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Anorexia nervosa is a potentially life-threatening eating disorder. If you're seeking ways to manage early-stage anorexia nervosa, consult a mental health professional, such as a psychologist. While seeking support, there are steps you can take to address your feelings. Previously, only individuals with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 17.5 or lower were diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. If your BMI is above 17.5, you may be diagnosed with an 'Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder.'
Steps
Improve your body image awareness
Understand that anorexia often stems from negative emotions. The desire for a slim body can lead to anxiety and harmful thought patterns. This condition can sometimes be genetic, but it's crucial to recognize that such thoughts can harm your body image and physical health.
- Negative emotions you might experience include sadness, anger, anxiety, insecurity, and similar feelings.
- You may notice an intense fear of gaining weight and a strong desire to lose weight. These feelings are symptoms of anorexia. Remind yourself that these thoughts stem from the disorder.
Stop comparing your body to others. When you catch yourself admiring someone else's physique and comparing it to your own, try to dismiss those thoughts immediately. This behavior is often driven by anxiety and insecurity, impulses triggered by anorexia. Recognize these thoughts for what they are—manifestations of the disorder.
- If you find yourself judging others' bodies or comparing their appearance to yours, stop yourself. Remind yourself to accept others regardless of their body shape and to accept yourself as you are.
- Think about your friends and family. You likely love and care for them regardless of their size or shape. Your love for them isn't tied to their weight, and their love for you isn't either.
Avoid pro-anorexia websites and harmful online content. While the internet can be a great source of accurate information, resources, and support for those with eating disorders, it also hosts harmful, triggering content that promotes distorted body images and unrealistic standards. Steer clear of these sites to better manage your feelings.
- Even social media can negatively impact your emotions. Consider reducing or temporarily cutting off your social media use.
- You might also want to avoid fitness apps and websites, as these can be triggering for some people.
Identify triggers that make you want to engage in anorexic behaviors. You might feel compelled to restrict eating or adopt unhealthy habits due to exposure to unrealistic body images, eating habits, or situations that glorify extreme thinness. Recognizing these triggers can help you avoid them. Here are some questions to help you identify what drives these urges:
- Do you have friends who obsess over calorie intake? If so, their influence might be affecting you. Try spending less time with them or ask them to avoid discussing calories around you.
- Has a family member commented on your body or weight? Or did you hear such remarks growing up? These comments or bullying behaviors should be identified and discussed with a mental health professional. Talk to others about how these remarks affect you and seek support from a trusted family member.
- Do you enjoy reading fashion magazines or watching shows that celebrate extremely thin bodies? Consider taking a break from these. Remember, such images are often photoshopped, and models don't actually look like that in real life.
Surround yourself with friends who have a healthy body image and eating habits. Your friends' attitudes toward food and their bodies can influence your own perceptions and habits. Seek out friends with positive body image and healthy attitudes toward food and weight, and spend more time with them.
- Your loved ones can also help you recalibrate your views on food and body image. If they express concern about your weight or health, take their words seriously.
Avoid triggering situations. Limit exposure to unhealthy environments and find healthier ways to spend your free time. If you have a hobby or are in a setting that worsens anorexic behaviors, it's time for a change. Choose something more positive.
- Consider stopping activities like gymnastics, modeling, or any hobby that emphasizes body size.
- Avoid frequent weighing or excessive mirror-checking. Constantly monitoring your weight and appearance can reinforce negative behaviors associated with anorexia.
- Limit time with people who constantly talk about their weight or compare themselves to others.
- Stay away from websites, TV shows, and other media that glorify unrealistic body types.
Relax. If you have a tendency toward anorexia, you may have elevated cortisol levels, a stress hormone. When dealing with anorexia, you might obsess over perfection, control, or masking feelings of insecurity. This obsession can lead to significant stress. To manage stress, set aside time to relax daily.
- Pamper yourself. Treat yourself to a manicure, enjoy a massage, or have a spa evening at home.
- Try yoga or meditation. Both activities have been proven to reduce stress.
Change your mindset
Understand that "feeling fat" is not an emotion. When you feel “fat,” you might actually be dealing with another emotion that you associate with feeling overweight. That is the emotion you need to address.
- Next time you feel “fat” without a valid reason, pause and reflect. How are you feeling? What situation triggered this negative emotion? Who were you with? Write down as many answers as possible to identify patterns.
- For example, you might notice this feeling arises when you're around a specific person or after a bad day. Use this insight to change your environment and see if it improves your self-perception.
Remember that no diet can help you control your emotions. Anorexia isn’t just about extreme dieting. It’s an attempt to cope with a larger issue. Following such a diet might make you feel in control, giving you a sense of accomplishment. However, any satisfaction gained from restricting food is merely masking a deeper problem.
- Find healthier ways to regain control. For example, reduce stressful activities or tasks, manage your time more effectively, and seek help when needed.
- Focus on creating joy. Engage in activities that bring happiness, like pursuing hobbies or spending time with friends.
- Look in the mirror daily and compliment yourself. For instance, say something like, “My hair looks great today.”
