When you meet with specialists at an eating disorder therapy center, you learn that anorexia isn’t about food. Rather, it’s an eating disorder that causes sufferers to have a dysfunctional body image understanding. Your desire to lose weight may already be causing health problems. It’s essential to get help if you suspect you struggle with anorexia disorder symptoms.
What Living with Anorexia’s Like
You don’t realize that you lose weight at an alarming rate. In contrast, you feel the need to control your weight for fear of ballooning to an unattractive size. Eating disorder treatment center specialists routinely work with people who go to extremes when doing so. As a result, the pursuit of an ideal shape changes the way they live.
Being thin means that you see yourself as healthy and worthy of others’ respect. In your mind, the leaner you are, the better of a person you will be. Therefore, you continue to pursue a lifestyle that could be life-threatening. However, you don’t see it as such.
Common Anorexia Disorder Symptoms
Perhaps the most severe symptom is complete oblivion to the unhealthy habits you engage in. You realize that you’re often tired, but you figure that’s because you can’t get good sleep. Your hair is thinning or falling out. Therefore, you spend a lot of time dressing it to cover up bald spots.
You’re always cold and wear sweaters or jackets. You fast. If you do eat, you might induce vomiting to prevent weight gain. Your bathroom cabinet holds various laxatives and diet products.
You may be at the gym a lot or spend time running to become fitter. When someone asks you if you’re hungry, you deny it. In fact, you don’t go out to eat with others and might tell lies about how much you eat. As such questions become more frequent, you may choose to withdraw from others.
There’s Hope for Recovery
More girls than boys struggle with anorexia disorder symptoms. That’s why there are many facilities offering eating disorder therapy for women. Some encourage you to live at the campus. Doing so assists physicians with restoring your health.
Other programs let you live at your home. Evidence-based modalities include:
- Physical exam and lab tests that help you gain a better understanding of your current health needs
- Psychological assessment for and treatment of underlying conditions such as depression, schizophrenia, or anxiety
- Cognitive behavioral therapy for recognition of dysfunctional patterns that you want to change
- Family therapy, which encourages loved ones to participate in your recovery
- Nutritional counseling that assists with a return to a healthy lifestyle through weight goals and meal planning
Take the Condition Seriously
You might have a difficult time admitting that your dieting habits are out of control. However, if you recognize one or more anorexia disorder symptoms in your life right now, at least make a call. Find out if you need help. Moreover, if you do, learn how easy it is to heal with the help of dedicated professionals.
