What is Anorexia?

The longer a person is anorexic, the more it becomes a slow means of suicide. While the goal may not have started out that way, as time goes on and the behaviors are not sufficiently dealt with, it does become a way to die, even if unconsciously. Some anorexics are actively suicidal in addition to being actively involved in their disorder. Attempts to commit suicide are more frequent in this population than in any other mental health population. You can check out some anorexia statistics here.

Self Esteem

When considering what is anorexia, self esteem is one major component that is at the root of this disorder (and in all EDs). That does not mean self esteem is one of the causes of eating disorders, it is simply one piece of the puzzle. There are also negative thought patterns, much guilt (too much!), feelings of worthlessness, (obviously) body image issues/distortion and much more. Please read more on the psychological effects of eating disorders.

In order to reach a critically low body weight, a person with this disorder will use restricting and/or purging behaviors such as:

• severe calorie restriction
• obsessive counting of calories and fat content
• compulsive exercise (overexercise)
• laxative use
• diuretic use
• misusing enemas
• purging - self-induced vomiting

Diagnostic Criteria

The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) answers the question, "What is Anorexia" by listing the criteria required to meet a diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa. It is important to note that this criteria is under consideration for the new version of the DSM V. There are alternative criteria being considered. I will talk about those at the end.

A. Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height (e.g., weight loss leading to maintenance of body weight less than 85% of that expected; or failure to make expected weight gain during period of growth, leading to body weight less than 85% of that expected).

B. Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though under-weight.

C. Disturbance in the way in which one's body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight.

D. In postmenarcheal females, amenorrhea, i.e., the absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles. (A woman is considered to have amenorrhea if her periods occur only following hormone, e.g., estrogen, administration.)

Specific Type:
Restricting Type: during the current episode of Anorexia Nervosa, the person has not regularly engaged in binge-eating or purging behavior (i.e., self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas)

Binge Eating/Purging Type: during the current episode of Anorexia Nervosa, the person has regularly engaged in binge-eating or purging behavior (i.e., self induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas)

1. Rather than "refusal to maintain a body weight ... less than 85% of that expected," the criteria under consideration reads: Restriction of energy intake relative to requirements leading to a markedly low body weight. Markedly low weight is defined as a weight that is less than minimally normal, or, for children and adolescents, less than that minimally expected for age and height.
2. The criteria around amenorrhea are being removed altogether. There will be no criteria of losing menstrual periods in order to fit a diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa.

Go from What is Anorexia to Anorexia Symptoms

Go from What is Anorexia back to Types of Eating Disorders

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