How Anorexia Changed My Life

Anorexia is a very common eating disorder found in young women and men, usually athletes trying to lose weight. However, when thinking you're getting healthy by losing the weight, your body actually is becoming weaker. Here I will describe my personal battle with anorexia growing up, the damage it has caused to my body, and how I overcame a deadly disease that could have taken my life.

First of all, what is anorexia? Anorexia Nervosa is a life-threatening eating disorder characterized by starvation and excessive weight loss. It is diagnosed when a person weighs less than 15% of their normal body weight. Anorexia literally means "loss of appetite" but coincidentally, persons who are anorexic are usually hungry but refuse to eat. These people believe that they will become fat or already think they are when indeed they are very thin. One way these persons correct that fear is by exercising compulsively and restricting food intake. People with anorexia use food and eating as a way to gain control over their lives when other areas are stressful and unable to be controlled. Emotions and thinking patterns can contribute to the development of the disorder, such as loneliness, anger, or low self-esteem. How can one tell when someone has anorexia nervosa? Anorexic individuals tend to over diet, continuing to lose weight even when they are thin. Physical symptoms also can occur, such as vulnerability to cold weather, brittle hair and nails, and constipation. Excessive exercising is a very stand out symptom of anorexia, believing they will stay fit and lose unnecessary fat. Effects? Damaged organs such as the heart and kidneys. Even the brain. Osteoporosis may even occur. Heart rate and breathing patterns can change. Even worse, death.

Diagnosing anorexia is tough. There is no actual test to be ran. Doctors may test blood and perform X-rays to identify if the body is malnourished. These tests can determine damage done to the body in organs. If no bodily damage is noticed, a doctor may refer a person with anorexia to a psychologist, thus performing interviews designed to diagnose an eating disorder.