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Telephone:028 9023 5959
EMail:
edani@btconnect.com
Address:
Eating Disorders Association N.Ireland 28 Bedford Street
Belfast
BT2 7EF
N.Ireland
Anorexia Nervosa
"Anorexia nervosa" means "loss of appetite for nervous reasons" but this is misleading because in reality you have lost the ability to allow yourself to satisfy your appetite. You probably restrict the amount you eat and drink, sometimes to a dangerous level. You may exercise to burn off what you perceive to be excess calories.
You focus on food in an attempt to cope with life, not to starve yourself to death. It is a way of demonstrating that you are in control of your body weight and shape. Ultimately, however, the disorder itself takes control and the chemical changes in the body affect the brain and distort thinking, making it almost impossible for you to make rational decisions about food. As the illness progresses, you will suffer from the exhaustion and other effects of starvation. Occasionally people die from the effects of anorexia, especially if it is untreated.
The effects of Anorexia on your Body:
- In adults, extreme weight loss; in children and teenagers, poor or inadequate weight gain in relation to their growth or substantial weight loss
- Constipation and abdominal pains
- Dizzy spells and feeling faint
- Bloated stomach and feeling faint
- Downy hair on the body; occasionally loss of hair on the head when recovering
- Poor blood circulation and feeling cold
- Dry, rough, or discoloured skin
- Loss of "periods", loss of interest in sex, infertility
- Loss of bone mass and eventually osteoporosis (thinning bones)
Psychological signs of Anorexia:
- Intense fear of gaining weight and obsessive interest in what others are eating
- Distorted perception of body shape or weight
- Denying the existence of a problem
- Changes in personality and mood swings
- Becoming aware of an "inner voice" that challenges your views on eating and exercise
Behavioural signs in Anorexia:
- Rigid or obsessive behaviour attached to eating, such as cutting food into tiny pieces
- Mood swings
- Restlessness and hyperactivity
- Wearing big baggy clothes
- Vomiting, taking laxatives
Anorexia and the Family:
Anorexia not only affects the person with the disorder - the whole family is affected. Each family is different but some common trends have been identified. People who develop anorexia have often been compliant and obedient children. They would be less likely to become angry than their brothers or sisters and would have been eager to please. They have often hidden their inner feelings and anxieties. They may fear failure and have an overwhelming desire to please and care for others. They are committed to achieving hig
h standards set - or that they assume have been set - by parents or teachers, whereas often these high standards are self imposed.
