Anorexia is a physiological and at the same time psychological illness best described as exceedingly low body weight coupled with a distorted self body image. It is an eating ailment characterized by an unwillingness to consume food because of excessive or intense fear of gaining weight.
People suffering from this sickness are termed “anorexics” and they lose weight through many methods, including intentional undernourishment, excessive and unwanted exercise, unneeded weight control diet pills, or dangerous diuretic drugs.
If left untreated, anorexics suffer from body illnesses and malfunctions such as ulcers, low blood pressure, depression and anxiety, irregular menstrual periods for women, faintness, tiredness, slow heart functions, dry skin, brittle nails, and thin hair. Their bodies will eventually fall ill, begin contracting more and more of these body malfunctions, and begin to break down. In severe and extreme cases, anorexia leads to death.
In order to diagnose and help people suffering from anorexia, there are numerous Anorexia Treatment Centers available throughout the world today. These centers employ doctors, dietitians, and counselors that can diagnose anorexia and help people afflicted with it to cope and eventually conquer the illness.
Through proper diagnosis, doctors will know whether or not a person is afflicted with anorexia. This is done by a thorough examination of the patient’s body, including their height, weight, heartbeat and air intake. The results of these tests will then be compared to that of a normal or average person of the same age and sex.
Further tests including blood pressure monitoring, observation of episodes of being tired, or fainting and being weak. X-ray examinations will also be conducted in order to determine whether the eating disorder of the patient is anorexia or some other type.
Most of these anorexia treatment centers today offer a “psychodynamic” approach in order to help the patient overcome this illness. The patient will undergo a series of consultations and seminars wherein he or she will be taught ways to conquer the fear of gaining weight.
This “nutrition rehabilitation” can get quite costly, but this is not the time to start pinching pennies. But if this is beyond your financial means, there is another way. There is a home treatment program available that is endorsed by leading physicians and has helped countless anorexics worldwide.
The best online “self help” program I can recommend for anorexia is by Karen Phillips, a mom who treated her daughter from terrible anorexia and bulimia by herself. She wrote a book about the method “Mom Please Help.” Read her story and you will understand her anquish and learn how she overcame it. Click Here for More Info