Anorexia Nervosa is a severe and can be a fatal disease. The health effects of Anorexia Nervosa are extremely dangerous. Anorexia Nervosa can be difficult to identify at first, due to the fact that it may be seen as fad diet, or fluctuation in weight, or just a decrease in appetite. You don't have to be severely underweight to have anorexia nervosa, but having this disease will eventually lead you o to an unhealthy weight. Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by excessive restriction of calorie intake, intense fear of gaining weight, self-esteem issues relating to weight, and inability to recognize the severity of the situation. The warning signs of Anorexia Nrvosa are excessive weight loss, consistently bringing up that one is "fat", an anxiety over food, refusing to eat certain foods, finding a way out of eating meals, making up dietary restrictions and avoiding certain foods, a withdrawal from friends, and exercising despite health/weather/or injuries. Anorexia can lead to an abnormally slow heart rate, dehydration that can lead to kidney failure, osteoporosis, lanugo, muscle loss and weakness, and then brittle nails and hair.

Although anorexia is much more common in women and girls - men can also suffer from it. Approximately 90 to 95% of Anorexia cases are females. Approximately .5 to 1% of American women suffer from Anorexia. In 5 to 20% of cases of Anorexia the sufferer will die. This risk is higher depending on the length of the disease. Anorexia is a most deadly mental health condition, and usually appears when one is in early or mid adolescence, and can last for life. Treatment for Anorexia typically involves being sent to a rehabilitation center when the issue become so severe that the sufferer can no longer control the disease. When out of treatment, it can be hard to find a therapist specializing in eating disorders, especially if one is a minor.

Finding the right counselor can be very difficult, especially finding one that specializes in anorexia and knows how to treat the issue correctly. If one lives in an area that isn't very populated, or a rural area, or even if one just lives a lifestyle in which it is difficult to get out of the house or find time to drive out to a therapists office, it maybe easier to find help through the Internet with video counseling, or text chat. This can help lead to the correct diagnosis, medication changes, and consistent meetings, despite ones schedule.

If you are looking for help with your eating disorder, your child's eating disorder, or your friend or family member's eating disorder, go to letstalkcounseling.com (just click on the upper right hand side of this screen where it says "Sign Up").  If it is an emergency situation contact 911 immediately, especially if the person is complaining of chest pain, pain in the lower back region in kidney regions, or extreme fatigue, headaches, or just stress on the body.