Many people who start their weight loss journey eventually develop anorexia. Try and prevent anorexia as it is a dangerous medical condition. To avoid having anorexia, it is advised to study “how to be anorexic¹” if you are thinking of losing weight.

Particularly among young girls and teens, anorexia is on the rise. Overweight people usually seek to lose weight because abusers may attack them because of their size and overly concerned attention to physical attributes. They fear that they might gain weight and hence get pushed to disordered eating habits.

Anorexia is a significant mental illness as well as an eating problem. Anorexia in anorexics has to be detected and treated early to avoid depressive symptoms.

You may healthily develop anorexia even if it is a highly severe medical disease. So, if you’re thinking of developing anorexia, you need to go about it appropriately.

You will discover how to be anorexic, and everything else that you need to know about anorexia in this post, including its definition, kinds, symptoms, causes, and how to be anorexic in a healthy way.

Before going to dive into how to be anorexic, first get an idea about anorexia nervosa or eating disorder.

1. What Is Anorexia Nervosa? An Eating Disorder

Anorexia, also known as Anorexia Nervosa, is a metabolic condition and eating disorder that causes excessive weight loss and extreme thinness as a result of self-starvation.

Teenage girls and women are frequently affected who want to maintain a normal weight. Anyone, regardless of age, gender, culture, or color, can develop anorexia nervosa. Fragile people are frequently assumed to be anorexic, putting athletes, dancers, and anybody working or studying in a field where lean physiques are valued in great danger.

Common indications and symptoms of anorexia include skipping meals, persistent complaints about more weight gain, avoiding eating in public, exercising excessively, taking diet pills, and covering up severe thinness with layers of clothes to prevent weight gain.

Anorexic People’s efforts to change their physical size and form consume them. Anorexia can affect both men and women of any age, although it is most frequent in young women and usually starts around the middle of adolescence.

2. Anorexia Nervosa Psychology Definition

A significant mental illness known as anorexia nervosa (AN) is characterized by the inability to maintain a normal weight, excessive anxiety about gaining weight or becoming obese, and obsessions with body image and weight.

These people could make extreme dietary restrictions and overindulgent exercise attempts to address this imagined “flaw.”

Anorexia translates as “loss of appetite².” This statement is false, though, because those who have anorexia nervosa frequently feel hungry yet still refuse to eat.

When anorexics are extremely thin, they nevertheless see themselves as being overweight and have strong concerns about gaining weight. These people could make extreme dietary restrictions and overindulgent exercise attempts to address this imagined “flaw.”

3. How To Be Anorexic?

How to be anorexic? Although the rates among men are rising, women are more likely than men to experience eating disorders like anorexia. Actors, models, dancers, and athletes who compete in weight- and/or appearance-sensitive sports like wrestling, boxing, gymnastics, and figure skating are more likely to develop serious health issues.

Anorexics frequently excel academically, athletically, in work, and other areas of their lives. They frequently exhibit obsessive intense fear, or depression symptoms and are perfectionists. The onset of anorexia nervosa can happen at any moment, although it often starts around adolescence.

In order to become anorexic in a healthy way, follow these 7 simple steps:

3.1. Get Ready

Losing weight has never been a cakewalk. You will need to be persistent for just a couple of days since it is not as simple as dietitians make it seem. You must have thorough knowledge about how to be anorexic before you start.

Knowing when to stop eating is important. It would help if you ate only to satisfy your hunger. To put it another way, quit overeating.

You must also choose a target. What weight would you like to reach before quitting anorexia? Continued anorexia is harmful. You must choose a goal body size and try to get it.

3.2. Modify Your Diet

Not everyone can lose weight by eating less. If you don’t already have a meal plan, you will need to adjust your diet or create one.

You need expert advice for this. Alternately, you might engage a nutritionist to create a food plan for weight loss. More light foods—those with fewer calories—are typically included in diet plans for weight loss.

3.3. Attempt The 5-Bite Diet

The 5-bite diet is not about consuming better meals or engaging in physical activity, it completely depends on the number of bites you take.

You may continue to consume your favorite foods while following the 5-bite diet plan, but you will be restricted to a certain amount of nibbles every meal. It is a healthy eating meal plan.

