Anorexia Nervosa

 Anorexia nervosa is a type of eating disordereating disorder  People who have anorexia have an intense fear of gaining weightgaining weight  They severely limit the amount of food they eat and can become dangerously thin.

 Anorexia affects both the body and the mind.  it may start as dieting, but it gets out of controldieting, but it gets out of control  You think about food, dieting, and weight all the time.weight all the time.  You have a distorted body imagebody image

 Other people say you are too thin, but when you look in the mirror, you see a fat person.  Anorexia usually starts in the teen years  It's much more common in females than males.  If not treated early, anorexia can become a lifelong problem

 Untreated anorexia can lead to starvation and serious health problems, such as bone thinning(osteoperosis)  kidney damage  heart problems heart problems  Death

 The highest death rate of any mental illness.  Between 5% and 20% of people who develop the disease eventually die from it.

Causes  Eating disorders are complex, and experts don't really know what causes them. But they may be due to a mix of family history, social factors, and personality traits. You may be more likely to have anorexia if:  Other people in your family have an eating disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia nervosa.bulimia nervosa.  You have a job or do a sport that stresses body size, such as ballet, modeling, or gymnastics.  You are the type of person who tries to be perfect all the time, never feels good enough, or worries a lot.  You are dealing with stressful life events, such as divorce, moving to a new town or school, or losing a loved one.

Signs/Symptoms  People who have anorexia:  Weigh much less than is healthy or normal.  Are very afraid of gaining weight.  Refuse to stay at a normal weight.  Think they are overweight even when they are very thin.

 Their lives become focused on controlling their weight. They may:  Obsess about food, weight, and dieting.  Strictly limit how much they eat.  Vomit or use laxatives or water pills (diuretics) to avoid weight gain.  Exercise a lot, even when feeling sick

How Can YOU Help?  If you're worried about someone you know:  Tell someone who can make a difference, like a parent, teacher, counselor, or doctor. A person with anorexia may insist that they don't need help, but they do. The sooner they get treatment, the sooner they will be healthy again.