Anorexia: the dangerous pursuit of perfection

Anorexia is a serious mental disorder characterized by a refusal to eat and a compulsive desire for extreme thinness. Sufferers experience a panicked fear of weight gain, often distorting their perception of their body and weight. In addition, depression is among the symptoms of anorexia, memory and intellectual abilities are impaired, and energy levels drop.

The causes of anorexia nervosa can be varied and are not always unambiguous. Some scientists believe it is due to individual personality traits such as narcissism or moodiness, while others see it as a desire to conform to a beauty ideal imposed by society. In rare cases, anorexia can be triggered by traumatic events or hurtful words.

Treatment for anorexia is often a difficult and lengthy process, and is far from always successful. One of the most acceptable outcomes is considered to be the achievement of stable remission, when the symptoms of the disease do not appear for a long period of time.

Anorexia is manifested by a number of characteristic signs, including partial or complete refusal to eat, delusional beliefs about one's own fullness, excessive physical activity without feeling tired, as well as loss of interest in life and helplessness over one's condition.

Historical evidence suggests a long history of anorexia as a psychiatric disorder. From the first mentions of voluntary food refusal in ancient texts to modern research, the disorder continues to be the subject of considerable scholarly and public attention.

In recent decades, there has been an increase in the incidence of anorexia, which is likely due to the cult of the body permeating modern society. This became especially evident during the period of thinness fashion in the late 1960s, when the pursuit of the perfect figure became an obsession for many women.