Challenge negative thoughts. Make it a habit to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Whenever you catch yourself thinking negatively about yourself, try to reframe it positively. For example, if you’re criticizing your appearance, think of something you’re grateful for, like being alive, having a home, or being loved by friends and family.
- You can also create a list of your positive qualities. Include as many as possible, such as talents, skills, achievements, and unique interests.
Think realistically about the effects of anorexia on your body. Another way to combat the desire to become anorexic is to consider what happens to those who suffer from it. The mortality rate for people with anorexia is 5%-20%. If you become severely underweight, you may:
- develop osteoporosis (brittle and fragile bones)
- risk heart failure due to the damage anorexia causes to the heart
- risk kidney failure from dehydration
- experience fainting, exhaustion, and weakness
- lose hair
- have dry skin and hair
- grow extra body hair (to retain warmth)
- develop bruises all over your body
Seek help
Seek help, regardless of your symptoms. Anorexia manifests differently in each person. You might restrict calorie intake, engage in binge-purge cycles, or both. No matter the type of anorexia you’re dealing with, you need professional assistance.
- Even if you only find the idea of anorexia appealing, seek help immediately. Doctors, psychologists, or even educators can talk to you and help you overcome these thoughts. Anorexia is unhealthy and dangerous.
- If you’re already struggling with anorexia, consider hospitalization or therapy. Professional help is essential for recovery.
Talk to someone you trust. You might want to keep your anorexic thoughts or behaviors a secret, but confiding in a close friend or family member is crucial. Ideally, speak with someone older who has a healthy body image and doesn’t diet excessively. An outside perspective can be incredibly impactful.
- Discussing your concerns about weight and body image with someone you trust can help you recalibrate your expectations for a healthy body and weight. This can reduce feelings of isolation and strengthen your resolve to fight anorexia.
Consult a healthcare professional about your concerns. Talk to a doctor or nurse about your weight and body image. Let them know you’re struggling with the urge to restrict food and lose weight so they can provide advice and support.
- Choose a doctor committed to helping you prevent or combat anorexia. If your first attempt doesn’t work, keep looking for a professional who is enthusiastic and capable of developing a treatment plan.
- In some cases, nutritionists are excellent resources and may spend more time discussing your progress than a general practitioner.
- Stick to your treatment plan, monitor your progress, and communicate with your doctor about any setbacks you encounter.
Ask about therapies to avoid behaviors leading to anorexia. If you’ve started habits that could lead to anorexia, you may need vitamin and mineral supplements or intravenous nutrition. Discuss with your doctor about psychological therapy, support groups, physical exercises, anxiety management strategies, and appropriate diets.
- Mental health professionals can also assist. They not only help you cope in the present but also address the root causes of your urges. They may also prescribe medication if needed.
- Talk to your doctor about a healthy weight range for your age, gender, and height. While everyone is unique, your doctor can provide realistic and healthy weight recommendations tailored to you.
Create a structured plan to prevent anorexia and build a healthier body image. Your doctor or psychologist can help with this. Consider exploring art, journaling, yoga, meditation, nature photography, volunteering, or other daily activities to reduce food or weight obsessions and focus on overall well-being.
- Choose a “mantra” to reinforce a positive body image and realistic expectations based on your body type. Write it in your journal and recite it every morning. For example, “Food nourishes my body and keeps me healthy.”
- Stick to a meal plan. Promise yourself (and your doctor) to eat three healthy meals daily. Failing to do so will disappoint both you and your doctor. Reward yourself for eating properly. Eat with someone and engage in conversation during meals to distract yourself and reduce anxiety.
- Track your progress and seek regular support or feedback. Record successes in learning new things, trying new activities, overcoming negative self-perceptions, and appreciating healthy body images.
Call an eating disorder hotline. If you can’t access a healthcare professional or prefer to talk over the phone first, contact a national hotline. If you’re in the U.S., here are some helpful numbers:
- KidsHealth for Parents, Children, and Teens: www.kidshealth.org or (+1) (904) 697-4100
- Mental Health America: www.mentalhealthamerica.net or 1-800-969-6642
- National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders: www.anad.org or (+1) (630) 577-1330
- National Eating Disorders Association: www.nationaleatingdisorders.org or 1-800-931-2237
- Beat - Beating Eating Disorders: www.b-eat.co.uk or 0845 634 1414
Advice
- Learning to set realistic body size expectations and creating a balanced, healthy eating plan is essential to prevent anorexia and maintain a positive lifestyle.
- Other consequences of anorexia include fatigue, mood swings, depression, and infertility. Infertility can last for a year or become permanent. This condition can also prevent you from enjoying activities you love, like sports or traveling. Talk to someone you trust. The voice in your head is deceiving you, and you need to silence those harmful thoughts. Remember, body size doesn’t define you, and people love you for who you are, not your appearance.
Warning
- If you notice a friend or family member showing signs of anorexia or another eating disorder, encourage them to seek a health professional's evaluation as soon as possible.
- Anorexia nervosa can be life-threatening. If you frequently restrict calorie intake or exercise excessively, or if you set unrealistic standards for your body size, you may need professional health assistance to manage this condition.
