Anorexia is a mental illness that is becoming more common. Especially often it is recorded among adolescents and young people. In 80% of cases, victims of anorexia are people aged 14-18.
Among the main causes of this disease are the following:
• biological factor (hereditary predisposition);
• physiological - pathologies characterized by disturbances in the digestive and endocrine system, when a person feels pain or other unpleasant symptoms during or after eating, therefore, he consciously refuses to eat normally;
• psychological reasons - the influence of public opinion about the standards of beauty, internal conflicts, dissatisfaction with their appearance;
• social factor - the desire to imitate.
The first signs of anorexia
Quite often, it is rather difficult to suspect this pathology in the early stages of its development. Sometimes obvious symptoms of the disease manifest themselves during its prolonged course, when even medicine can not always save the patient.
The first signs of anorexia include the following:
- Progressive weight loss. If a person who has no problems with being overweight is trying to lose weight by all means, you can immediately suspect the initial stage of the disease.
- Refusal of food. At first, patients begin to take small portions of food, subsequently they can eat only once a day, and then generally refuse any foods, even those that were previously liked and taken often.
- Inadequate perception of their appearance. The first signs of anorexia often include the desire to lose weight due to the fact that a person considers himself “fat”, criticizing his figure, although others say the opposite.
- The development of depression. An anorexia patient begins to avoid contact with other people and stops visiting public places, becomes closed and believes that it is better to be alone.
- The first signs of anorexia also include the development of insomnia, the appearance of guilt due to eating. As a result, the patient artificially induces vomiting to get rid of the dishes that he consumed.
If such symptoms appear, seek qualified help immediately.
It is worth noting that as a result of constant fasting, the work of all organs and systems is disrupted , symptoms of vitamin deficiency occur , menstrual function is disturbed, and sexual desire is reduced. Patients develop chronic fatigue, arrhythmia, blood pressure decreases, muscle cramps are observed , and the condition of hair and skin worsens. Anorexics constantly freeze, become irritable and aggressive. In addition, they show an increased interest in exhausting diets, go in for sports until they are completely exhausted, and have a panic fear of increasing body weight, not realizing their problem, because they cannot adequately assess their health.
In the absence of treatment, severe lesions of the cardiovascular system and endocrine organs develop, pathologies of bones and muscles, inflammatory processes in the digestive system arise. Severe depression can provoke suicide.
Unfortunately, the statistics are disappointing - a significant part of those struggling with excess weight have already died from anorexia, and in society there is further propaganda for losing weight only in order to comply with the "ideals" of beauty.