Withering Away

Imagine not wanting to eat. Actually imagine being disgusted by food. Something inside of you is scared and repulsed by even the sight of food. Yet, despite your awkward feelings and your slender appearance you see no sense that all is normal, until one day you feel faint and lethargic. Could it be that you are an anorexic?

What is Anorexia and What Causes it?

Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder in which the person (90% are females) experience a fear of gaining weight. This fear leads the sufferer to refuse food, over take diet pills and abuse laxatives. This behavior of course leads the one suffering from anorexia to experience heightened weight loss, nutritional depletion, and many other complications and in some cases death.

There has been much debate in the medical and psychological communities about the exact cause or causes of anorexia. There are generally five agreed upon causes, genetics, neurobiological, nutritional, psychological, and social/environmental. Of course each sufferer has a unique set of circumstances and one anorexic's reasons may not be another's. Those that have a genetic disposition to anorexia make up around 50% of the cases. This of course is not the only reason these people fall into having an anorexic disorder, rather having a genetic disposition means just that-a potential.

Those that support neurobiological causes for anorexia insist that a disruption in neurotransmitters causes a change in brain functioning, creating the environment for anorexia to surface. Of course a neurobiological cause can be tied to a genetic predisposition, as new studies indicate is the case for alcohol addiction.

Those that believe nutrition plays a direct role see that nutrition and more specifically a deficiency in zinc has been shown to cause a decrease in appetite. Given this theory one would expect that a direct infusion of zinc should be able to reverse the anorexia. This of course doesn't work on its own and it seems that nutritional deficiencies are part of a larger array of complications having to do with anorexia. Psychological factors seem to have more of a direct impact on the potential anorexic. Depression, isolation, and low self esteem are all factors in building a corridor to full blown anorexia.

Perhaps the cause, which generates the most energy is the social factors cause. Many people believe that anorexics suffer as they do because of increased pressure from social circles, especially media and entertainment outlets "to look thin." This view represents the other other axis in the swirling debate involving the "right cause" for anorexia. Those that believe genetics is the primary cause see social influence at the most as a catalyst, while those that see social influence encouraging women to exhibit anorexic behavior, believe the genetic argument is rather less convincing.

The ever increasing focus on the "body" especially the slender physique of many female athletes and entertainers seems to have an influence on the desire of ordinary women to do the same. Although not scientifically proven, the outcome of increased cases of anorexia along side more interest in a slender figure in culture and society appear to go hand in hand. Despite the obvious social pressures to slim down, those that develop anorexia seem to have a variety of issues that destabilize their psyche helping them to progress towards anorexia.