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  1. Content medically reviewed by
    Dr. Abhimanyu Chandakverified specialist
    MD, Psychiatry
    View full profile onLinkedIn logoLinkedIn
    Symptoms & Reports
    If you are experiencing new, severe, or persistent symptoms, contact a health care provider.

    Not eating enough food and over conscious of the physical appearance is the first sign of Anorexia. The other symptoms include:

    • Extreme weight loss
    • Thin appearance
    • Intense fear of gaining weight
    • Bingeing and purging
    • Abnormal blood counts
    • Fatigue
    • Insomnia
    • Dizziness or fainting
    • Bluish discolouration of the fingers
    • Hair that thins, breaks or falls out
    • Soft, downy Hair covering the body
    • Amenorrhea (absence of menstruation)
    • Constipation
    • Dry or yellowish skin
    • Intolerance of cold
    • Irregular heart rhythms
    • Low blood pressure
    • Dehydration
    • Osteoporosis
    • Swelling of arms or legs


    Common symptoms and their severity as reported by people on Patientslikeme.

    Symptoms
    Severity Graph
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    (317)
    (91)
    Last Update : 2024-04-01.
    Seve...
    Mode...
    Mild
    None
    Causes

    The exact cause is not known. The following factors may play a role:

    • Genetic: Certain genetic changes confer a predisposition
    • Neurochemical factors - Serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine dysfunction
    • Environmental: Socio- cultural influences that project thinness as a desirable trait and peer pressure which encourages associated behaviours

    Psychological factors include:

    • Tendency towards depression and anxiety
    • Difficulty in handling stress
    • Excessive worrying and feeling scared or doubtful about the future
    • Perfectionism – setting strict, demanding goals or standards
    • Being very emotionally restrained
    • Having feelings of obsession and compulsion

    Prevention

    There is no way to prevent anorexia. Early diagnosis and treatment slows down the disease progression

    • Avoid punishing or rewarding your children with food

    Complications

    If untreated for a prolonged period it may lead to:

    • Anaemia
    • Heart problems, such as mitral valve prolapsed, abnormal heart rhythms or heart failure
    • Bone loss which increases the risk of fractures later in life
    • In females, the absence of a period
    • In males, decreased testosterone
    • Gastrointestinal problems, such as constipation, bloating or nausea
    • Electrolyte abnormalities, such as low blood potassium, sodium and chloride
    • Kidney problems
    • Sudden death

    Source: Focus Medica . For informational purposes only. Consult a medical professional for advice. Learn more
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  2. People also ask
    Many people who develop the disorder belong to middle or upper socioeconomic classes, are meticulous and compulsive, and have very high standards for achievement and success. Anorexia nervosa may be mild and transient or severe and persistent.
    People with anorexia may restrict their food intake, exercise excessively, or use other methods to lose weight, such as vomiting or laxatives.Anorexia can have serious physical and psychological consequences,
    Includes AI generated content
    Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that can result in severe weight loss. A person with anorexia is preoccupied with calorie intake and weight. People with anorexia nervosa eat an extremely low calorie diet and have an excessive fear of gaining weight. They often feel better about themselves when they lose weight.
    Anorexia can occur in people of any age, sex, gender, race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and economic status and individuals of all body weights, shapes and sizes. Anorexia most commonly affects adolescents and young adult women, although it also occurs in men and is increasing in numbers in children and older adults.
  3. Web25 Feb 2023 · Dr Sarah Jarvis MBE, FRCGP. Anorexia nervosa (often just called anorexia) is an eating disorder. It is ten times as common in women as in men. It most often starts during teenage years. About 9 in 1,000 …

  4. WebAnorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by a relentless pursuit of thinness, a distorted body image, an extreme fear of obesity, and restriction of food consumption, leading to a significantly low body …

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