refusal to eating is a serious disorder.

Ellen Says: Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by refusal to maintain a healthy body weight, and an obsessive fear of gaining weight due to a distorted self image which may be maintained by various cognitive biases that alter how the affected individual evaluates and thinks about their body, food and eating. Anorexia nervosa is a serious mental illness with morbidity and mortality rates as high as those seen in any psychiatric illness.

While the stereotype is that AN affects young white women, it can affect men and women of all ages, races, socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.

The term anorexia nervosa was established in 1873 by Sir William Gull, one of Queen Victoria's personal physicians, meaning a lack of desire to eat.

There are various medical and conditions which have been misdiagnosed as anorexia nervosa, in some cases the correct diagnosis wasn't made for over 10 years. In a reported case of achalasia misdiagnosed as AN, the patient spent two months confined to a psychiatric hospital,[126]Some of the differential diagnoses may include: Lupus, Brain tumors, Addison's Disease, etc.


Possible Signs of Anorexia Nervosa

Russell's sign scarring on knuckles due to sticking fingers down throat to force vomiting
Chilblains, also known as Perniosis.
Possible cutaneous complication of anorexia nervosa.
weight loss: an obvious, rapid, dramatic weight loss
Russell's sign scarring of the knuckles from placing fingers down throat to induce vomiting.
lanugo soft fine hair grows on face and body
obsession with calories, fat content
preoccupation with food, recipes, cooking, may cook elaborate dinners for others but not eat themselves
dieting despite being thin or dangerously underweight
fear of gaining weight or becoming overweight
rituals cuts food into tiny pieces, refuses to eat around others, hides or discards food
purging uses: laxatives, diet pills, ipecac syrup,water pills may engage in self induced vomiting, may run to bathroom after eating, to vomit to quickly get rid of the calories
exercise: may engage in frequent strenuous exercise
perception: perceives themselves to be overweight despite being told by others they are too thin
cold becomes intolerant to cold , frequently complains of being cold due to loss of insulating body fat, body temperature lowers (hypothermia) in effort to conserve calories.
depression may frequently be in a sad lethargic state
solitude: may avoid friends and family, become withdrawn and secretive
clothing:may wear baggy, loose fitting clothes to cover weight loss
cheeks may become swollen due to enlargement of the salivary glands caused by excessive vomiting.

Treatment for anorexia nervosa tries to address three main areas. 1) Restoring the person to a healthy weight; 2) Treating the psychological disorders related to the illness; and 3) Reducing or eliminating behaviours or thoughts that originally led to the disordered eating.