is anorexia nervosa even a real illness? i don't belive it

i belive in eating disorders...but anorexia norvesa? i heard it's something nuns in monastarise used to get when they were shut out for too long with other sisters, something similar. now, it's this wide spread illness models get. it doesn't make sense. anyway...i don't trust these doctors. one of the symptoms for anorexia nervosa is "grey skin". why is that? it doesn't make sense. maybe it's just naturally grey skin or a vitamin deficiency and a vitamin D deficiency. thats what i think.

Maybe it is an "illness" the way compulsive hand-washing or lock-checking are "illnesses": not really an illness itself, but one behavioral manifestation of other psychological problems, such as control issues, OCD, self-esteem problems, anxiety, or some type of bodily dismorphic disorder.

It depends on how far you are into it. And that's the truth. After 6-8 months dealing with persistent starvation or very little food your thinking patterns will shift to being increasingly abnormal and obsessive to the point where it becomes a disorder that someone can no longer escape or control.

Anorexia has the same type of "grip" as drug addiction or alcoholism. It's only once a person really gets sucked in does it become a mental disease.

NEVER start a diet, it is like starting to smoke. The dieting cycle is damaging and contrary to what people say, anyone who starts one has the potential to develop anorexia even the most "seemingly unlikely" people.

I don't want to say that anorexia doesn't exsist of that it isn't a problem for the people who are dealing with it, but fact is that some seem to be able to give themselves anorexia. It's more like a hype or something - something you want or choose to have.

pinkrose33 wrote:
NEVER start a diet, it is like starting to smoke. The dieting cycle is damaging and contrary to what people say, anyone who starts one has the potential to develop anorexia even the most "seemingly unlikely" people.

So what do you suggest people do if they need to lose weight?

anorexia is an illness. period. it sucks you in, its like drugs, or self harm. some ppl want it because they want to be skinny, but they don't get how dangerous it is.
I "tried" to get anorexia as a young child...it worked. 8 years later i still can't let go of the thing that I "chose". what i wanted was skinny. what i got was messed up bones, messed up teeth, going from bmi 20 to 15 and back again repeatedly, heart problems ext

people "give themselves" anorexia like you "give yourself" a drug addiction. you start because it feels good and then you can't stop.

grey skin....if you've seen an anorexic, you will understand. its like all the light and health is gone and the skin is dull, lips chapped, eyes darkened....its not pretty

anorexia is like dieting as much as alcoholism is like drinking a glass of champagne at a birthday party every few months. dieting can lead to anorexia but plenty of people can diet normally without becoming anorexic. but add dieting to a genetic predisposition, or a huge stressor, and it happens.

There are many diagnosis out there today that I don't believe are real illnesses, but anorexia nervosa isn't one of them. If it can control you and kill you, it's probably an illness.