Specific Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa:
A person who suffers from this disorder is typically characterized by their refusal to maintain a body weight which is consistent with their build, age and height. Specifically, a person's body weight needs to be 85% or less than that which is considered typical for someone of similar build, age and height.
The individual usually experiences an intense and overwhelming fear of gaining weight or becoming fat. This fear is regardless of the person's actual weight, and will often continue even when the person is near death from starvation. It is related to a person's poor self-image, which is also a symptom of this disorder. The individual suffering from this disorder believes that their body weight, shape and size is directly related to how good they feel about themselves and their worth as a human being. Persons with this disorder often deny the seriousness of their condition and cannot objectively evaluate their own weight.
At least three consecutive menstrual cycles must be missed, if the woman was menstruating previously before the onset of the disorder. Specifically, a woman is considered to have amenorrhea if her periods occur only following hormone, e.g., estrogen, administration.
There are two types of anorexia nervosa:
• Restricting type -- The person restricts their food intake on their own and does not engage in binge-eating or purging behavior.
• Binge eating/purging type -- The person self-induces vomiting or misuses laxatives, diuretics, or enemas.