This diet plan allows for the usage of healthy foods. To fill up any nutritional gaps caused by the diet, it is advised to take multivitamins and omega-3 supplements while following this diet plan.

3.4. Drink A Lot Of Water

Staying hydrated is crucial for losing weight. You can substitute water for your regular beverages, particularly alcoholic ones.

You intake 7 calories per gram while consuming beverages that have alcoholic properties. When it is not required, you can even skip meals and only drink water or diet soda.

3.5. Exercise Regularly

You must exercise frequently in addition to reducing the amount of food you eat. This does not imply that you should have excessive exercise sessions.

Excessive activity can cause fatigue and muscular soreness. Every day, most often in the morning, you can either go for a stroll, jog by yourself or with your pet, or ride a bike.

A 180-pound individual burns 100 calories each mile while a 120-pound person burns 65 calories per mile, according to Verywellfit. For information on the number of calories, you will burn, see their website.

3.6. Consume Baby Foods

Baby food should be included in your meal plan to aid weight loss.

Under a baby food diet, you must eat only baby food instead of adult breakfast, lunch, and snacks. After that, you consume a typical dinner. Don’t get into starvation mode.

Because baby food products contain less kcal than ordinary meals, you can easily follow the baby food diet and eat lesser calories daily.

Baby food can range in caloric content from 20 to over 120 calories in each jar.

3.7. Be Careful Not To Overdo It

The most crucial step is this one. Please always keep in mind that none of the first six stages should be performed to the extreme.

If anorexia is not treated appropriately, it may result in death and mental health issue. You must discontinue your weight loss strategies after you have reached your desired weight.

You will simply need to maintain your weight at this point by consuming wholesome meals and engaging in regular exercise (on a measured level).

4. What Causes Anorexia Nervosa?

Although the precise etiology of anorexia is unknown, research shows that several personality characteristics, emotions, and thought patterns, as well as biological factors and environmental variables, may contribute to the disorder of low body weight.

When other aspects of their lives are extremely stressful or they feel overwhelmed, people with anorexia tend to frequently utilize food and eating habits as a coping mechanism. The condition may also develop as a result of feelings of loneliness, inadequacy, poor self-esteem, worry, or rage.

Additionally, those who struggle with eating disorders may experience interpersonal mental health problems or a history of size or weight-related bullying, resulting in low self-esteem. Peer pressure and a culture that promotes physical attractiveness and thinness can also have an effect on how children develop anorexia.

Physical factors may also contribute to eating problems. Eating habits may be facilitated by hormonal changes that affect how the body and mind regulate mood, hunger, thinking, and memory. Sexual abuse is not associated with the development of anorexia.

The fact that anorexia nervosa frequently runs in families raises the possibility that certain people are predisposed to this weight loss illness.

The following are some elements that might raise the risk of developing anorexia:

• A family history of alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders, or depression
• Criticism of one’s eating choices, weight, and body type regularly
• Being preoccupied with your weight due to pressure from society or your line of work, such as ballet dancers, actresses, models, and sports
• Low self-esteem, an obsessional personality, being a perfectionist, or anxiety
• Past traumatizing events, such as sexual abuse.

5. What are the Types of Anorexia Nervosa?

There are two primary subtypes of anorexia nervosa:

5.1. Restrictive Type

Individuals with a restrictive form of anorexia restrict the kind and amount of food they eat. Usually, this entails keeping a food diary, monitoring calories, and skipping meals to maintain low body weight.

5.2. Binge Eating Habits And Purging Type

Those who suffer from this form of anorexia adopt a routine of eating that includes a purging activity and low food intake. Forcible vomiting and the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas are examples of purging to maintain a body image and dry the hunger pangs away.

6. Symptoms Of Anorexia Nervosa

After knowing how to be anorexic one must be able to detect its symptoms. The greatest method to develop anorexia is if a relative or friend, such as a parent or a sibling, has an unhealthy lifestyle. What exactly causes anorexia is yet to be figured out.

Genetics plays an important role. Though research is beginning to identify the gene at fault and the specific genetic changes that increase a person’s likelihood of developing anorexia.

