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  Anorexia Nervosa

This page was reviewed or revised on Saturday, October 26, 2002.

• Anorexia Nervosa usually is seen in females between the ages of 10 and 30. It is 8 to 10 times more common among females than males.
• Once labelled as "the little rich girls' disease", research now shows that it cuts across all age and class boundaries.
• Although there is no "typical" profile for a person with anorexia nervosa or bulimia, they are often described as overachievers. Despite excellent performance in many areas, they are usually very self-critical.

Anorexia Nervosa is a disease that is frightening in that it can literally make its victims 'sick to death'. Anorexia Nervosa has both physical and psychological symptoms. The most common psychological symptoms are a disturbed body image, a sense of failure and distorted perception of bodily functions.

"A skeleton only clad with skin" is a typical description of an anorectic. This look is something they fiercely deny. They do not see themselves as thin, and feel they will look better if they could "shed another few pounds". They appear not to realize that they are suffering the effects of starvation. Many victims get satisfaction from the concern of others, and hurting their parents.

A sense of ineffectiveness is often felt by anorectics. Sometimes there are hidden family problems. Sometimes a child has been raised to be a perfectionist and has no sense of their own identity. She feels obligated to constantly fulfil the 'perfect role' when she is feeling far from perfect.

The anorectic's stubborn refusal to eat results from her extreme, sometimes phobic, fear of weight gain which cannot be overcome by threats, hunger or reassurance that she is not fat. Bizarre eating habits often develop such as eating binges followed by laxatives or self-induced vomiting. They become more and more withdrawn. Lack of tiredness with the constant drive for physical activity in the face of a very low caloric intake, absence of periods (amenorrhea), and a distorted sense of fullness are all symptoms of distorted body image.

What can be done?

Proper professional treatment which includes both the physiological and psychological aspects of the disease is essential. Treatment of anorectics is completely successful in about 50 percent of the cases. The others have moderate improvement, but about 2 percent die. The sooner the disease is diagnosed the better the chances of a complete recovery. Those that recover go on to lead normal lives on both physical and emotional levels.

But what can be done to prevent Anorexia Nervosa? We know that Anorexia Nervosa used to be a rare disease. Today this is not the case. In the past 10 years numbers have increased. The increase is thought to be partly due to society's obsession over praise of thinness. Women constantly receive the message that thinness is required for both beauty and success. Therefore, we should:

• Accept realistic weights for different body types and sizes. Women should not be encouraged to look like the ultra-thin models in magazine ads, nor made to feel guilty if they do not naturally have hour glass figures.
• Be aware of the dangers present in teens adopting an excessive and obsessive weight control or reduction program. At present strict weight control in teens is often allowed or overlooked. Parents, health professionals and peers should look for the tell-tale signs and seek medical advice from the family doctor.
• Encourage family members to talk openly and not hide emotions.