If you have ever wondered, “Am I anorexic?”, it is entirely possible that you may have an eating disorder. It is extremely difficult for someone with anorexia to actually recognize that they have this disease. Anorexia distorts the way your mind sees your body and the world around you, so it is easy to ignore the signs of anorexia. Taking an anorexia screening test can help you figure out if you might have a problem.
What Is Anorexia?
Anorexia nervosa is a mental health disorder that revolves around wanting to keep a low weight through a diet or excessive exercise. “Am I anorexic?” is only one of the things someone may want to find out about this disease. If it turns out that you do have anorexia, the next step is to find a treatment center for it.
This mental health disorder involves restricting calories until your weight is lower than a healthy, normal weight. Someone with anorexia may have a persistent fear that they will become overweight. Often, the individual will have a distorted self-image and an inability to understand that their current weight is too low. While this may seem unbelievable to outsiders, it makes sense within the mind of the individual experiencing it.
Am I Anorexic?
Answering the question, “Am I anorexic?”, is not easy to do. Self-diagnosis is extremely difficult because distorted thinking is a part of this condition. Even if the individual thinks that they might need help, they may avoid going to an anorexia treatment center because of fears that staff members will make them gain weight. An individual with anorexia possesses a pathological fear of being overweight, so getting treatment feeds into their fear.
Other than extreme weight loss, there are other signs of anorexia. Over time, a lack of food causes physical changes to the body. The individual may suffer from fainting, fatigue, blueish fingers, constipation, and thinning hair. They may even develop irregular heart rhythms or an abnormal blood count.
This condition can lead to cold intolerance, dry skin and low blood pressure. The individual may withdraw from social relationships as they become more preoccupied by food. They may seem irritable, depressed or emotionless. In terms of behavior, the individual may count calories, deny hunger, exercise excessively or fast frequently.
Getting Treatment for an Eating Disorder
The hardest part about anorexia is realizing that help is necessary. If the individual can figure out that they need help, the right treatment center can support their recovery process. Through therapy, a nutritional assessment, and other techniques, clients can begin healing.
At a treatment center, clients can enjoy options such as:
- Dual diagnosis care
- Trauma-informed treatment
- Gender-specific programs
- Individual, group and family therapy
If you have ever asked yourself, “Am I anorexic?”, then you probably need to get professional treatment. Through Red Oak Recovery, you can take the first step in overcoming your eating disorder. Discover more information about our eating disorder programs by calling us today at 828.382.9699.
