is anorexia a disease?
479058
i had to do a PPT in school on anorexia and i learned that anorexia could be percieved as a desease by some people and by other people it can be percieved as a lifestyle change(disorder)
98908
Anorexia is a very serious eating disorder. Losing 6 lbs in 2 days alone doesn't necessarily mean you're anorexic, but you may be if you have other symptoms listed below.  The limit for anorexia is usually put at a BMI of less than 17 in combination with other symptoms.\n\nCheck your BMI here:http://www.preventdisease.com/healthtools/articles/bmi.html \n\nOther symptoms include:\n- Avoidance of eating \n- Denies feeling hungry \n- Avoids social gatherings where food is involved \n- Develops food rituals that allow for eating very little: eats in secrecy, eats foods in a certain order, excessive chewing, rearranges food on the plate, eats unnaturally small amounts of food \n- Dramatic weight loss \n- Refuses to maintain the minimal normal body weight for age and height \n- Denies the serious consequences of low body weight \n- Obsession with dieting and weight loss \n- Weighs self several times a day and focuses on the smallest fluctuation in weight \n- Terrified of gaining weight or being fat \n- Even when thin, sees self as overweight \n- Bases self-worth on body weight and body image \n- Excessive focus on an exercise regimen \n\nPlease do not let be afraid to reach out and ask for help, even if you feel your condition is not anorexia.  You may still have another eating disorder that you may not be aware of.\n\nANRED is a very good website with a lot of resources.  I highly recommend it.  \nhttp://www.anred.com/toc.html \n\nGood luck, and don't be afraid to reach out.  It could be the wisest decision you ever make.
511455
Bulimia nervosa, more commonly known as bulimia, is an eating disorder. It is a psychological condition in which the subject engages in recurrent binge eating followed by intentionally doing one or more of the following in order to compensate for the intake of the food and prevent weight gain:\n\nvomiting \ninappropriate use of laxatives, enemas, diuretics or other medication \nexcessive exercising \nfasting \nContents [hide]\n1 DSM-IV criteria \n2 History of Bulimia Nervosa \n3 Causes \n4 Genetic Factors \n5 Environmental Factors \n6 Patterns of bulimic cycles \n7 Subtypes of Bulimia \n8 Consequences of bulimia nervosa \n9 How to Diagnose Bulimia Nervosa \n10 Related Psychological Disorders \n11 Differences Between Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa \n12 Treatment of Bulimia Nervosa \n13 Mortality risk \n14 At-risk groups \n15 Prevention \n16 See also \n17 External links \n \n\n\n[edit]\nDSM-IV criteria\nThe following six criteria should be met for a patient to be diagnosed with bulimia: [1] [2]\n\nThe patient feels incapable of controlling the urge to binge, even during the binge itself, and consumes a larger amount of food than a person would normally consume at one sitting. \nThe patient purges him or herself of the recent intake, resorting to vomiting, laxatives, diuretics, exercising, etc. \nThe patient engages in such behavior at least twice per week for three months. \nThe patient is focused upon body image and the desperate desire to appear thin. \nThe patient does not meet the diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa. (Some anorectics may demonstrate bulimic behaviours in their illness: binge-eating and purging themselves of food on a regular or infrequent basis at certain times during the course of their disease. Alternatively, some individuals might switch from having anorexia to having bulimia. The mortality rate for anorectics who practice bulimic behaviors is twice that of anorectics who do not. [3]) \nThe patient is of normal weight or overweight. \nPlease note that, in general, diagnostic criteria are considered a guide. A legitimate clinical diagnosis can often be made when not all, but most, of the criteria are met.\n\n[edit]\nHistory of Bulimia Nervosa\nBulima nervoasa was first described by Professor Gerald Russell in 1979 whilst he worked at the Royal Free Hospital, London. Bulimia nervosa has been recognized as an autonomous eating disorder by the American Psychiatric Association since 1980 [4]. The word “bulimia” is Latin, getting its roots from the Greek word “boulimia” which directly translates to mean “extreme hunger” [5].\n\n[edit]\nCauses\nBulimia is often less about food, and more to do with deep psychological issues and profound feelings of lack of control. Binge/purge episodes can be severe, sometimes involving rapid and out of control feeding that can stop when the sufferers "are interrupted by another person . . . or [when] their stomach hurts from over-extension . . . This cycle may be repeated several times a week or, in serious cases, several times a day."[6] Sufferers can often "use the destructive eating pattern to gain control over their lives".[7]\n\n[edit]\nGenetic Factors\nResearch done in 2003, shows a link to the development of bulimia nervosa with an area on the 10p chromosome. This evidence further supports the belief that the susceptibility of developing an eating disorder (specifically bulimia) is strongly linked to ones genetic components [8]. Familial links include a history of obesity, substance abuse, and depressive disorder. Twin studies also strongly support this genetic factor. While both genetics and unique environments contributed to the development of the disorder, twin studies indicate a slightly stronger effect from the genetic predisposition than from environmental circumstances. Significant rates of sexual assault and violence also indicate a possible correlation between victimization and the development of bulimia. Chemically, low
308675
There are lots of reasons why you could have these problems. I urge you to seek counseling and medical attention immediately, because you need to fix your heart, your mind, and your body. I am in no way saying that you're a bad person. I'm saying that you have a problem, you know you do, and you should fix it. Anorexia is horrible, one of my friends had it, and it was a long road. Realizing you have it is half the journey. Good luck to you.
