Mend Your Diet

Anorexia?????

I really want ppl who have been anorexia to answer this but any help would work. how can being anorexia hurt you??? and could you die from it?

Public Comments

1. well, i'm bulimic, but i also know a bit about the sister disorder Extreme weight loss Body mass index less than 17.5 in adults, or 85% of expected weight in children Stunted growth Endocrine disorder, leading to cessation of periods in girls (amenorrhoea) Decreased libido; impotence in males Starvation symptoms, such as reduced metabolism, slow heart rate (bradycardia), hypotension, hypothermia and anemia Abnormalities of mineral and electrolyte levels in the body Thinning of the hair Growth of lanugo hair over the body Constantly feeling "cold" Zinc deficiency Reduction in white blood cell count Reduced immune system function Pallid complexion and sunken eyes Creaking joints and bones Collection of fluid in ankles during the day and around eyes during the night Tooth decay Constipation Dry skin Dry or chapped lips Poor circulation, resulting in common attacks of 'pins and needles' and purple extremities In cases of extreme weight loss, there can be nerve deterioration, leading to difficulty in moving the feet Headaches Brittle fingernails Bruising easily [edit] Psychological Distorted body image Poor insight Self-evaluation largely, or even exclusively, in terms of their shape and weight Pre-occupation or obsessive thoughts about food and weight Perfectionism Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) Belief that control over food/body is synonymous with being in control of one's life Refusal to accept that one's weight is dangerously low even when it could be deadly Refusal to accept that one's weight is normal, or healthy [ Emotional Low self-esteem and self-efficacy Intense fear about becoming overweight Clinical depression or chronically low mood Mood swings Interpersonal and social Withdrawal from previous friendships and other peer-relationships Deterioration in relationships with the family Denial of basic needs, such as food and sleep Behavioral Excessive exercise, food restriction Secretive about eating or exercise behavior Fainting Self-harm, substance abuse or suicide attempts Very sensitive to references about body weight Aggressive when forced to eat "forbidden" foods
2. you could die from it. maybe not in the short run but in the long run is possible too. what it does, your body will go into starve mode and start to attack your muscle cells for quick energy and store fat to prepare to long term starvation. then when you do eat in rare form, your body gets scared and will take all that food that you ate and also store it into fat because your body is still in starve mode and it thinks it will be a long time before it has food again. thus slow down your metabolism and your body is eating off of itself, which is really bad...hope that helps
3. Well um, I think the answer above me pretty much summed it up lol, but if you are or someone you know is anorexic, get help. DON'T WAIT. Talk to a trusted adult that can help you or your friend.