Anorexia is no affectation but a disease

ANOREXIA IS NO AFFECTATION BUT A DISEASE

What is anorexia?
Let me first explain to you what anorexia is. Anorexia is an eating disorder. Someone who has this disease has a transformed image of their body, a big fear to become fat and doesn’t try to get a normal body weight.

Arguments in favour
People with anorexia can’t live normal anymore. They have a big fear to get fat. Patients who have anorexia can’t pick themselves up again. They need assistance, especially from friends and family members.
The fact that there are reception centers proves that anorexia isn’t just some affectation, but a real disease. Because if this all would be affectation, those centers wouldn’t be there.
For parents with children who have anorexia, there are certain institutes where they can get more information about the disease and they tell them what’s the best thing to do.
It is clear that anorexia is a mentally illness, therefore they should have help.
People with anorexia are afraid for things that aren’t real. For an example, they are afraid to get fat, even if they already are extremely underweight. Actually, they don’t have to be afraid, because they first have to learn to eat normally, before they can put on weight.
People with anorexia also aren’t aware of the fact that they are doing something wrong. They can’t understand that they are underweight, while this is already clear for the people around them.
There has been a lot of research done about anorexia. Those investigations made clear that there is a connexion between anorexia and a shortage of zinc.

Arguments against
The argument that people who think anorexia is affectation use in most cases, is that it’s the patients own fault. They have chosen to lose weight, and they could have known the consequences, and they should accept them. But this is no good argument, because anorexia patients don’t choose for the consequences.
They think that they are fat, so they are going to lose weight, however, after a while they have no control about this anymore.
It could also be that people think that people who have anorexia, only do this because they want to get attention. But nobody wants to have anorexia voluntary, right?
Some people are of the opinion that anorexia isn’t a disease because it’s a mental illness and that you can get rid of the disease by yourself easily.
People can also use the argument that anorexia is a mentally illness first, and that it’s going to be a disease later on. I am of the opinion that Anorexia is a disease, not partly, but totally, because it’s very hard for the anorexia patients to eat normally again.

- Opvangcentra’s (Reception centers)
Mental Help Net: www.mentalhelp.net
www.caringonline.com
www.remudaranch.com
Anorexia Nervosa and related Eating Disorders: www.anred.com

- Kenmerken Anorexia (Anorexia Symptomps)
- Refusal to maintain body weight
- Fear of gaining weight
- Talking about \"feeling fat\"
- Difficulty with eating full meals
- An obsessive preoccupation with body size
- Over-exercising
- Personality change from outgoing to withdrawn
- Hoarding, concealing or throwing away food
- Menstrual difficulties