Q: Who is most likely to be anorexic?

Anorexia most commonly affects <a href="https://www.womenshealth.gov/mental-health/mental-health-conditions/eating-disorders/anorexia-nervosa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">younger women</a>, with teenage girls being at particularly high risk. These women may develop unhealthy ideas of what an attractive body looks like, and may become obsessed with staying thin or restricting food intake. They may see their own body unrealistically, focusing only on particular flaws or unwanted features. While <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4538851/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">men are susceptible to anorexia</a> as well, somewhere between 80% and 90% of cases are diagnosed in women and girls. Symptoms to watch out for include skipping meals, avoiding certain food groups (i.e., all carbohydrates, all fat), obsessive exercising, constantly dieting, or a preoccupation with their body image. <a href="https://anad.org/education-and-awareness/about-eating-disorders/eating-disorders-statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Anorexia is one of the most deadly mental illnesses</a>, but these issues are treatable and recovery is possible.<hr/>Need to find a therapist near you? Check out the Monarch Directory by SimplePractice to <a href="https://meetmonarch.com/therapists/anorexia/near-me" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">find licensed mental health therapists</a> with availability and online booking.<hr/>

Question 1

Who is most likely to be anorexic?

Accepted Answer

Anorexia most commonly affects younger women, with teenage girls being at particularly high risk. These women may develop unhealthy ideas of what an attractive body looks like, and may become obsessed with staying thin or restricting food intake.

They may see their own body unrealistically, focusing only on particular flaws or unwanted features. While men are susceptible to anorexia as well, somewhere between 80% and 90% of cases are diagnosed in women and girls.

Symptoms to watch out for include skipping meals, avoiding certain food groups (i.e., all carbohydrates, all fat), obsessive exercising, constantly dieting, or a preoccupation with their body image. Anorexia is one of the most deadly mental illnesses, but these issues are treatable and recovery is possible.

Need to find a therapist near you? Check out the Monarch Directory by SimplePractice to find licensed mental health therapists with availability and online booking.

Question 2

Do you have to be underweight to be diagnosed with anorexia?

Accepted Answer

No, a person does not have to be underweight to be diagnosed with anorexia. Though many people with anorexia are underweight, anorexia symptoms lie mostly in disordered eating, body image issues, and other mental health conditions.

If someone who is a normal weight for their age and height is severely restricting their caloric intake, has an intense fear of gaining weight, or has an unrealistic interpretation of their body shape or weight, they can still be diagnosed as anorexic.

Only a doctor or mental health professional can diagnose anorexia, though recognizing the symptoms in yourself or a loved one is an important step towards getting treatment.

Need to find a therapist near you? Check out the Monarch Directory by SimplePractice to find licensed mental health therapists with availability and online booking.

Question 3

What are the two types of anorexia?

Accepted Answer

The two types of anorexia are restricting type and binge-eating/purging type. In the restricting type of anorexia, a person severely limits their intake of food. They may obsessively count calories, skip meals, or cut entire food groups out of their diets, which can result in serious nutritional deficiencies. With the binge-eating/purging type of anorexia, a person may eat large amounts of food and then induce vomiting, or misuse laxatives or diuretics, which can lead to organ damage in the long term.

Those with either type of anorexia often have underlying issues related to body image or mental illness, and should always be treated by a doctor or mental health professional.

Need to find a therapist near you? Check out the Monarch Directory by SimplePractice to find licensed mental health therapists with availability and online booking.

Who is most likely to be anorexic?

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