Is it Anorexia Nervosa?

Anorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorder that millions of people suffer from. It not only effects the body, but it effects the mental state as well. It occurs when a person severely limits the amount of food that they are eating. In many cases, the person may even starve themselves completely. The person will also become obsessed with exercising and may even abuse diet pills, laxatives and other things that can cause weight loss. Knowing the symptoms of anorexia nervosa can help prevent other serious health conditions from forming. It can even prevent death from occurring.

There are many different symptoms of anorexia nervosa. Some are physical and effect the body, while others are psychological and effect the mind. One of the first symptoms of anorexia nervosa that you will notice is a sudden weight loss. The person will not be eating much so they will begin to look frail as well. Hair loss is also a common symptom and is caused by malnutrition. Brittle nails and dry skin are also symptoms of anorexia nervosa that are caused by malnutrition. Other physical symptoms include purple skin tone, which is caused by poor circulation, swollen hands and feet, decreased body temperature, decreased heart rate and low blood pressure. Of course, many of these symptoms are not seen by the naked eye. So, if you are worried about someone suffering from anorexia nervosa, you may have to look for the psychological symptoms.

There are a few psychological symptoms of anorexia nervosa. Most of these are not only symptoms, but could be the cause of the disorder. One of the most common is depression. A person with anorexia nervosa is never fully satisfied with the way they look, so they will become depressed. Low self-esteem is also one of the psychological symptoms of anorexia nervosa. No matter how thin they may become, a person that suffers from the disorder will feel that they are too heavy and need to be smaller. They will not be happy with they way they view their self image and will lose confidence as well. Their self image differs from the way others view them. We may see a person that is too thin and very frail looking, whereas they will see a person that is very heavy and ugly. This is the largest problem when it comes to anorexia nervosa.

Since there are both physical and psychological symptoms of anorexia nervosa it is important to treat them from both directions. Seeking medical attention for both the body and mind will be the best treatment option. If you or someone you know suffers from any of these symptoms seek medical attention right away to prevent any other health problems from occurring.