emotional, and behavioral, which are the following:

Physical symptoms:

• Fatigue.
• Insomnia.
• Brittle and dry hair.
• Yellow skin.
• Absence of menstruation.
• Dizziness.
• Excessive weight loss.
• Constipation.
• Abnormal blood count.
• Cold intolerance.
• The blue coloration of the fingers.

Behavioral and emotional symptoms:

• induced vomiting.
• Use of laxatives, enemas, or diuretics.
• The compulsive consumption of food on a regular basis.
• Little or no feeding.
• Preoccupation or lack of interest in eating.
• Irritable.
• Suicidal thoughts.
• Depression.
• No interest in socializing.

WHAT CAUSES ANOREXIA?

It is not known what causes anorexia, only that it is possibly a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental elements. Although it is thought that if there is someone in the family who suffers from it, there will probably continue to be cases in the family, traits such as perfectionism and sensitivity are also associated with the condition. 

There are people with obsessive-compulsive conditions who, in order to control their anxiety, develop anorexia. In women, success and self-esteem go hand in hand with beauty as well as being thin, so they can also influence their appearance.

WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS FOR SUFFERING FROM ANOREXIA?

There are people who are more likely to suffer from anorexia than others, then know which ones are at risk of suffering from it:

• Being female: The condition occurs most often in girls, adolescents, and women.
• Suffering or having suffered from anxiety disorder as a child.
• Being a person who shows excessive concern about weight and figure.
• Being a teenager, they face many changes in body and mind at that stage, which sometimes they cannot tolerate.
• People who play sports or are in the performing arts, for being the center of media attention; There is a lot of pressure on them.
• People who have a negative image of themselves.
• People with eating problems in childhood.
• People who believe the cultural ideas about beauty and health, slimmer more beautiful.
• Perfection or obsessive adherence to the rules.
• People with changes in neural activity.
• Having a relative who suffers from anorexia: father, brother, or son.
• Women who present several changes in their lives, such as love breakup, moving from one city to another, loss of a loved one, material problems of the utmost importance. These allow the person to be emotionally stressed and vulnerable.

WHAT ARE THE COMPLICATIONS THAT A PERSON SUFFERING FROM ANOREXIA CAN SUFFER?

Anorexia can lead to other conditions for the body such as the following :

• It can cause death due to nutrient deficiency in the body.
• Malnutrition and anemia.
• Weakness in the bones or osteoporosis due to calcium deficiency in them.
• A decrease in the white cells present in the blood protects the organism from infections.
• Heart problems such as heart failure and arrhythmias, due to low potassium levels.
• Kidney failure or problems with the kidneys.
• Diarrhea or in some cases the opposite, constipation.
• Depression is one of the causes of suicide.
• Delay in adolescent growth.
• Presence of dental caries.
• dehydration
• Problems getting pregnant or infertility.
• Seizures from fluid and sodium loss.

HOW IS ANOREXIA DIAGNOSED?

To diagnose anorexia, not only a physical examination is required to observe the person's state of health, in said examination it is measured, weighed, the heart is heard, the temperature, heart rate, and pulse are checked, and other signs. A psychological test is also required to determine if there is concern about appearing too thin.

If the person does not want to maintain their weight according to their age, refuses to do so, and has a distortion of their body image, we are present before a possible patient with anorexia. In addition, blood and electrolyte checks, urine tests, kidney function tests, liver function tests and, if possible, an electrocardiogram should be performed.

WHAT IS THE TREATMENT FOR ANOREXIA?

Let us remember that the greatest factor that allows the presence of anorexia is psychological, because patients do not like their figure, and for whatever reason, they want to lose weight. For this reason, it is important for the person to gain weight, but to achieve this, we must focus on making him understand that he has a problem and must recognize it.

Already focused on it, the treatment includes the attention of nutritionists, psychologists, and other experts for a very long period, and thus be aware of monitoring the person to prevent them from relapsing into stopping eating. A medication itself for anorexia does not exist, but before the presence of depression and anxiety, antidepressants are usually administered to help.