A – Z of Illnesses & Conditions

Anorexia:  Anorexia nervosa is a serious mental health condition resulting in a type of eating disorder. People who have anorexia have an intense fear of putting on weight. They severely limit the amount of food they eat and can become dangerously thin. The disease usually develops in adolescence at the time when young people are supposed to be putting down the critical bone mass that will sustain them through adulthood.

But the most life threatening damage is usually on the heart. As the body loses muscle mass, it loses heart muscle. Therefore the heart gets smaller and weaker. Your pulse and your blood pressure get lower than normal. Heart damage is the most common reason for hospitalisation in most people with anorexia.

Anorexia affects both the body and the mind. It may start as dieting but it gets out of control. You think about food, dieting, and weight all the time. You have a distorted body image. Other people say you are too thin but when you look in the mirror, you see yourself as a fat person.

If you think you may have anorexia, try to seek help as soon as possible. You could start by talking to someone you trust, such as someone in your family or a friend, and perhaps ask them to go with you to see your doctor.

Anorexia Organisations

National Eating Disorders Association
https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/
ANAD • National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated ...
http://www.anad.org/