Anorexia nervosa or simply anorexia is a condition that is characterized by weight loss significantly on account of an attempt to stop eating intentionally.

When you are anorexic you are actually very hungry, despite your not eating food. You just don't admit that you are hungry since you are morbidly afraid of gaining weight, even if you're under weight. 1% of teenagers (girls) in the US tend to develop anorexia and nearly 10% die due to the disorder. You may be diagnosed with anorexia according to the following:

-You are at least 15% below of normal body weight (considering age & height)

-Inspite of being underweight you are still continuing to dieting and lose more weight, and are unable or unwilling to stop yourself from doing so.

-If you are a female and have stopped menstruating for three months consecutively.

-When there is a distortion in how you perceive your shape and size

-When you are obsessed about your self-esteem, body shape and size, and facial appearance

-You are morbidly afraid of being "fat"

You need not have to experience the above conditions in totality for being anorexic. You may experience some of the symptoms partially. In Addition, if you're anorexic, you may be also having symptoms of bulimia: weight loss occurs through deprivation of food and also by vomiting & puking unnecessarily, intake of laxatives, exercising excessively and using diuretics.

Some danger signs of anorexia!

-Continuing to diet (although underweight)

-Losing weight significantly inspite of being thin

-Continuing to feel obese despite losing considerable amount of weight

-Being in constant fear of gaining weight.

-Irregular monthly menstrual periods

-Always being preoccupied with nutrition, food, cooking and calories,

-Exercising rigorously

-Bingeing and puking

Some of the physical complications of anorexia!

-Hollow facial features

-Hair loss

-Breasts Shrink

-Dry skin

-Bruises

-Bones protrude sharply

-Hands and feet turn cold & blue

-Puberty is delayed where preadolescent females fail to develop breasts and menstruate at the normal age.

In males, this causes the testosterone level to remain low ands leads to impotence.

-Level of menstruation hormones drop, where the body is unable to support a fetus; The menstruation cycle also becomes irregular or completely stops which may result in permanent or temporary infertility

-Permanent loss of bone: highly susceptible to fractures & osteoporosis

-Mood changes frequently with symptoms of irritability, depression, suicidal tendencies and impatience.

-Constipation, Insomnia, kidney failure, heart rate and blood pressure that is abnormally low, sensitivity to cold.

-Cardiac failure resulting in death.

Anorexia often begins with the following:

-A diet is intended to bring yourself into shape physically. But when you become anorexic this takes it toll on you where you find your self dieting rigorously despite feeling hungry.

You will be psychologically scarred of food and of gaining weight. You actually don't begin with the intention of developing anorexia. You tend to become over conscious about your self esteem and physical appearance.

-Living with anorexia is very painful both emotionally and physically. Lack of confidence and self esteem, feelings of incompetency often lead one to becoming anorexic. You tend to believe that you need to be cared and approved by others at the cost of your sentiments and desires. This ultimately leads to annihilation of the healthy sense of oneself and that of the physical being.

-Initially you may feel great about yourself losing weight and looking like one of those thin glamour models. But gradually as your body is deprived of food the mental effort required to maintain continued diet plans inspite of it not being required makes you obsessed about losing weight. You tend to shy away from the public eye and withdraw into a shell.

The body enters into a state of malnutrition since it is now under nourished and does not have what is required to function normally.

-On developing anorexia you will strongly deny food, fatigue, tiredness and any other thing from being wrong. You will refuse help from others as well.

-Anorexia can be fatal and life threatening. With the passage of time this becomes even more acute. But this condition can be reversed with proper treatment, nutritional, medical and psychiatric care.