" Anorexia is sometimes called a "life style." I call it a "death style." It's a slow way to kill yourself. In the process you might lose weight, you might think you look better, but probably not. Anorexia is not a bad habit and it can never be cured, only possibly controlled. Anorexia may make girls and some guys lose weight but sometimes it kills. A person that turns to anorexia usually is trying to control some aspect in their life, and sometimes the easiest aspect to control is their appearance. Anorexia is more common among women then men and I'll mostly be referring to women and girls throughout this article.

Many do not understand the effects of anorexia. Many are misled when they find websites or other girls who say anorexia is a way of life. Some people don't realize or take seriously how an eating disorder can effect their body. There are short term effects but there are also long term effects, some which a person would have to live with for the rest of their life. And sometimes the ultimate effect is death. They may not have to live with that but family, friends and other loved ones will.

So many girls hate their bodies. They think they are too tall, too short, too heavy, too curvy, too muscular, and that if they don't look like the airbrushed models in magazines or like the actors on TV and in the movies then they are ugly. Some girls feel no guy will ever like them, and they will never succeed in life or even be happy in general if they don't get down to their "goal weight." or they don't look thinner.

Anorexia is not just a physical disorder but it also affects the mind. It doesn't mean a person is crazy but no matter how much weight is lost, a person with anorexia is not happy with themselves. Even when someone becomes deathly thin and they look like skin and bones to everyone else, they themselves may only see fat in the mirror. It's a frustrating disorder. And, also very frustrating for those who want to help.

Anorexia seems to be more common during the teen years but that is when it is just beginning sometimes. Many women continue to suffer throughout their lives. They may not be dead yet but they have done some damage to the body. A famous singer, named Karen Carpenter died from heart failure, at the age of 32, which was brought on by having anorexia and damaging her body for so long.

Anorexia has a lot of short term symptoms. Symptoms are mental as well as physical.

Physical symptoms include:

*Stunted growth

*Halting of puberty

*Menstrual cycle stops

*Dry brittle hair

*Dry skin

*Hair loss

*A fine hair grows all over the body in attempts to keep itself warm when there isn't enough fat to do so

*Sensitivity to cold

*Joint pain

*Sleep disturbances

*Weakness

*Difficulty walking & sitting

*fatigue

Mental symptoms include:

*Depression

*Anxiety

*Obsession with food/Fear of Food

*May eat alone more and more

*Feeling irritable

*Isolation

*compulsive behavior

*fighting with family

*Low self-esteem

*Apathy

*Diminished Capacity to think

*Mood swings

There are long term effects, such as women not being able to have children someday, the heart and other organs are weakened and there may be life long aches and pains and illnesses.

The body works hard and needs fat and nutrients to survive. The body is like a car. It needs fuel and oil, which translates as food, (a healthy diet) and water and vitamins, to run smoothly. The body needs fat to protect itself, keep itself warm, to protect a baby inside the mom's stomach. It protects joints and gives the body energy. Makes it less painful to run around, or sit. and as people who suffer from anorexia get worse and worse, thinner and thinner, it may be hard to live a normal life.

Anorexia can kill you. It can bring on devastating consequences. It might make you thinner but your quality of life will not be good. Think twice about adopting this type of "life-style." It might shorten your chance to live any life at all.

Okey dokey there yeah go fox DONT DO DRUGS! jk. But anorexia is not a good thing dont b anorexic!

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