They:
- Think about food a lot and limit the food they eat.
- Think they are fat even when they are very thin.
- May talk about weight and food all the time.
- May not eat in front of others.
- May not want to go out with friends.
- Are mostly female, but it may also be seen in males.
- Have a low body weight for their height and resist keeping a normal body weight.
- May wear baggy clothes.
- May use extreme dieting, excessive exercise, or other methods to lose weight:
- Throw up.
- Take pills to urinate or have a bowel movement.
- Take diet pills.
- Weigh food and count calories.
- Eat very small amounts of only certain foods.
Anorexia is more than just a problem with food. It's a way of using food or starving oneself to feel more in control of life and to ease tension, anger, and anxiety.
People with anorexia may also have other psychiatric and physical illnesses, including:
- Depression.
- Anxiety.
- Obsessive behavior.
- Substance abuse.
- Issues with the heart and/or brain.
- Problems with physical development.