The Stats
*Over eight million people have anorexia according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders.
*Ninety percent of people with Anorexia are women
*Five to ten million teenage girls have eating disorders.
*Relapse rate is higher than crack addictions, and alcoholics
*Ten percent of diagnosed anorexics die to related causes
*1 in 2 fully recover
*1 in 3 improve
*1 in 5 remain chronically ill
Symptoms And Risks
extreme weight loss, BMI of less than 17.5 (BMI is weight in pounds x 705 / height in inches / height in inches), stunued growth, endocrine disorder, loss of period ( in girls ONLY) reduced metabolism, slow heart rate, hypertension, hypothermia, anemia, abnormal mineral/electrolyte levels, thinning hair (it falls out in globs) thin little hairs all over, constantly feeling cold, zinc deficiency, reduced white blood cell count (which fight off infection), reduced immune system function ( probably caused by lowered white blood cell count), pale complexion, sunken eyes, creaking joints or bones, fluid collection around the eyes and ankles, tooth decay, constipation, dry skin, dry and chapped lips, bad circulation (pins and needles feeling), purple extremeties, nerve deterioration ( making motion difficult~ extreme weight loss cases), headaches, brittle hair and brittle fingernails, easy bruising, continuing to diet when thin or low weight, unusual intrest in food, calories, nutrition or cooking, intense fear of gaining weight, eating in secret, feeling fat even if underweight, inability to realistically assess your body weight ( ex: seeing yourself as fat even when you can see every bone), perfectionism, very self critical, depression, anxiety, irritability, laxative or diuretic or diet pill use, frequent illness, feeling hopeless or worthless, lethargy, low tolerence of cold weather, yellowing skin, wearing loose clothing to hide weight loss, sleepiness, damaged heart or brain or kidneys, drop in blood pressure and breathign rate, irregular heart beat, osteoporosis, SUICIDE, DEATH.
Changes
PSYCHOLOGICAL~distorted body image, poor insight, self evaluation largely or completely based on shape and weight, obsessive thoughts about food and weight, perfectionism, obsessive compulsive dissorder, belief that control over food or one's body is synonymous with being in control with one's life
EMOTIONAL~low self esteem and self efficiency, intense fear of becoming overweight, clinical depression or chronically low mood, mood swings
SOCIAL~withdrawal form friendships and other relationships, deterioration of family relationships, denial of basic needs (like food)
BEHAVIORAL~excessive excersize, food restriction, secretive eating behaviors, fainting, self harm, substance abuse, suicide attempts, high sensitivity to weight references, agressiveness whaen forced to eat (forbidden) foods
Treatments
There have been no fool proof treatments as of this post that I could find. A lot of the time, anorexics and bulimics deny they even have a problem, so more than half the battle is just getting them to admit they need help.
The Story
We all love stories...right?
Okay so my most coolio brother, (whom I love in the Lord ever so much! ) was talking to me when I wrote the post about emos. we talked about anorexic christians not having a voice. well i dont know if this will give me one or not but here goes.
I dont have an eating disorder per se. I dont eat right but I doubt its like this. I used to skip out on eating because I felt fat. Then my parents caught on and I started eating again (but I threw it all up when I went to the bathroom) But now I eat only when Im hungry (which is like never) and I feel pretty good. Ummm sometimnes I do throw up my food but its because I am stressed and it helps calm me down just like cutting does. ( I havent cut my self since....January 23 BTW) But I'll get stressed out over something (most of the time its something stupid) and ill get sick. To be honest, I just hate the sight of food. It makes me sick. And to think, there's  kids out there who can't eat because they don't have money. It's sad. But anyway (going on a tanget...) My family thinks I'm nuts and they're mad at me. My friends refuse to speak to me. My siblings in Christ pray for me but I see the fear and impatience and mixed emotions in their eyes which makes it almost worse to talk to them than to talk to my friends. But yes, if you want to get technical, i guess yiou might say I have an eating disorder but I doubt I do. I'm just grossed out by the sight of food.
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>And that is the eating disorder post that I have needed to put up for like four months. I think Im gonna do the self mutilation one next.....