Some Anorexics start out chubby, and then, responding to the pressure to be thin, start restrictive dieting. When friends admire their weight loss, they continue to starve themselves and lose weight. This restriction stops physical development and the anorectic is able to avoid maturation. Women who suffer from Anorexia are frequently described as bright, capable and high achieving. Parents often have to encourage or even force an anorectic adolescent into treatment, which usually includes hospitalization and counseling.
Many people eat in response to emotional rather than physical hunger.
They may eat to attempt to fill this emptiness. These are foods that we associate with childhood or other times when we felt emotionally safe and fulfilled. They may be foods that were given by caretakers as rewards or pacifiers. Weight management becomes difficult for the compulsive overeater. This can cause the person to resort to drastic diets or purging methods to compensate for the excessive food intake.