Self-image: Anorexia Nervosa Anorexia nervosa is a potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by a lack of self-esteem, an intense fear of becoming obese, and self-induced hunger due to a distorted body image (Durham, 1991). Anorexia can occur later in life, but is most common in girls between the ages of fourteen and eighteen. According to the Center for Change, recent estimates suggest that 1 percent of Americans in this age range will develop anorexia to some degree, and 10 to 20 percent will eventually die from related complications. I experienced this worsening of the disease from a witness's perspective. visualization. After making a pact with my friends to get physically fit for the summer, the four of us exercised and dieted every day for almost four months. I never thought this effort to get healthy (or just look good in our bikinis) would have such disastrous consequences. While everyone was finishing this exhaustive diet plan, one of my friends became obsessed with her body image and, unbeknownst to us, gradually developed the eating disorder anorexia nervosa. She went unnoticed for several months because she masterfully disguised her eating habits by consuming large quantities of fruits, vegetables and salads in our presence while secretly fasting at home. Furthermore, despite his attitude towards food, he took an avid interest in purchasing and preparing food for us. Looking back, I think we were all anorexic to some degree. Personally, I was 16 years old, five feet seven inches tall and weighed only 45 kilos. If I had lost a few more pounds, I would have been 25% below my normal body weight, which would be enough to even diagnose me with anorexia nervosa (Shaw, 2002). Most people who suffer from anorexia begin, when they do, with an innocent diet that gradually progresses to extreme, unhealthy weight loss (Shaw, 2002). Unlike normal dieters who stop when a desired weight is reached, people who become anorexic attribute positive feelings to their ability to control their weight and worry dangerously about food and fear weight gain. Research suggests that a strict diet may play a key role in triggering eating disorders. Adolescent and young adult women are more vulnerable to these disorders because of their tendency to follow strict diets to achieve an "ideal" figure (Lehrman, 1987). Although the cause of anorexia nervosa is not known, several studies suggest that social attitudes toward body appearance, family influences, genetics, and developmental factors are possible contributors to anorexia (Selzman, 1999).