Food Insecurity: An Era of Anorexic Obsession

Anorexia Nervosa is a disease derived from an extreme fear of gaining weight and a body image disorder. Anorexic people usually preserve a low body weight due to an intensely restrictive diet and outrageous exercise. They usually possess unnatural eating behaviors and are ignorant about their hunger. Craving is a word unknown to these individuals. Studies show anorexia and stress go hand in hand, and hence, anorexic patients feel that they have command over their lives if they control their tongue. The percentage of anorexic patients is higher in women, specifically those in their teens.

Anorexia is further divided into two types: Restrictor Type and Bullimic. 

In the restrictor type of anorexia, people restrict the amount of their food intake, predominantly consume protein and avoid carbs and fats. 

Individuals with bulimia eat in large portions at frequent intervals and prefer binge eating, which is followed by throwing up the consumed item. If not, they use laxatives or other types of drugs to clear the food from their bodies. Some sports require athletes to be extremely thin or force them to be anorexic. Anorexia Athletica includes modeling, cheerleading, rowing, ballet, gymnastics, and so on. 

Anorexia isn't a lifestyle; it's a serious mental illness. The diagnosed individual believes that he or she is in better control of their life if they adopt these habits, but instead, the disease controls them in a dominant way. The major chunk of the daily routine of such individuals is spent thinking about it. Studies have shown that extreme anorexic patients visualize it in their dreams too. Anorexic patients usually do not show their problems to others out of fear of getting disapproved by society. Anorexia is directly connected with emotional health, which can be treated through professional therapy. Early treatment of the disease is also effective for patients. These treatments aid in reshaping the eating habits of an individual. Nervousness and depression can be treated by taking relevant anti-depressants. We must reach out to individuals around us who are anorexic. We might not be able to directly change their eating habits, but our empathy can prompt them to seek immediate treatment.