Genetic researchers have discovered genes that link anorexia to disorders of anxiety, melancholy, and obsessive personality fixation.

Anorexia is defined by a variety of overt and covert symptoms, but it also poses a serious risk to one’s life. The signs may include physical symptoms, behavioral symptoms, and emotional symptoms.

6.1. Physical Symptoms

People with anorexia frequently have physical symptoms that can be debilitating and life-threatening. They consist of:

• Severe constipation and weight loss
• A blue hue to the fingers dry, pale skin thinning and breaking hair weakness and exhaustion arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat
• Insomnia
• Amenorrhea, or the absence of menstruation, inability to tolerate cold downy hair on the torso, arms, and face

6.2. Behavioral Symptoms

Anorexic people tend to go through specific behavioral changes before they start to show physical signs. This comprises:

• Restricting food intake
• Consuming only foods that are deemed safe and, often, minimal in calories.
• Discussing their size or form of invective
• Adopting odd dietary practices
• Attempting to cover their bodies with large clothing
• Avoiding circumstances when one might have to eat in front of others or display their body may be a part of social disengagement.
• Strenuous exercise that might persist for several hours or is overly demanding.

6.3. Emotional Symptoms

People who develop anorexia over time often exhibit emotional symptoms, which may intensify as the illness worsens. They consist of:

• Body image issues and low self-esteem
• Anger, irritability, or other mood fluctuations
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Social exclusion

7. Additional Factors That Raise The Risk Of Anorexia

Acquiring anorexia is based on the following elements:

7.1. Genetic (Biological factors)

A certain group of people may be more susceptible to anorexia due to changes in particular genes. People who have a family member with the condition are significantly more likely to develop anorexia.

7.2. Starvation And Diet Eating Disorders

Eating disorder is a result of unattended dieting. Strong evidence suggests that many anorexia symptoms are actually related to malnutrition. Hunger causes problems, cognitive changes, mood swings, and a decrease in the desire to maintain a body image.

Loss of weight and starvation may change how the brain operates in helpless people. This could perpetuate odd eating patterns and make it challenging to revert to regular eating routines.

7.3. Transitions

It might be the start of a new school, work, or house; the end of a relationship; or the passing or sickness of a loved one. These alterations may cause emotional worry, which raises the risk of developing anorexia.

8. Anorexia: Is It Dangerous to Lose Weight?

You’ve learned how to be anorexic and are now left wondering whether it’s dangerous or not.

Untreated long-term (chronic) anorexia can have detrimental effects on one’s health. The body is deprived of numerous minerals and electrolytes when eating is overly restricted. The following are the risk factors of anorexia:

• Skeletally frail
• Osteoporosis (weak bones), osteopenia (low calcium deposits in bone), and frequent fractures are examples of bone diseases.
• Issue with children’s and young adults’ development
• Fertility problems
• Reduced sex desire
• Heart issues including heart failure and an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
• Kidney issues can be brought on by an electrolyte imbalance and extreme dehydration.
• Reduced blood pressure
• Swelling across the body (edema)
• Convulsions or fits
• Reduced concentration or attention
• Bad memory
• Body tingling and numbness as a result of nerve issues
• Gastrointestinal issues such as hyperacidity, persistent constipation, and vomiting
• Low immunity, which makes infections more often
• Anemia
• Issues with menstruation, such as skipped periods (amenorrhea)
• Hypothyroidism
• Both anxiety and depression
• Suicidal inclination

9. Can You Prevent Anorexia?

You might wonder whether you might have avoided anorexia if you know someone who has it. The short answer is most likely not. The reasons for anorexia and how to prevent someone from developing it are unknown to doctors.

What they do know is that those who have it frequently want to be ideal by maintaining their thinness, which results in their not eating enough food. They have symptoms that make them ill and possibly put their lives in danger.

10. How Is Anorexia Treated?

Like other eating disorders, anorexia worsens over time if ignored. The quicker the illness is discovered and addressed, the better the result. Learning how to be anorexic isn’t enough to be one.

Although many anorexics deny they have a problem and resist therapy, anorexia may be cured, allowing the person to regain a healthy weight.

