subject: Some Common Anorexia Symptoms [print this page] Anorexia is believed to affect one in a hundred Americans today. In this article we examine the common symptoms associated with this prevalent eating disorder.
Anorexia affects both the mind and body of the patient through prolonged starvation. If you are suffering from anorexia you live in fear of becoming fat and this dominates everything in your life and drives your behavior almost entirely. Despite your actual body size, weight and what people around you may say, you fear constantly that you are just on the verge of becoming fat. Refusing food and the knock-on feeling of self control you feel is the number one way you will deal with this fear and this is at the heart of anorexia. Other weight control measures common among anorexics is the binge and purge cycle and compulsive exercise. The symptoms you feel as someone suffering from anorexia are basically aligned with starvation, namely low blood pressure, kidney damage, liver damage, loss of bone density, fertility issues and possibly seizures.
Anorexia is a progressive disorder and just continues to get worse over time until the patient dies. As it progresses the link between the mind and body problems become tighter, leading to ever more extreme behavior and thought patterns.
The main behavior pattern associated with anorexia nervosa, as has been explained already is the refusal to eat. This refusal extends to not just treats but the basic nutritional requirements your body needs to stay alive. When your body weight falls below eighty five percent of what is normal for your height and age then you are considered to be anorexic. The refusal of food is based on two usual patterns, namely calorie counting and eliminating certain food groups entirely. Consumption of just a few hundred calories per day is very common among anorexics. They may also eliminate carbohydrates entirely from the diet. In the vast majority of cases, fat is totally cut out.
Another of the key behavioral indicators for anorexia nervosa is a compulsion to exercise. If calories cannot be restricted then the anorexic will often attempt to just burn them away on the treadmill. Someone suffering from anorexia will feel out of control if they miss an exercise session. This is similar to the feeling that anorexics who refuse to eat get if they feel they have eaten too much in one sitting. Despite being injured or otherwise unwell, anorexics can often exercise for several hours on a daily basis.
Another symptom that often appears as the disease progresses is increased hyperactivity. It is typically totally involuntary. Research suggests that as the eating disorder progresses and starvation begins to take hold, and the core temperature reduces, the body will try to compensate by inducing hyperactivity in an attempt to warm itself up.
Hopefully this article has provided some background into the symptoms of anorexia nervosa. Many of the symptoms take place in private and are directly related to the sufferer's sense of self worth. Being aware of typical behavior patterns can help identify someone who may be suffering from this life-threatening condition.
