Being conscious of how we eat for health reasons is one thing. But self-starving is another. Anorexia is a disorder and is considered a psychological problem. Anorexics often deny they have a problem. They may even describe their behavior as a "life-style choice." It is an act of love and friendship, not disloyalty, to help an anorexic get treatment.
Anyone who wants to better understand anorexia should examine the criteria for a diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the American Psychiatric Association. Not everyone agrees with these criteria, and as more is learned about anorexia the criteria will doubtless change. However, for now, the DSM diagnostic criteria for anorexia are:
- Refusal to maintain a body weight that is at or above the minimal normal weight for age and height.
- Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though the person is underweight.
- Denying the seriousness of having a low body weight, or having a distorted image of one's appearance or shape.
- In women who've started having periods, the absence of a period for at least three consecutive menstrual cycles.
A doctor who suspects someone has anorexia would want the patient to have:
- A physical exam
- Laboratory tests
- A psychological evaluation
- Other tests, such as X-ray and electrocardiogram
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