1st General Lyceum of Ilion

Preparing for life in the 21st century

2014-2016
By Danai K
Anorexia Nervosa
The story is known. Perhaps you know a similar one.
A perfectly normal child , usually girl enters puberty . And along with the
body begins to transform , parents observe and another transformation that has to do
with the behavior of their child. The previously cheerful girl appears more and more
anxious , more and more confusing in relation to herself.
She is convinced that it will never be as thin as she should and , as if
struggling to reverse the changes that puberty brings , putting aim to become very,
very thin . Abnormally thin . And the worst : achieves its objective endangering his
life, but did not seem to understand his situation . Neither her physical weakness or
despair of her family may do admit that it has gone too far . Panic...
Stories like this above are happening more frequently across world . And
while until recently it was believed that anorexia nervosa is but a supposed illness of
fashion and lifestyle, we now know that this is a serious brain disorder and as such
should be treated .

Anorexia is a serious eating disorder that affects women and men of all ages.
It can damage your health and even threaten your life.
There are three key features of anorexia:
1.
refusal to maintain a healthy body weight.
2.
an intense fear of gaining weight.
3.
a distorted body image.

There are two types of anorexia.

In the restricting type of anorexia, weight loss is achieved by restricting calories
(following drastic diets, fasting, and exercising to excess).
In the purging type of anorexia, weight loss is achieved by vomiting or using laxatives
and diuretics.

Currently, it is thought that anorexia nervosa develops as a result of multiple factors,

both biological and environmental.
Examples of environmental factors that would contribute to the occurrence of
anorexia nervosa are:
The effects of the thinness culture in media, that constantly reinforce thin
people as ideal stereotypes.
Professions and careers that promote being thin and weight loss, such as ballet
and modeling.
Family and childhood traumas: childhood sexual abuse, severe trauma.
Peer pressure among friends and co-workers to be thin.

Examples of biological factors include:

Irregular hormone functions.

Genetics (the tie between anorexia and
ones genes is still being heavily
researched, but we know that genetics is
part of the story).
Nutritional deficiencies.

Anorexia isn't really about food. It's an

unhealthy way to try to cope with
emotional problems. When you have anorexia, you often equate thinness with selfworth.

In most cases, treatment will involve a combination of psychological therapy and

individually tailored advice on eating and nutrition to help gain weight safely.
A range of different healthcare professionals will usually be involved in your care,
such
as
GPs,
psychiatrists,
specialist
nurses
and
dietitians.
Most people are able to be treated on an outpatient basis, which means you can go
home between appointments. More serious cases are treated in hospital or specialist
eating disorder clinics.
https://youtu.be/sz-nPMTXduo

Signs and symptoms of anorexia nervosa

person with anorexia may have some symptoms, some of which
are included below. Their forms and their severity vary in each
case and sometimes there but not visible. Anorexia nervosa and
malnutrition that characterizes it and that is the result of the
starvation imposed themselves can cause serious
complications in many important organs of the body.

1.Obvious, rapid and dramatic weight loss.

2. Lanougko Laguno: pale Small hairs grow on the head and body.
3. Obsession with calories and amount of fat in food.
4. Employment in food, recipes and cooking. You can cook complex meals for others
but not to consume the same / same.
5. Make diets although it is impossible / impossible or dangerously underweight.
6. Fear does take pounds or become overweight.
7. Ritual: cut food into small pieces, refusing to eat in front of others, hide or throw
food.
8. Use laxatives, diet pills, emetics, diuretics or quickly go to the bathroom after
meals to cause themselves vomit on themselves and to eliminate unnecessary calories.
9. Make frequent and strenuous exercise.
10. They see themselves as overweight even if others tell them that it is too weak.
11. Not with standing the cold and often declare how cold because of a lack of
insulating fat or poor blood circulation due to very low pressure. They also have very
low body temperature (hypothermia) as the body tries to conserve energy.
12. Depression: may often find themselves in a sad and lethargy
13. Isolation: avoiding friends and family, social retreat and become secretive.
14. They wear baggy clothes to hide their weight loss if they make comments about
their health and want to escape while others / other wear baggy clothes to hide their
bodies as they consider non charming and overweight.
15. Their cheeks may be swollen due to the enlargement of the salivary glands caused
by excessive and frequent emesis.
16. Swollen Joints
17. Abdominal bloating
18. Constipation
19. Diarrhea
20. Instability electrolytes

Bibliography:
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Anorexia-nervosa/Pages/Introduction.aspx
http://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/information/anorexia
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anorexia/home/ovc-20179508
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/eating-disorders/anorexia-nervosa.htm