Behavioral factors highlighted in Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is a basically a condition of extreme consciousness of one’s weight. Here the individual becomes extremely mindful of the body appearance, which causes them to start following rigid diet patterns. They almost stop eating or start exercising heavily to reduce fat. Some of the most common Behavioral factors highlighted in anorexia nervosa are discussed below:
Obsession with self - Anorexia nervosa begins with heavy obsession of self. The person begins to spend hours looking into the mirror and is constantly worried about the looks. They begin to lose focus everywhere else and find it tough to concentrate on any particular matter. The only thing they would think about and much rather discuss about is their own self and their body.
Lack of self esteem - These are the people who strongly believe that they are not good, and the reason for this according to them would be their overweighed bodies. They lack confidence and self esteem and this is reflected in a number of ways, such as their dressing style where they try to cover up their bodies and flaws, or their interaction with the people in the society especially the ones who are good looking and are especially slim, etc. They would be seen constantly reading magazines and articles on weight loss and may often talk about how they wish they were thin. These people often tend to blame their weight for their failed relationships and poor social standing. All in all they lack the feeling of self worth and most of this revolves around their appearance.
Desperate to attain perfection - These people are not satisfied with an ‘average weight’ or an’ average looking body’. Their aim is to look like the slimmest looking supermodel and they do not hesitate taking the most extreme steps to achieve perfection. It is important to remember that it isn’t only the overweight ones lacking self esteem who tend to develop this psychology. Many a times, even the good looking individuals can develop this tendency when they want to look nothing but the best.
Seeking approval - People suffering from anorexia nervosa would keep asking the people around them questions about self such as ‘do I look fat?’, ‘ do you think I have lost weight’, or ‘ do you think I am as fat as that girl?’ etc. They need to be constantly told that they look fine. However, an interesting feature is that regardless of how many times you give your approval to them saying that they are looking fine they would never be completely satisfied. They want you to tell them that they do not look fat, yet at the same time they do not have enough confidence to accept any appreciation. They tend to keep worrying about their weight and are never convinced enough to completely stop bothering.
Irritability and withdrawal - Another behavioral factor highlighted in anorexia nervosa is withdrawal and irritability. They do not feel peaceful anywhere and are constantly feeling irritated. Also they generally tend to prefer staying on their own so that they can continue thinking about their weight. This highlights obsession to the extreme level, which is quite a common feature among those who suffer from this condition.
Hatred toward food - These people often start having a genuine hatred towards food. They detest eating even those meals that had once been their favorites. The idea of having food makes them grumpy and it’s easy to see them making excuses for not eating. Also they tend to shirk further away from such foods more that are known to be high in calorie content. They would much rather starve themselves than have a proper meal. |