What is anorexia nervosa? A person with anorexia (a-neh-RECK-see-ah) nervosa, often called anorexia, has an intense fear of gaining weight. Someone with anorexia thinks about food a lot and limits the food she or he eats, even though she or he is too thin. Anorexia is more than just a problem with food. It's a way of using food or starving oneself to feel more in control of life and to ease tension, anger, and anxiety. Most people with anorexia are female. An anorexic:
-has a low body weight for her or his height
-resists keeping a normal body weight
-has an intense fear of gaining weight
-thinks she or he is fat even when very thin
-misses three (menstrual) periods in a row¯for girls/women who have started having their periods
That's the fancy shmancy definition. Here's mine:
Anorexia is a daily struggle, although the better word might be a war. It's losing all rationality when it comes to food and weight. It's disregarding everything and everyone around you in order to reach your one goal. Anorexia is going to the extreme, and being unable to stop. It's not having control disguised as complete control. An anorexic:
-gives up a lot to maintain his/her lifestyle
-does not care what it takes
-never thinks it's good enough, whatever "it" is
-may have given up hope, but isn't hopeless
