MenuNewsFeaturesReferenceFindaPsychiatristWhatIsAnorexia?CausesPrevention&RisksSymptomsDiagnosis&TreatmentAntidpressantsforAnorexiaSelf-CareAnxiety&PanicBingeEatingDisorderBulimiaNervosaCrisisAssistanceDepressionEatingDisordersMentalHealthStressManagementSubstanceAbuse&AddictionTeenHealthWomen'sHealthFindaPsychiatristMentalHealthEatingDisordersAnorexiaNervosaMenuMedicallyReviewedbySmithaBhandari, MDonSeptember11,2020ArticlesOnAnorexiaNervosaWhatIsAnorexia?CausesPrevention&RisksSymptomsDiagnosis&TreatmentAntidpressantsforAnorexiaSelf-CareWhatIsAnorexia?Anorexianervosa,anorexiaforshort,isaneatingdisorderthatcanhavefatalconsequences.Peoplesufferingfromanorexiaconsumeveryrestrictivequantitiesoffood,whichleadstostarvation.Eventuallytheycanbecomedangerouslythinandmalnourished--yetstillperceivethemselvesasoverweight.Frequently,peoplewithanorexiabecomesoundernourishedthattheyhavetobehospitalized.Eventhentheydenythatanythingiswrongwiththem.Anorexiausuallydevelopsduringpuberty.Nineoutof10peoplewithanorexiaarefemaleandabout1percentofU.S.femalesbetweenages10and25is anorexic.Apersoncanbeconsideredanorexicwhentheyrestrict theirfoodintaketosuchanextentitleadstosignificantlylowbodyweightaccompaniedbyanintensefearofgainingweightandanexcessiveconcernwithbodyweightorshape.Therearetwosubtypesofanorexia:Onetypeislinkedtoadifferenttypeofeatingdisordercalledbulimia,whichischaracterizedby''bingeingandpurging;''apersoneatsandthendeliberatelyvomits.Theothersubtypemanifestsitselfthroughsevererestrictionoffoodandcalories.Apersonwithanorexiabecomesobsessedaboutfoodandweight.Theymaydeveloppeculiareatingrituals,suchasrefusingtoeatinfrontofotherpeopleorarrangingfoodontheplateinacertainorder.Manypeoplewithanorexiaseemtocarealotaboutfood.Theymaycollectcookbooksandpreparesumptuousmealsfortheirfriendsandfamilies--buttheydon'tjoinin.Often,theyalsomaintainanintensiveexerciseregimen.WhatCausesAnorexia?Theexactcausesofanorexianervosaareunknown.However,theconditionsometimesrunsinfamilies;youngwomenwithapar