What Is Anorexia?

Anorexia is basically a disease of the mind.  It causes them to see a distorted image of themselves and because of that to ultimately starve themselves to the point of going to a body fat percentage 15% below normal rates.  Technically, Anorexia means loss of appetite in Greek.  But obviously, it takes some time to lose appetite in which time they are hungry all the time, meaning it takes some serious thought and dedication to some degree.

It is a kind of control.  Most react when there is some kind of stress in their lives.  The most common report I’ve heard was of girls during the divorce of their parents who felt like what they ate or didn’t eat was the only thing they could actually control.  But other major causes of anorexia actually include the desire and need for greater sexual freedom and a yearning for power and self control in being thin and losing weight.

Despite the fact that it is most often the desire for sexual freedom that drives anorexia, many anorexic girls hesitate to have a boyfriend, because that much interaction puts them at risk for being found out by someone else.  If you have anorexia, the ultimate consequence is death due to malnutrition and starvation. But you could also suffer amenorrhea, anemia, dental decay, discoloration, low immune system, dry skin, high cholesterol, kidney damage, heart damage, liver damage, low body temperature, and yellow skin.  It can also result in permanent issues with fertility.

This disease is often recognized by preoccupation with food, bizarre behavior surrounding food, impaired concentration, indecisive natures, mood swings, social isolation, depression, and otherwise.  There is no cure for anorexia, it is for most actually a lifelong struggle.  However, it can be treated and people can learn to deal with it.

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