534080
I used to have the same problem too, but as I've gotten older, I have been once mistaken to be pregnant, but I swear I'm not! Haha. Anyway, I looked up what you're asking and here it is. I hope it helps.\n\n\nA person who has anorexia severely limits the amount of food he or she eats, has an intense fear of gaining weight, and can become dangerously thin. Severe or long-term anorexia can lead to starvation, serious health problems, and even death. \n\nAnorexia is not dieting. It may start as dieting, but it grows beyond your control. Anorexia is also linked to anxiety and an intense fear of gaining weight.\n\nCommon feelings and actions that are linked to anorexia include:\n\n1. Having an intense fear of gaining weight. \n2. Restricting food or types of food, such as food that contains any kind of fat or sugar. \n3. Weighing less than 85% of your expected body weight. (In a child or teen, losing or not gaining weight during a growth spurt is a concern.) \n4. Seeing your body as overweight, even though you are underweight. \n5. Overexercising. \n6. Being secretive around food and not seeing or wanting to talk about having a problem with eating. \n\nCommon signs of malnutrition from anorexia include:\n\nA low body weight. \nConstipation and slow emptying of the stomach. \nThinning hair, dry skin, and brittle nails. \nShrunken breasts. \nStopping or never getting a monthly menstrual period. \nFeeling cold, with a lower-than-normal body temperature. \nLow blood pressure. \nA slow heartbeat (fewer than 60 beats per minute). \nNot feeling pain as you normally would. \nPurplish skin color on the arms and legs from poor blood circulation. \nSwollen feet and hands. \nYellow-orange skin, especially on the palms of the hands. \nSome people who have anorexia also make themselves vomit (purging). Breakdown of the enamel on the teeth is a common symptom of ongoing or regular vomiting.\n\nHow common is anorexia?\n\nAnorexia affects less than 1% of the general population. Of that group, 90% are female. Anorexia usually begins during the teen years, but it can develop in early childhood. A few cases first occur in adulthood. It happens in people of all races, although white females are most often affected. Young people who are in sports or in work that requires a certain body type (such as wrestling, ballet, or modeling) are also at increased risk for developing anorexia.
735730
YES anyone can develop an eating disorder.\n\nJust like anyone can both overweight and underweight can fall under the spell of 'crash-dieting'.\n\nBad eating habits know no name.
707875
I don't believe that genetics are the cause for "most" of the obesity problem.  Here's more information.  http://www.annecollins.com/lose_weight/weight-genetics.htm\n\nAnyway, both conditions are bad for your health.  I would say that anorexia is worse.  People can recover from obesity, although very difficult.  I have never seen a person who had anorexia not look like they are still on the verge of anorexia.  Once a stick, always a stick.
