Anorexia anxiety
Question
I've got a friend who managed to lose lots of weight really quickly but is being anorexic good for you?
Answer
Anorexia is an eating disorder. When someone is anorexic they starve themselves, which is very dangerous to the body and can cause damage to vital organs. In fact, any quick weight loss is a bad idea, and there are many risks involved.
Someone with an eating disorder may have a distorted image of their body and their weight. They may also have underlying emotional problems and use food to make them feel they are in control of a difficult part of their life. Sometimes people with eating disorders also try to hide it, so support from a friend can really help.
There is treatment available for eating disorders like anorexia, it usually includes a combination of controlled diet and counselling to help address the psychological or emotional problems the person is experiencing.
If you think someone you know is anorexic, you might want to try to encourage them to get help and offer them support. Their local doctor (GP) might be a good place to start, or The Eating Disorders Association (EDA) can give you more information on anorexia and how to get help. If you are under 18 you can contact them on 0845 634 7650 or email them at talkback@edauk.com. If you are over 18 you can contact them on 0845 634 1414 or email them on helpmail@edauk.com.
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