What are the Signs of Anorexia Nervosa (AN)?
- Skipping meals, denying hunger or making excuses not to eat
- Extreme weight loss
- Leaving to use the bathroom right after meals or staying in the bathroom for long periods of time
- Exercising when it seems unsafe to do so
- Dressing in layers to hide the body and/or keep warm
- Calling themselves fat despite losing weight or being underweight
- Special eating or mealtime rituals (such as excessively chewing food or eating foods in a certain order)
- Fixation with calories or the fat content of food
- Social isolation or withdrawal
In severe (very bad) cases, a person can develop malnutrition (poor health because of a lack of calories or nutrients). Signs of malnutrition include:
- Insomnia (trouble sleeping)
- Fatigue (extreme tiredness), dizziness or fainting
- Stomach cramps or other abdominal (belly area) pain
- Hair loss or thinning of hair
- Osteoporosis (weakening of the bones)
- In women and girls, loss of a menstrual period (also called amenorrhea) or delayed period (if they have not started it yet)
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