Eating Disorder Help

Poll

	|   |

Author:
Michael Russell

In this next article in our continuing series we're going to discuss the effects of Anorexia Nervosa on a person, as well as going over some facts and figures.

The main assault of this disease is that it focuses on self starvation. Since the body needs food as a basic means for survival, the effects of this disease are numerous to say the least. Because the body is not getting enough nutrition, it is forced to slow down in order to compensate for this. This slowing down can have serious consequences on a person's body.

There are a number of health consequences from Anorexia Nervosa. The main ones are as follows:

1. People suffering from this disease, after an extended period of time, suffer from an abnormally slow heart rate and very low blood pressure. This causes the heart muscle itself to change. The chance of heart failure rises as heart rate and blood pressure decrease.

2. Because of the lack of calcium in a person's diet, since they are not getting enough food in general, there is a great risk of reduced bone density, which is known as osteoporosis. This results in very dry and brittle bones which makes them very susceptible to breaking.

3. Again, because of the lack of nutrition, a person suffering from this disease will suffer from muscle weakness and potential muscle loss. This can lead to more serious muscular disorders.

4. Most people who suffer from this disease not only don't eat enough but also don't even drink enough water. This can result in severe dehydration which can ultimately lead to kidney failure.

5. Less serious symptoms, but certainly cause for concern, are overall weakness including fatigue and fainting, which in itself can be dangerous when behind the wheel of a car.

6. People suffering from this disease also suffer from thin and dry hair. Hair loss is very common.

7. Because of the overall deterioration of the body, a covering of hair begins to grow over the body in an effort to keep the body warm.

And now a few statistics about this disease that you may or may not be aware of.

a. About 90-95% of the people who suffer from this disease are women, most of them young girls.

b. About 1% of all American women suffer from Anorexia Nervosa.

c. Of all the psychiatric disorders, Anorexia Nervosa is the most common diagnosed in women in general.

d. The mortality rate of people suffering from Anorexia Nervosa is between 5 and 20%. The probability of death increases with the length of time the person has been suffering from the disease.

e. Anorexia Nervosa has one of the highest rates of death of all mental disorders.

f. The disease itself usually shows itself in early to mid adolescence.

The treatments for this disease are similar to the treatments for Bulimia. It is important that immediate psychiatric help is gotten for the sufferer. The quicker the diagnosis and treatment the greater the chance for survival.

-------------------------------------------------------
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Eating Disorders
-------------------------------------------------------

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Eating Disorders... Is Binge Eating Making You Feel Alone? If you have Binge Eating Disorder, you understand the feelings of loneliness. You know what it is like to live in a secret world that no one knows about. You have a big secret, but no one is allowed to see that side of you. At restaurants with friends, you order just the right amount of food and can’t finish it all because you are so full. Little do your friends know that you had already eaten enough food for three people just two hours before meeting them for another dinner. You talk to your friends about why you are overweight. You don’t know why, you say. They are just as stumped as you are. They see what you eat and it is small portions. Not even unhealthy foods most of the time. But what they don’t know is that you have Binge Eating Disorder. You have something that is constantly looming over your head. Food. Food is a dream and a nightmare mixed into one. Food makes you feel better and then makes you feel worthless the very next minute. You don’t want to let your friends into your secret world though. This is your world and they will not understand. They may just tell you to stop eating so much. They won’t understand. But, if they are your friends, they will understand. You cannot let any self-limiting beliefs stand in your way anymore. Your friends love you and will stand by your side when asked for help. You mean everything to them. The first step that you can take is to tell someone that you trust. Stop dealing with this big problem on your own. Ask a friend to just listen to you when you need them. Often talking about problems and just getting things off of your chest will make you feel so much better. Plus, if you are hanging out with someone and talking about it, you are less likely to turn to food. It isn’t as available and you...