279560
yep they do but it is fairly rare. Read this windrider for more details.\n\n\nAnorexia was first described in males by both Morton (57) and Gull (58). Anorexia in males accounted for approximately six percent of cases seen in an eating disorder clinic (38,59). Anorexia may be underdiagnosed because many physicians, as well as the anorectics themselves, are unaware that this condition occurs in both sexes. \n\nThe mean age of onset of male anorexia has been reported ranging from as young as 17 years in a British series by Crisp and Burns (47) to 24 years (38,60). Crisp found that the illness was present an average of three and one-half years and that most patients were mildly obese (127.3 percent of ideal body weight, IBW) prior to the onset of illness. Minimal weight dropped to 67.3 percent of IBW (60) during the acute phase of illness. \n\nApparently contrasting socioeconomic groups of origin for male anorectics may represent specific populations, seen in various programs. Andersen and Mickalide (48) found a high socioeconomic group at Johns Hopkins, while Herzog (38) in Boston and Verdereycken and Van den Broucke (59) in Belgium found an even socioeconomic distribution. \n\nClinical manifestations of male anorexia were reported in several series to be similar to female anorexia (43,47,49,59,61,62,63). However, in a minority of reports (51,64) differences were noted; patients were from lower socioeconomic groups, feared competition, and were not successful either academically or in their vocation. \n\nClinical manifestations of two male anorectics reveal differences in presentation from female counterparts. Male patients are usually more active, have more sexual anxiety, have fewer bulimic episodes, with less vomiting or laxative abuse, and, on a personality inventory, indicated more preoccupation with food and weight, more achievement orientation, and more physical complaints (65). \n\nEndocrine changes (diminished testosterone level) in male anorectics may have a role in diminishing conscious sexual concern or conflict, which may be congruent with inhibitory physiological defenses. \n\nYates et al. (66) compared male marathon runners to anorectics and found many similar sociocultural and personality characteristics. Runners were found to have a bizzare preoccupation with food, and even when they would achieve a lean body mass of 95 percent with only five percent body fat, they would aim for four percent body fat. Many have lost greater than 25 percent of their original weight and show a relentless pursuit of thinness or a disturbance of body image. Yates suggests male runners are searching for identity. She raises the question, "Do anorexia nervosa in females and obligatory running in males share a common psychopathology?" \n\nMale anorectic characteristics include perfectionism and obsession (48). Vandereycken and Van den Broucke (59) noted a high incidence of schizoid/introversion features (30 percent) as well as obsessional (29 percent), passive/dependent (15 percent) and anti-social features (18 percent). A comparison to female anorectics showed a higher percentage of undifferentiated-immature psychological structure (30 percent versus four percent), hysterical/histrionic features (25 percent versus four percent), and anti-social features (18 percent versus one percent), but an equal number of schizoid/introversion traits (28 percent). \n\nThe etiology of male anorexia is unclear, but Crisp and Burns (47) hypothesize that it is related to major gender identity problems in the premorbid personality, since the male desire is to be bigger and stronger as compared to the female preference for slimness. Herzog (38) found male anorexic patients experiencing sexual isolation, sexual inactivity, and conflicted homosexuality. He posited that the cultural pressure on the homosexual male to be thin and attractive places him at a greater risk for eating disorders. Undefined intrapsychic factors may promote an association
313453
There is a mental state that anorexics work themselves into.  So before you "weigh 80 pounds soaking wet"  there is an issue there that you are recognizing and wanting to address- and that's great!  If your mindset is, "I'm such a piece of **** that I don't deserve to eat," or "No one will love me unless I'm perfect," or "I need to control something in my life because everything else is so out of control," then these are attitudes that need to be fixed- pronto! You are fearfully and wonderfully made, you are loved by God, you have not been forgotten and the Word says that "You are the apple of His eye" (psalm 17:8) and Psalm 45:11 says the king is ENTHRALLED by your beauty..."  I got through my problems through God's grace, and you can too.  Email me or IM me if you need to talk more.
1128899
it may be something other than anorexia. if you were anorexic you would be obssessed with being thin, and not eating on purpose. maybe you should talk to a doctor about it.
218059
Anorexia Nervosa is a mental disorder in which the person has a fear of becoming fat and takes measures to reduce his or her body mass index (BMI) to 17.5 or under.  Emaciation, in a technical sense, occurs when someone's BMI falls below 15.0.  People with anorexia nervosa may become emaciated, but emaciation can result from other circumstances as well, such as disease or famine.\n\nOn a side note, the term "anorexia" is different from "anorexia nervosa."  Anorexia literally means loss of appetite, so a doctor may say someone is experiencing anorexia as a symptom.  Anorexia nervosa is the actual psychological disorder, although it's translation "nervous loss of appetite" is truly a misnomer.  Most anorectics (people with anorexia nervosa, also written anoretics) are actually hungry most of the time, and spend a great deal of time and energy planning what they are allowed to eat or not eat.
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Anorexia and bulimia are mental health problems where people either deliberately starve themselves because they think they look fat, or they eat, but make themselves throw up afterwards.  If you eat normally, and don't think that you're fat, you don't have anorexia.\n\nGoogle "Anorexic" or "bulimic" images to see people that are truly sick with this problem.  Hopefully you will see there is a big difference between you and them.
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Its all of the above.\n\nIt is certainly a disease, but the causes of this disease are a combination of a mental problem (mostly self-image problems: seeing oneself as an inferior person) and influence by others (others who do it, so its the "in" thing).\n\nAs to how much each plays a role likely depends on the individual case.
1152101
Anixety is a factor of exhaustin.  Bring anorexic her body is exhausted and hungry so anixety, depression, and panic attacks are normal.
778784
Anorexia, polycystic ovarian syndrome, extreme weight loss or gain
41391
ANYONE can be affected by anorexia. According to this website it is more often seen in white, upper class people. http://www.mamashealth.com/anorexia.asp
808854
Anorexia Nervosa, Bullemia, Alcoholism, Drug Addiction, Staying in Abusive relationships etc.