How anorexia impacts the body
While my goal for this website was to educate others on the mental processes behind anorexia, I also wanted to touch on the physical effects of anorexia.
Anorexia has the highest mortality rate, or rate of death in a certain population, for any psychiatric illness (Archives Of General Psychiatry). This is influenced by both a high rate of suicide (20% in anorexia patients, compared to 0.014% in the general population) and a high rate of physical complications. While other mental illnesses could also be associated with above-average rates of suicide, anorexia (and other eating disorders) can physically kill you by impacting your bodily functions.
The impact anorexia can have on one's heart can be the most fatal effect of anorexia. Around half of all anorexia-related deaths are due to sudden cardiac deaths (McCallum Eating Disorder Centers), and the lack of sufficient food and fluid can dehydrate the body, decrease blood pressure, and therefore reduce the ability of blood to circulate around the body (Walden Behavioral Care for Eating Disorders).
When I was dealing with anorexia, I constantly felt weak. Sometimes after I worked out, I would have to sit down because I felt like I would faint if I stood up. I became anemic and was constantly cold, my hair began to fall out a little bit, and I lost my period for over a year.
Below I have included more potential effects anorexia can have on one's body. This image is provided by Eating Disorders Victoria, but it is not an exhaustive list of ways anorexia can impact the body.
