Anorexia Recovery & Treatment

Anorexia nervosa is a condition where a person takes extreme measures, such as self-starvation or excessive exercising, to lose weight. The most troubling characteristic of anorexia nervosa is that even a very thin person may believe they are fat and continue to lose weight, even to the point of severe malnutrition or death.

Anorexia nervosa is most common among teenage girls, especially those who are high achievers. Anorexia may be a way of dealing with emotional problems such as a lack of self-esteem or an overwhelming desire to be in control of the body.

Studies show that 5 to 20% of anorexics will die because of the anorexia symptoms. If you do manage to recover from anorexia, you will face significant health problems. This is because the damage that anorexia does to your body is permanent.

If you are not the one having anorexic symptoms but have a loved one who has, then make sure that you are the there to provide support for him or her. An anorexic needs plenty of love, compassion and kindness. This is what will help him/her through the recovery process.

With the support of family and friends, treating anorexia is certainly possible, but there are difficulties. The major difficulty is getting the patient to realize that they have a problem. People with mild anorexia may be treated on an outpatient basis; those with more severe anorexia will need to be admitted to a hospital for close monitoring and weight gain assistance. Long-term counselling and anti-depressant medication may be necessary.