Anorexia
There are two categories of anorexia and they sometimes overlap. There is the ‘restricting’ type and the binge eating/purging type. The ‘restricting’ category is caused from excessive exercise and/or from restricting the amount of food they eat. The binge eating/purging category is caused when they try to get rid of the food they eat by vomiting after eating or using laxatives, diuretics, or enemas. Some purge after eating a lot of food and others purge even after eating a small amount of food such as a piece of candy. Some people who have anorexia may combine the two categories or move back and forth between the two.
There are many signs and symptoms of anorexia but some people still have a problem diagnosing it until after the person has had it for a while and is showing severe signs of weight loss. Some of the physical symptoms to watch for are a thin appearance, abnormal blood count, dizziness or fainting, fatigue, osteoporosis, dehydration, low blood pressure, brittle nails, hair that gets thinner, breaks or falls out, soft hair that covers the body, no menstruation, constipation, dry skin, irregular heart beats, and intolerance to cold. Some of the emotional symptoms are refusing to eat, denial of hunger, doing excessive exercise, lack of emotion, trouble concentrating, and a preoccupation with food. Some of the red flags to watch for are if the person tries to hide their weight loss or other physical problems and also their eating behavior. If they skip meals, make excuses for not eating, eat foods low in calories and fat, or adopt certain eating habits such as cutting their food into tiny pieces or spitting out the food after they chew it. Other signs are weighing their food, cooking large meals for others but not eating any themselves, weighing themselves frequently, checking in the mirror for flaws, wearing baggy clothing, and complaining about being fat when they aren’t.
It is believed that anorexia might be caused from a combination of psychological, biological, and sociocultural factors. It is not known for sure the cause. It usually begins in the teens and is often thought of as a teen disorder. It can begin before that or even after the teen years. Some have been reported in their midlife and beyond years. The culture in the stated often cause some people to try to lose weight because they feel that they have to look like the thin models in order to belong to society or the ‘in’ crowd in school. This is often the beginning of anorexia for some. Some have low self esteem and feel that if they lose weight they will feel better about themselves. It is also thought that it can be a genetic link to other family members who have had eating disorders in the past.
All Text Copyright © Safety2005.org
| Become a Member |
| Chapter Locations |
| Make a Donation |
| Off the Job Safety |
| Safety + Health Magazine |
| World Congress 2005 |