KANNUR: Sreenanda, a first-year student at Pazhassi Raja NSS College, reportedly starved herself for months in pursuit of drastic weight loss. She was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, a severe disorder marked by an extreme fear of gaining weight.

Her condition deteriorated rapidly, and despite intensive treatment at Kozhikode Medical College and Thalassery Co-operative Hospital, she succumbed to organ failure on Saturday night.

“She survived on water for six months”

Dr. Nagesh Prabhu, who treated Sreenanda, revealed the severity of her condition.

“One of my colleagues had earlier advised her family to seek psychiatric help, but they underestimated the seriousness of the condition,” he said.
“Patients with anorexia eventually lose their sense of hunger. By the time she was hospitalized, her sodium and blood sugar levels had dropped beyond correction.”

Medical professionals are raising alarms over the rising cases of eating disorders in India, especially in Kerala, where social media-driven beauty standards are influencing young minds.

“Young people are highly impressionable. The pressure to conform to unrealistic body ideals can push them toward extreme measures,” a mental health expert emphasized.

Doctors stress that early intervention is key, with psychotherapy, medication, and nutritional counseling playing crucial roles in treatment. They urge parents, educators, and policymakers to raise awareness about the dangers of extreme dieting and social media fads.