Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that is characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight, self-starvation, loss of menstrual periods, body dissatisfaction, and significant disturbance in perception of shape or size of his or her body, and a body weight that is 15% below normal.
Behavioral Signs:
- Signs of restricted eating such as severe dieting or fasting
- Odd food rituals such as counting bites of food, cutting food into tiny pieces, or preparing food for others while refusing to eat
- Intense fear of becoming fat, regardless of low weight
- Fear of food situations where food may be present
- Rigid exercise regimes
- Bingeing
- Use of laxatives, enemas, or diuretics to get rid of food
- Signs of restricted eating such as severe dieting or fasting
Physiological Signs:
- Severe weight loss
- Irregular or ceased menstrual cycles for females
- Paleness or grayish tone of skin
- Growth of fine hair over body and face
- Lowering of inner body temperature, complaints of feeling cold
- Dizziness and/or fainting spells
- Dry, brittle, thinning hair
- Malnutrition
- Severe bowel abnormalities
- Malfunctioning of pancreas
- Damaged kidneys
- Dehydration
- Heart palpitations or heart attack
- Brain starvation causing disorganized thinking, concentration problems, and mispercetpions of the environment
- Hormone imbalances
- Death in 10% of cases
For more information, please contact the Women's Center at (203) 392-6946.
