A person suffering from ANOREXIA NERVOSA often experiences a strong fear of gaining weight which leads to a refusal to maintain a healthy body weight or adequate nutritional status. Anorexia nervosa is typically associated with an erroneous complaint of being fat; weight loss up to 85% of ideal body weight (IBW); disturbance of body image; and in post-menarcheal females, the absence of at least three consecutive menstrual periods. An individual suffering from anorexia follows extreme steps to maintain a low body weight. He or she may try to lose weight by excessive exercise, or by using laxatives and vomiting as measure to get rid of the food from the body. It is considered one of the deadliest psychiatric disorders. In the absence of effective treatment, around 20%, of the people with anorexia die.
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