Anorexia Nervosa or “Anorexia” is a debilitating disorder that causes a person to become obsessed with being thin, losing weight and maintaining a slim figure. They will do whatever it takes to remain this way despite the negative health consequences that are associated with it.

Anorexia takes over your mind to the point that the person can’t think about anything else and will do whatever they can to lose weight. This usually means using unhealthy strategies such as purging, using laxatives, diet aids, diuretics or other harmful substances to keep their weight low. There are many negative health consequences to being anorexic and it can impact a person’s overall health and be deadly.

Symptoms of Anorexia:

Behavioral Signs:

  • Severe weight loss
  • Wearing layers to hide weight loss
  • Obsessed with weight gain, food, calories, dieting or exercise
  • Denies hunger cues
  • Uncomfortable eating in public
  • Talks about needing to burn off calories
  • Avoids mealtimes or situations where food is involved
  • Refuses to eat specific foods in fear of gaining weight (no carbohydrates, fats, etc.)
  • Unable to maintain a weight that is appropriate for their age, height and overall build
  • Intense fear of being overweight or fat despite weight loss
  • Body aches such as constipation, lethargy, cold intolerance or excess energy
  • Constantly commenting on being fat or overweight
  • Female loses period post puberty
  • Inflexible thinking and lack of social spontaneity
  • Heightened emotional expression

Physical Signs:

  • Gastrointestinal problems including stomach pains, constipation or acid reflux
  • Irregular menstrual cycles
  • Difficulties with concentration
  • Feeling cold all the time
  • Dry skin
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Dizziness or fainting
  • Anemia, low thyroid or other hormone imbalances
  • Fine hair on the body (lanugo)
  • Muscle weakness
  • Cuts or calluses around the finger or joint area due to forced vomiting
  • Yellowing skin
  • Lowered immune system
  • Dental problems such as cavities or tooth sensitivity
  • Dry or brittle hair
  • Poor wound healing

Helping Someone with Anorexia

The best way to help someone who has anorexia is to be there for them, support them and become educated on the disease. A loved one is often the person that encourages someone to seek treatment and help if they suffer from anorexia. Family and friends can play an important role in recognizing worrisome behaviors and encouraging the person to seek help for it. It’s not always easy to discuss an eating disorder with someone you care about, and they may become defensive or deny that there is a problem.

How to Discuss Eating Concerns with a Loved One

Become educated on the disease- Learn as much as you can from articles, books, brochures etc. on health, nutrition and healthy eating habits. This will help you talk with your loved one. It’s important to recognize the facts rather than myths about eating disorders.

Setup a time to talk privately- Make sure to find a time and place where you are alone and can discuss your concern that they have an eating disorder. Nobody likes their personal life to be publicly displayed and this allows the person to feel more secure and safe.

Practice what you will say- It can be helpful to write out your thoughts beforehand and what you’d like to say. This can reduce stress and anxiety over the conversation and allow you to plan out your main points.

Use “I” statements- Using “I” statements makes the person feel less attacked. When you make statements like “you don’t ever eat” etc. the person may feel like they are being accused and take things the wrong way.

Be understanding, caring and firm- It’s important to not make promises or statements that you can’t keep. For example, “if you do this again, we can’t be friends” or “I won’t tell anyone else.” Being firm is okay and allows you to not feel as though you are being manipulated.

Tell someone- As difficult as it may be, it’s pertinent to talk to the person right away when you have concerns before it’s too late or life-threatening. The person going through this needs a lot of support from friends and family during this time.

Encourage treatment- The best things for someone with an eating disorder is to seek out help and treatment as soon as possible. Offer to help them find a physician or treatment center where they can get the best help for themselves.

Stick to facts- Try not to let your emotions get the best of you and take over the conversation. Stick to the facts and behaviors that you’ve noticed that are areas of concern.

Be prepared for them to be negative or defensive- Nobody wants to hear that they have a problem or that they are potentially doing something wrong. It’s common for people to become defensive or deny that they have a problem at all.

Be honest- Be open and honest about how you are feeling and what you are concerned about. Avoiding the situation or not being upfront will not be good in the long run and won’t help.

It can be very difficult for someone with anorexia to change their behavior and understand or admit that they have a problem. If the person is malnourished in anyway then it can cause their thinking to be distorted. The best thing to do is to be as supportive as possible and encourage the person to find the necessary treatment to get better.