ANOREXIA by George Trigkas Hatziandreou A Senior High School Ms Befa An eating disorder which is characterized by extremely low body weight, “not very good” body image and an obsessive fear of gaining weight!

P OTENTIAL EVIDENCE WHICH REVEAL THAT SOMEONE SUFFERS FROM ANOREXIA Refusal to maintain body at a normal weight and height according to their age. For example getting height and no weight. Intensive fear of getting fat even if the sufferer of (anorexia)is underweight or has a normal weight. The body is changing in a strange way. Some would call it freaky. Amenorrhea in girls and women. (sth like periods of hormones activity)

C AUSES OF A NOREXIA Genetics: Studies have shown that polymorphisms are involved in genes in regulation of eating behaviour and motivation. On the other hand, confirmed results show that polymorphisms could be associated with other diseases. Neurobiological : Anorexia connects someway with a system of the brain, which is linked to anxiety, mood and impulse control. And starvation is said to be a reaction to these effects. Starvation usually lowers steroid metabolism which could reduce serotonin levels. That means that anxiety could easily appear as a normal reaction to everything. Also recovering from Anorexia would never change the seritin levels. Changes in brain structure and function are obvious signs associated to starvation, but when normal weight is regained, these changes are partially reversed. In addition to this, this awful disease is linked to reduced blood flow in certain brain parts. Last but not least, anorexia connects with responses of stomach liquids, which influence other appetite and stress responses.

Nutrition: It is said that eating disorder is without a doubt an accelerating factor of the anorexia disease. For example, boulimism. Psychological: Anorexic eating behavior is thought to originate from an obsessive fear of gaining weight due to a distorted self image. It makes anorexia sufferers think all the time about their body their daily food amount. However, the most important thing is that anorexic people criticize their own body image, without listening to the others. It’s also apparent that most of the anorexic people are driven to mental illnesses. Example given: Clinical depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, substance abuse and many other personality disorder. These illnesses may be the most usual conditions connected with anorexia. Moreover, there will be problems in the brain that would never reverse after anorexia recovering. Am I pretty yet???

Social and environmental : what’s important here, is that in some countries anorexic women are the ideal form of females Relationship to autism: Anorexia has one thing in common with autism. Long standing eating disorder. But in the second condition drugs could be given to improve the situation of the unlucky person. In the anorexia case, the patient cant be given drugs.

P ROGNOSIS Anorexia is thought to have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder. The suicide rate of people with anorexia is also higher than that of the general population. It’s worth saying that anorexia suicide victims are more than bulimic suicide victims.

T HE T REATMENT In order to get treated, for anorexia nervosa 3 steps must be followed. 1) Weight has to be restored to healthy values. 2) Psychological reasons that led the person to this condition must be found and treated accordingly. 3) And reducing (as much as possible) of thoughts and behaviors that were responsible for the person’s obsession with losing weight.

T HE T REATMENT Drugs Drugs, that work efficiently against anorexia nervosa and prevent any relapses haven’t yet been found. Though, there isn’t a serious effort put on that sector, so we might be hoping for results in the near future. Family based treatment has also been proven useful, with impressive percentages, especially compared to inpatient care. One 4-5 year study showed that 60-90% of the subjects tested fully recovered, while only a 10-15% was still ill. Inpatient care has only reached 33-35% succession percentage.

E PILOGUE Many women, but also girls aged are victims of anorexia nervosa. They are victims to the “lies of the mirror” which is a chilly lies of their mind.