Anorexia
Anorexia nervosa is an emotional illness in which a person refuses to eat. It occurs chiefly among adolescent girls and young women. The word anorexia means without appetite, but anorexics may be extremely hungry most of the time. They avoid food for psychological reasons. Some anorexics experience bouts of bulimia--an overwhelming craving for food--during which they consume large amounts of food. Afterward, they make themselves vomit.The chief physical symptom of anorexia nervosa is severe weight loss, involving more than 25 per cent of the body weight. Other symptoms include low blood pressure, slow heartbeat, and growth of fine hair on the body. In adolescents, the start of puberty may be delay
Other experts suggest that anorexics want to gain attention and a sense of being special. Treatment for anorexia nervosa may include hospitalization, psychotherapy, and medication. ------------------------------------------------------------------------**Bibliography**Encarta 95', World Book CD rom. Unlike other people who overeat, people with bulimia usually cannot stop a binge once it has started. Some psychiatrists believe that anorexics try to starve themselves in order to avoid growing into adults. Bulimia is a disorder in which individuals experience frequent and uncontrollable periods of overeating called binges. Health risks associated with bulimia include damage to teeth and gums from the acid in vomit, persistent sore throat, and dehydration. Most victims seem unaware of their condition. Anorexics should be hospitalized if they suffer malnutrition. They eat until they are too full to eat any more. Other cases last for years without interruption. Research suggests that some cases of bulimia may be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. It may occur on its own or as a phase of another eating disorder, anorexia nervosa. Bulimia has long been regarded as a psychologically based disorder caused by childhood experiences, family influences, and social pressures.
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