The desire to look better, to change itself, including - to become slimmer, it is only natural for a person. But when the desire for harmony begins to seriously affect the habits, mindset and life in general, it is most likely talking about eating disorders. In humans, the disease which was the anorexia, the desire to lose weight is more important than anything else, and many of them can not cope with the disease themselves.

What is anorexia

Anorexia - is an eating disorder, the main features are:

• The unwillingness and inability to maintain normal body weight;
• Intense fear of weight gain;
• Distorted body image.

Out of fear meals in patients with anorexia become closely associated with stress, and at the same time, food and weight - it is almost everything about what they can think. The life of such a person becomes a constant race for harmony, but the very concept of harmony in his mind is distorted. How much whatever he lost, he would be insufficient. Even the appearance of unhealthy thinness person will deny the existence of the problem, consider themselves too fat, and continue to lose weight.

To cure anorexia possible, but in many cases, treatment should be initiated close patient because he is not always able to adequately assess his condition.

Signs of anorexia

The list of symptoms of anorexia is primarily intended for the anorexic loved ones, and not for the patients themselves, since they rarely understand that harm their health. Patients with anorexia may for a long time to hide their illness from others, so their relatives often realize that something is wrong, but when they notice that a man with his weight loss program has gone too far. However, sooner or later, it can be seen following signs of anorexia:

• Man sticks to a low calorie diet, but has become quite slim. The diet can be very rigid, with almost complete rejection of fat, sugary treats, and much more.
• Obsession with calories, fat and other substances in food. Many anoreksiki carefully read the information on packages, weigh portions, keep diaries, which record everything eaten, and read books about healthy eating Healthy eating . Often, the only thing they read.
• Hypocrisy and lies concerning the conduct of their own food. A person can pretend he eats, and throw away food when he thinks no one is looking. Most patients refuse food under false pretenses - say they have eaten, they have a stomach ache, and so on.
• Dramatic weight loss for no apparent reason (for example, any disease).
• It is a critical attitude to their appearance. Anorexic may hold a mirror in front of a lot of time looking for flaws. It is required to find them, and in most cases they relate to the weight.
• Denial of excessive thinness. Some people not only deny that too lost weight, but trying to hide it - for example, wear baggy clothes, drink plenty of water before being weighed, and so on.

Causes and risk factors

• Psychological features of the person. Suffer from anorexia are often perfectionists - people who seek in everything and whatever was to achieve perfection. This is the "good girls" (at least - boys), who from childhood accustomed to do what they are told to do well in everything and please everyone. But inside many of them feel helpless, useless and miserable. According to them, if they are not perfect, they are simply worthless, but because perfection is unattainable, sooner or later, they have serious psychological problems, one of the results which can become an eating disorder.
• The pressure of society and family. Anorexia can develop in women who are engaged in ballet, gymnastics, and from an early age worked as a model (or models in school) - This is especially true if the girls do not do so on their own initiative and under pressure from the family. The desire to comply with existing standards of beauty in society also increases the risk of developing anorexia.
• Biological causes. Some experts believe that there is a genetic predisposition to anorexia. The man, a brother or sister who suffers from anorexia, the likelihood of developing this disorder is 10-20 times higher than the average. The biochemistry of the brain is also important. Patients with anorexia are often elevated cortisol levels - the so-called stress hormone, and reduced levels of serotonin and norepinephrine - hormones that affect a person's emotional state.

Treatment

If anorexia causes health problems such as mood swings and depression, memory problems, slowed reactions, constipation and bloating Bloating - when you need to go to the doctor? Problems with teeth and gums, malaise due to excessive weight loss, as soon as possible to seek help from a specialist.

The first priority in treating anorexia is to stabilize the patient's condition. If the patient has signs of severe malnutrition, requiring hospitalization. Constant supervision of experts may be necessary and anorexic with severe depression Depression   - Especially if they appeared suicidal thoughts, or if they committed suicide attempts.

If the patient's life is out of danger, he was sent to a specialist in nutrition. For him develop an individual meal plan that will help restore and then maintain a healthy weight.

Psychotherapy - one of the most important components of the treatment of anorexia. During the course of psychotherapy, the patient should be aware of the fears and settings that led to disruption of feeding behavior and learn to deal with difficult situations and emotions constructively, without harming their own health.

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