Anorexia Nervosa Characteristics
The eating disorder anorexia nervosa has some very distinguishable characteristics. There are signs and symptoms everyone should be aware of so they know what to look for if they ever come in contact with someone near then that are suffering from anorexia. The eating disorder can be very dangerous and even deadly if it is not diagnosed and treated before severe damage has been done to their body. Anorexia can damage every vital organ in the body if it is not treated in time. Treatment for anorexia consists of not only medication and special diet but there needs to be psychological help too. There are treatment centers for eating disorders across the United States and in Britain. Thirty years ago there was not enough information and research done on anorexia so people who had to suffer from it then did not get the treatment they actually needed. It was not until after Karen carpenter (famous singer in the 70's and 80's) died from complications of anorexia. Karen was getting treatment for her anorexia and it was believed by some that she was going to survive but her heart could not cope with the strain and she had a sudden heart attack in 1983. This news devastated many fans and family members. After this incident, researchers decided the problem was bigger than they knew about. They found out that there were many people suffering from anorexia and other eating disorders. Since then there have been many famous movie stars, models, and other celebrities who have suffered, and in some cases, died or committed suicide because of the disease.
There have been over eight million cases of anorexia and other eating disorders diagnosed. The majority of them are between the ages of 10 and 20 years old. There are a few who are under 10 who have been diagnosed with anorexia or other eating disorder but it is rare. Of the eight million diagnosed, about one million were male and the rest were female. The majority of those who die from anorexia are over the age of 70 and are male. The reason for this is because in a lot of the cases they were not diagnosed with an eating disorder. Many times the elderly will forget to eat, lost their appetite, or are stressed from the loss of a loved one.
The public needs to be educated more about eating disorders so they can become more aware of the diseases if they should appear in someone close to them. The key is to get them help as soon as possible before major damage has been done to the body. In many cases the victim will try to hide their thinness for as long as they can by wearing baggy or layered clothing. Sometimes they are not discovered until they begin having health problems because of the anorexia.
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