|
Anorexia Nervosa is an illness which literally means "nervous loss of appetite." Years ago, researchers thought that the illness only occurred in teenage young women, from affluent white families. However, this is not the case. More recent studies show that anorexia can occur in both females and males, of any race, and at any age.
At the very surface, anorexia does not seem like a deadly disease, in fact, it may seem that the individual just does not want to eat. However, the causes and effects of anorexia reach far beyond just food. Often, anorexia is associated with the need for control, or to alleviate other emotional problems.
There is no definite reason how or why people develop anorexia. Sometimes is is part of a denial of the self. The individual is not happy with other aspects of themselves and their lives, and therefore uses denial of pleasurable things, such as fun activities, and food to punishment for (sometimes) imagined wrongdoing.
In cases, it is a matter of feel out of control with one's actions or habits, and uses weight and food, or the lack thereof to regain that sense of control.
|