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Your Essential Guide to Anorexia
The defines anorexia nervosa as the presence of an abnormally low body weight (15% below normal body weight for age and height), the intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, disturbance and preoccupation with body weight and shape, and amenorrhoea (the absence of three consecutive menstrual cycles). Anorexia can be life-threatening as victims commonly refuse to eat and drastically lose weight. Anorexics are commonly perfectionists, driven to succeed; yet they set unattainable standards of performance for themselves. When they fail to meet these standards, they look for a part of their lives they can control; food and weight become that “control” for them. Low self-esteem and constant self-criticism cause anorexics to constantly fear losing control, and even consuming a small amount of food could be considered a loss of control . One thousand women die of anorexia nervosa each year, and millions more suffer from the destructive physical compications.