Despite the possibility of therapy, recurrence is quite likely. Long-term therapy for anorexia typically necessitates a person’s strong dedication to recovery as well. Support from loved ones might assist guarantee that the patient receives the necessary care.

In extreme circumstances where the risk of death from dehydration, starvation, renal failure, or an irregular heartbeat may be immediate, emergency care for anorexia may be required.

Whether or whether it is an emergency, treating anorexia is difficult because most sufferers either deny they have a problem or are so scared of gaining weight that they may resist efforts to help them acquire a healthy weight.

The restoration of the patient to healthy body weight, the treatment of emotional problems including poor self-esteem, the rectification of faulty thought patterns, and the development of long-term behavioral adjustments are all objectives of therapy.

The following therapy approaches are typically combined in treatment by National Eating Disorders Association:

10.1. Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is a kind of individual psychotherapy that concentrates on changing a person with an appetite disorder’s thinking and actions (behavioral psychotherapy). Psychological considerations are taken into account.

The course of treatment includes strategies for modifying how the patient reacts to challenging circumstances as well as doable methods for fostering good attitudes around food and body weight.

10.2. Medication

SSRIs, which are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors³, are antidepressants that may be used to treat the anxiety and despair brought on by eating disorders. Some medications might also help improve mood and appetite. To reduce anxiety and/or correct misguided beliefs about food and body weight, other kinds of drugs could also be used.

10.3. Counselling On Nutrition

This plan aims to reestablish normal eating patterns, instill a healthy perspective on food and weight management, and stress the value of eating a balanced diet and good nutrients to lose body weight.

10.4. Family Therapy Or Group Therapy

Family support is crucial for the success of treatment. Family members must comprehend eating and psychiatric disorders and be able to identify their symptoms. Group therapy may be helpful for those with eating disorders because it allows them to openly address their thoughts and worries with others who have similar issues and experiences.

10.5. Hospitalization

It may be necessary to manage extreme weight loss that has led to malnutrition and other major mental or physical health issues, such as heart conditions, severe depression, and a higher risk of suicide. The patient may occasionally require nourishment through an IV or a feeding tube.

Knowing how to be anorexic, you must also know that anorexics are capable of recovering. However, they are more likely to relapse during times of intense stress or in situations that provoke them. You might be able to maintain your health by coming to regular checkups or continuing your therapy.

Conclusion

Anyone suffering from anorexia nervosa may feel some feeling of fulfillment in being an anorexic. But it might also be a sign of a serious illness that needs immediate care.

You must miss important meals, exercise frequently, and consume only low-calorie foods ⁴if you want to become anorexic. Keep your distance from sites that promote anorexia.

A significant eating problem called anorexia nervosa can have detrimental physical and emotional effects. Always keep in mind not to push yourself too far when attempting to reduce weight.

When you are exposed to conflicting signals from the media, culture, and possibly even your own family or friends, it may be tough for you to deal with anorexia. You may have even heard someone jokingly say that they wish they could temporarily have anorexia to reduce weight.

Ask your doctor or mental health specialist for tips on coping mechanisms and emotional assistance if you or a loved one suffers from anorexia. The key to successful treatment is developing appropriate coping mechanisms and receiving the support you require from family and friends.

Consult a dietitian, a doctor, or a psychologist for assistance if you or someone you know wants to lose weight. There are healthy ways to lose weight without becoming anorexic. A healthy individual is also prone to developing anorexia symptoms. All of these approaches have been previously covered in this article.

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1. Crisp, Arthur H., Richard L. Palmer, and R. S. Kalucy. “How common is anorexia nervosa? A prevalence study.” The British Journal of Psychiatry 128.6 (1976): 549-554. ↩︎
2. Hintze, Luzia Jaeger, et al. “Weight loss and appetite control in women.” Current obesity reports 6 (2017): 334-351. ↩︎
3. Hyttel, J. “Pharmacological characterization of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).” International clinical psychopharmacology 9 (1994): 19-26. ↩︎
4. Rolls, Barbara J., Louise Jacobs Laster, and Ann Summerfelt. “Hunger and food intake following consumption of low-calorie foods.” Appetite 13.2 (1989): 115-127. ↩︎

Last Updated on May 9, 2024 by Namrata