The dangers of anorexia

Anorexia can be very dangerous if it is not caught early. I am not a doctor so cannot comment on the specific medical dangers of anorexia, but effectively the body is being starved of its fuel. In its most progressed state, little or no amounts of food are being received in, and in some cases, where possible, immediately being removed. The calorie content of what is being put in is small, so energy is being reduced. The metabolism slows and it becomes a struggle to do even the simplest jobs. If you add this physical health decline against, for example, increased physical exercise, you can appreciate that fuel very quickly runs out. The deeper a sufferer gets in to this cycle the quicker the problems arise. Lack of energy reduces the ability to think rationally. This gives the illness more room to carry on achieving its goal. Within a matter of weeks a sufferer could be descending towards dangerous weight levels.

Once a sufferer is in this position it is difficult to get out of, but by no means impossible, as the whole mood of the person has dropped. This is when a carer can feel helpless. Until a sufferer wants to get better there is nothing anyone can do. However, with love, care and support, it is possible read more