Amenorrhea
Amenorrhea is the term used to describe missing one or more periods when it should occur. There are two types of amenorrhea: primary (not getting your first period after turning 15) and secondary (not getting a period for more than three months). Causes of primary amenorrhea include missing/underdeveloped reproductive organs and hormonal imbalances. Secondary amenorrhea, while it can also occur due to hormonal imbalances, can arise from stress or birth control.
Natural amenorrhea is a kind of secondary amenorrhea that can occur without any medical issues being present. Some causes of natural amenorrhea include pregnancy, breastfeeding, or menopause. Birth control pills are also a common reason why someone would either miss their period or stop having them altogether. Other medications, including antidepressants and allergy medicine, can have a similar effect on menstrual cycles.
Androphobia
Androphobia is the extreme fear of men, so much so that it becomes disruptive to daily life. The term is a combination of the Greek word “andros” meaning man, and “phobia” meaning fear. Androphobia is often rooted in traumatic experiences involving men, including child abuse or sexual assault. Exposure to these experiences early in one’s childhood can cause androphobia to develop and persist into adulthood, often alongside PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). Symptoms of androphobia include intense fear or discomfort around or when viewing media containing men.
Androphobia is by no means a new term; the word has seen usage dating back all the way to the late 1800s. However, the term has gained relevance in recent years due to the rise of the Me Too movement, with women sharing their traumatic experiences involving sexual abuse at the hands of men. Over time, androphobia gained recognition as a common effect of the types of sexual crimes endured by the women of the Me Too movement.
Anhedonia
Anhedonia is inability to feel pleasure or joy. It is often a symptom of mental disorders like depression or bipolar disorder. There are two types of anhedonia: social anhedonia, a disinterest in being around other people, and physical anhedonia, a reduction in the ability to feel pleasure from one’s senses. People experiencing anhedonia often find difficulty enjoying acts that they previously derived pleasure from.
Some symptoms of anhedonia include self-isolation from established relationships, loss of interest in sexual relations, and an inability to express emotions.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder which causes those with it to limit their caloric intake to an extreme degree out of fear of gaining weight. The disorder tends to develop during puberty, as people become more self-conscious about their changing bodies. Anorexia is more common in young women and girls than it is in men. People with anorexia may not see or may minimize the damage their eating habits are doing to their bodies. Anorexia can be life-threatening, which makes it paramount to seek treatment.
There are two types of anorexia nervosa: restrictive and binge-purge. Restrictive anorexia is characterized by extreme calorie intake reduction for the sake of weight loss, which often leads to extreme fatigue, dizziness and fainting. Binge-purge anorexia is similar; there is often caloric restriction, but also fits of binge-eating followed by purging (intentional vomiting/laxative usage) to maintain weight loss. Both types of anorexia can be treated using therapy and medication.