Health Articles > Conditions-and-diseases > If You Have a Friend with Anorexia Nervosa

It can be very difficult to discover that your friend has anorexia nervosa. It is often tricky to know how to react and what is the best way to approach the subject with them. But it is essential, especially for the newly diagnosed sufferer, that they should have the support and care of their friends so they do not feel alone. If you have no experience of conditions such as anorexia nervosa, hearing your friend recount how it affects them and how they feel about it can be very difficult and unsettling. But your help and support can be very beneficial to them in their fight against the disease. Often if someone has anorexia nervosa and has recently been you diagnosed, it can be very confusing for them. Although they will have realized that they are being careful and as they see it sensible, about their eating, it can come as a great shock when the diagnosis of anorexia nervosa is made. Even if they accept their anorexia nervosa, it does not always help. They can, if told that they will die if they carry on, just accept this and believe that it does not matter what they do as this is going to happen anyway and as such they might as well carry on with their "normal" way of doing things. Its important to realise this illness really does take control of your life which is wy its virtually imposible for somone that has it to get thrugh it themselves. It is essential that you do not reject them when you find out that they are ill. They need all the help and support that they can get, if they are going to beat the anorexia nervosa and get themselves back to a good state of health. People with anorexia nervosa can be very unreasonable some of the time and can say very hurtful things. Although this can be very difficult to cope with, it is worth bearing in mind that this is very often the disease talking. It is a good idea to see it in the perspective of your past friendship and realize that the person that you have had a long relationship with, has not suddenly taken a dislike to you and that they are being affected by their illness. The best way that you can help them, is to remain their friend and give them all the support that you can.