How many times do you hear someone say, "Hey look at that girl, she must be anorexic." Some people would love to be called anorexic and sometimes it seems as if that word is a compliment. However, anorexia is a disease that can be life threatening, and a person suffering from this illness should get help right away. This article is going to explain what anorexia is, signs and symptoms of anorexia, and treatment options available to those suffering from it.

Anorexia is an eating disorder where people simply starve themselves. It usually begins at the beginning of puberty but can happen at an time during one`s lifetime. Poeple who are suffering from anorexia are very skinny people but feel that they are overweight. Anorexics also have an intense fear of becoming fat and their dieting habits usually develop this fear. Anorexia mostly affects girls where thinness is a priority. Activities such as dance, theater, and long distance running are the most liable to make a person feel the need to be thin.

Some of the signs and symtoms of are anorexia are:

* Denial of the feeling of hunger
 * Avoidance of social gatherings where food is involved
 * Excessive focus on an exercise regimen
 * Fear of gaining weight or of being fat
 * Obsession with dieting and weight loss
 * Refusal to maintain the minimal normal body weight for one