Struggling with eating disorders?
An eating disorder is to eat, or avoid eating, in a manner which negatively affects both one's physical and mental health. It is an expression of weight issues experienced by both men and women. It is a serious condition that causes both physical and emotional damage.
Eating disorders can occur at any time in a person's life. They often appear during adolescence or young adulthood. Teenagers are at great risk as they face extra pressure to fit in and look attractive at a time when their bodies are changing. However, there are some cases of eating disorders being reported in children as young as nine years old.
Symptoms of Eating Disorders
- Anorexia Nervosa- This means lack of appetite. It is an eating disorder determined by low body weight and body image distortion. It is an obsessive fear of gaining weight. This type of disorder mostly affects young females. People with this disorder control their body weight by starving themselves.
- Bulimia Nervosa- A person with bulimia eats a lot of food in a short period of time, and then deliberately rids his/ her body of this food. A person who is suffering with bulimia is always worried about gaining weight after eating. This type of eating is called binging, and causes feelings of shame and guilt. The person tries to ease her or his conscience by getting rid of the food in the body i.e. purging. This is done by either making throwing up or taking laxatives.
- Binge eating- This type of eating disorder is characterized by consuming large quantities of food in a very short period of time or until the person is uncomfortable full. Binge-eaters usually struggle with anxiety, depression, and loneliness.
- Over eating-Over eating is the excessive consumption of food. When a person overeats, s/he consumes thousands of calories at a time. People with this kind of disorder get addicted to food. They use food and eating as a way to hide from their emotions. They try to fill the empty space they feel inside themselves with food. Eating helps them to cope with daily stresses and problems.
It is very difficult to deal with eating disorders because it affects individuals differently. There is no quick and easy solution. People with eating disorders usually try to hide the problem. It is important for the family to notice dramatic changes among their family members so that they can identify the problem as fast as possible. Family members should be concerned when they notice major weight loss, rapid weight gain and constantly fluctuating weight because those are the warning signs. A person can be hospitalised if they have eating habits which severely affect their health.
Treatment for eating disorders
There are many treatment options for eating disorders. It depends on an individual's specific symptoms, issues and strengths and the severity of the disorder. The most important part of the treatment is to address both the physical and psychological aspects of the problem. The aim is to treat any medical or nutritional needs and to promote a healthy relationship with food. A combination of therapy, nutritional counseling and group support also works the best.
Get Help!!!
We understand that it can be scary and maybe even embarrassing to seek help for an eating disorder. It's natural to fear that people might judge you. It is important to acknowledge the problem and act immediately. The first step is to find a doctor or a therapist who specializes in anorexia and bulimia. You need to get a full medical evaluation to check your physical well being. If the examination reveals health problems then your doctor will put you on a treatment plan. When your eating disorder is under control then you need to work on a long term recovery plan. You will need help from your treatment team which is your family, doctor, psychologist, nutritionist, social worker and a psychiatrist. That will make it easier for you and your treatment team to develop a recovery plan that suits your individual needs.
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Last Update: 4 October 2011
