What is anorexia nervosa??
Eating disorder characterized by immoderate food restriction and irrational fear
of gaining weight, as well as a distorted body self-perception. Anorexia
nervosa is an It typically involves excessive weight loss and is
usually found more in females than in males. Due to the fear of gaining
weight, people with this disorder restrict the amount of food they consume.
This restriction of food intake causes metabolic and hormonal
disorders. Outside of medical literature, the terms anorexia nervosa and
anorexia are often used interchangeably. However, anorexia is simply a medical term for lack of appetite, and people with
anorexia nervosa do not in fact, lose their appetites. Anorexia nervosa
has many complicated implications and may be thought of as a lifelong illness
that may never be truly cured, but only managed over time. Patients suffering
from Anorexia nervosa may experience dizziness, headaches, drowsiness and a
lack of energy.
Anorexia nervosa is characterized by low body
weight, inappropriate eating habits, obsession with having a thin figure, and
the fear of gaining weight. It is often coupled with a distorted self image which may
be maintained by various cognitive biases that alter
how the affected individual evaluates and thinks about her or his body, food
and eating.Those suffering from anorexia often view themselves as "too
fat" even if they are already underweight.They may practice repetitive
weighing, measuring, and mirror gazing, alongside other obsessive actions to
make sure they are still thin, a common practice known as "body
checking".
Anorexia nervosa most often has its onset in
adolescence and is more prevalent among adolescent females than adolescent
males. However, more recent studies show the onset age has decreased from
an average of 13 to 17 years of age to 9 to 12. While it can affectmen and
women of any age, and socioeconomic and
cultural background, anorexia nervosa occurs in ten times more females than
males.
People with anorexia nervosa continue to feel
hunger, but they deny themselves all but very small quantities of food.The
average caloric intake of a person with anorexia nervosa is 600–800 calories
per day, but extreme cases of complete self-starvation are known. It is a
serious mental illness with a high incidence of comorbidity and
similarly high mortality rates to serious psychiatric disorders. People
suffering from anorexia have extremely high levels of ghrelin (the hunger hormone that signals a physiological
desire for food) in their blood. The high levels of ghrelin suggests that their
bodies are trying to desperately switch the hunger aspect on; however, that
hunger call is being suppressed, ignored, or overridden.
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