Diagnosis Diagnosis of anorexia nervosa is complicated by a number of factors. One is that the disorder varies somewhat in severity from patient to patient. A second factor is denial, which is regarded as an early sign of the disorder. Most anorexics deny that they are ill and are usually brought to treatment by a family member. Most anorexics are diagnosed by pediatricians or family practitioners.
Anorexics develop emaciated bodies, dry or yellowish skin, and abnormally low blood pressure.
The patient may feel chilly or have developed lanugo, a growth of downy body hair. The second step in diagnosis is measurement of the patient's weight loss. Persons with this condition sometimes vomit after meals because the blood supply to the intestine is blocked. The doctor will also need to distinguish between anorexia and other psychiatric disorders, including depression, schizophrenia, social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and body dysmorphic disorder. Therapy is often complicated by the patient's resistance or failure to carry out treatment plan.