By: Cosette Verna

Anorexia Nervosa (anorexia) is an eating disorder characterized by abnormally low body weight, distorted perception of weight, and intense fear of weight gain. These distortions may cause behavioral symptoms in those suffering from anorexia, including excessive exercise, severe restriction of food intake, calorie counting, and abuse of diuretics, laxatives, or enemas.

Anorexia is typically a manifestation of one’s emotional issues and feelings of inadequacy, to which one strives for extreme thinness as a measure of self-worth. Physical symptoms of anorexia include (but are not limited to) extreme weight loss, loss of menstrual cycle, fatigue, insomnia, dizziness/fainting, constipation, hair breakage, irregular heart rhythms, dehydration, growth of body hair, and dry and/or yellowish skin.

Though anorexia is typically associated with extreme low body weight, those suffering from Atypical Anorexia Nervosa are not to be overlooked. Atypical Anorexia Nervosa patients have all the symptoms of anorexia aside from extreme thinness, and have typically been overweight historically. Though they may physically appear to be in a healthy weight range, their body is under extreme stress in order to maintain a weight that is not healthy for the individual. Atypical anorexia is just as serious as anorexia- percentages of those hospitalized with atypical anorexia is similar to hospitalizations from typical anorexia.

If you or someone you know is struggling with anorexia nervosa, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

References:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anorexia-nervosa/symptoms-causes/syc-20353591

https://childmind.org/article/what-is-atypical-anorexia-nervosa/