Anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by voluntary starvation and exercise stress. Anorexia nervosa is a complex disease, involving psychological, sociological and physiological components. A person who is suffering from anorexia is referred to as 'anorexic' or (less commonly) 'anorectic'. "Anorectic" is the noun form, where "anorexic" is the adjectival form. These two are often used incorrectly when applied. The term is frequently but incorrectly shortened to anorexia, which simply refers to the medical symptom of lost appetite.

Footnotes

• Having been a survivor of such abuse is not altogether rare among anorexia sufferers, and therefore the possibility should be taken into empathetic consideration.