Atypical Anorexia Nervosa
Atypical Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder which takes control of the victim and causes many serious problems with the body. It is often ignored until there has been a lot of damage to vital organs in the body. Some of the damage can not be reversed. Some patients die from anorexia nervosa because they do not admit that they have a problem until the damage has progressed too far to be reversed. All of the vital parts of the body can be damaged by anorexia nervosa. The brain is damaged and the diagnosed patient believes they do not have a problem and when they look in the mirror, they see themselves as fat, even when they are not. Anorexic victims will exercise excessively, eat less or not at all, hide their thinness under baggy clothing or layers of clothing, and usually goes undiagnosed until the damage to the body has already been done. People around them often ignore the problem or do not see the signs and symptoms. The victim often does not want to get help because they honestly believe in their minds that there is no problem. Anorexia is caused by several factors. The victim usually has a low self esteem, they feel they have to be thin to succeed in life because that is what they see on television and in magazines. Models, actors and actresses often become anorexic because they need to lose a few pounds in order to get a job so they lose the weight as quickly as possible. In the process, somewhere along the line they believe that losing even more weight will be even better so they continue the weight loss and before they realize it, the anorexia is controlling their lives. It is an eating disorder that can be deadly if not diagnosed and treated. Many times the damage is so severe by the time the victim seeks help, that they die from heart failure or other causes because the body is not strong enough to fight the disease.
Some of the signs and symptoms of anorexia are anemia, thinness, lack of eating, looking into the mirror often, weighing often, abnormal blood count, fatigue, fainting, dizziness, constipation, dry skin, irregular heart beat, low blood pressure, sodium, potassium, and chloride, bone loss, bloating, nausea, lung problems, and damage to liver, kidneys, and every vital part of the body. If you suspect that someone close to you have an eating disorder, it is wise to try to get them to seek help as soon as possible. Do some research and arm yourself with all of the information you can so you can show them just how dangerous the disease really is. There are many internet sites with information about anorexia and other eating disorders and stories about some famous people who have either lost their lives to anorexia or have fought the battle by getting the help they needed.
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