Content

• Steps

Anorexia is a common eating disorder in adolescents, especially teenagers, because nearly 90-95% of people with this disorder are teenagers and women. This type of eating disorder can be caused by social pressure to look slim or to have a certain weight, personal factors such as genetics or biology, and personality factors such as anxiety, stress. straight, or sad. The most common sign of anorexia is being thin or losing weight. However, physical and behavioral cues can help you see if your daughter or friend is suffering from anorexia. If they exhibit any of the following symptoms or signs, advise them to seek treatment for this potentially dangerous illness.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Recognizing the physical signs

1. 

   
   
   Notice if she shows signs of weight loss, protruding bones, and emaciation. One of the most common symptoms of severe weight loss is an emaciated body, especially the collarbone and breastbone. This is due to the lack of body fat, leading to the appearance of bones under the skin.
   • Her face was emaciated, her cheeks were protruding, and she looked pale and lacking in quality.

2. 

   
   
   Check if she seems tired, weak, or faint. Eating too little over a long period of time can lead to signs of exhaustion like dizziness, fainting, and inability to perform any physical activity. A person with anorexia refuses to get out of bed or complete daily tasks because of extremely low energy from not eating enough or not eating anything.

3. 

   
   
   Notice if her fingernails seem brittle, her hair is thin, and starts falling out. Due to a lack of material, the nail can break easily or appear brittle. Similarly, hair will fall out in clumps or break easily.
   • Another sign of anorexia is the growth of facial and body hair, known as down hair. This is because the body is trying to stay warm when there is a lack of nutrients and energy from food.

4. 

   Ask if she has regular periods or if she missed her period. Many girls with anorexia often experience missed periods or irregular menstrual cycles. For 14-16 year old girls, this is called amenorrhea, or amenorrhea.
   • If a girl has amenorrhea due to an eating disorder, such as anorexia, she is at risk of having health problems and should see her doctor as soon as possible.
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Part 2 of 2: Recognizing behavioral cues

1. 

   Notice if she stops eating or eats very little. Psychiatric anorexia is an eating disorder in which a person fastes to gain a certain weight. If she has anorexia, she will often fast or justify why she cannot eat. She can also skip meals or pretend she ate but not really. Though she is hungry, she can deny it and fast.
   • In addition, she can devise a restrictive diet, even though they contain calories, she eats much lower calories than her body needs or eats low-fat foods she thinks won't do. weight gain. They are considered "safe" foods and can be used to justify that she does eat, despite the fact that she eats much less than a healthy meal.

2. 

   Know how she eats. Many girls with anorexia will have a way to maintain control over eating.She can push food around her plate to appear like she has eaten or picked up the food but hasn't actually eaten anything in it. She can also chop food up or chew it but then spit it out.
   • She may also vomit after eating. Note if she goes to the bathroom after every meal and has cavities or bad breath, both of which are caused by the acidity of vomiting.

3. 

   Check if she's exercising excessively or has an intense workout routine. This may be due to a desire to control her weight and feel she can continue to lose weight. Many people with anorexia will pay a lot of attention to exercise regimen and exercise every day or several times a day to try to maintain weight.
   • You should also be aware if she increases her exercise, but her appetite still doesn't improve or is still not eating at all. This could be a sign that her anorexia is getting worse and that she is trying to control her exercise regimen as a way to control her weight.

4. 

   Pay attention if she complains about her weight or appearance. Anorexia is also a disorder at a psychological level in which people constantly complain about their weight and appearance. She may do this frequently while looking in the mirror, or be ashamed of her looks when you go shopping or hanging out. She can also tell how fat and ugly she looks and how slim she wants to be, even if she's already quite thin.
   • She can also “check the body” by continuously looking at her weight, measuring her waist, and checking her body in the mirror. In addition, many people with anorexia will wear loose clothing to hide their body or avoid being noticed about their weight.

5. 

   Ask her if she is taking weight loss pills. To try to lose weight, she may take weight loss pills to speed up the weight loss process. Taking these substances is an important part of trying to control weight gain and loss.
   • She may also take laxatives or diuretics, which are drugs that help flush fluids out of the body. In fact, those drugs have little effect on the number of calories she absorbs from food and will have no effect on her weight.

6. 

   Pay attention if she avoids friends, family, and social activities. Often, anorexia is accompanied by depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem, especially among teenagers. She may refuse to participate in activities she liked in the past or avoid meeting with people she was excited about going with like friends or family.
   • Her anorexia may begin to affect schoolwork, her ability to communicate with friends, and her ability to complete chores or chores. Behavioral changes may be a sign that she may be fighting anorexia and needs your support and help to find a cure for the condition.
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