Understanding Eating Disorders-Learning to Love Your Body

 

The article provides a simple guide to Understanding Eating Disorders - Learning to Love Your Body at Any Size. Also include the types, causes, symptoms and treatment.

What is Eating Disorder?

Eating disorders are a serious mental health condition. Unhealthy and disordered eating habits affect a large number of people worldwide. In a lifetime most people will develop an eating disorder at some point in their lives.

Eating disorder can be define as a psychological condition. It is characterize by unhealthy and abnormal eating habits. It is characterize by unhealthy and abnormal eating habits. That can have serious health consequences.

The well known types of eating disorder;

• Anorexia nervosa
• Bulimia nervosa
• Binge eating
• Restrictive or avoidant disorders
• Rumination
• Pica

Each of these disorders has its own set of physical and emotional symptoms and treatment.

Some of the factors that encourage eating disorders are - 

• Biological
• Social
• Interpersonal  
• Family pressure

The obsessiveness of perfect body image which is fix by society. Also plays an important role in the disorder, which often leads to anxiety or depression.

What is Anorexia Nervosa?

Anorexia nervosa or voluntary starvation is characterize by an intense fear of gaining weight. A distorted body image, and an low body weight.

Due to extreme obsession with weight loss to achieve a perfect body image. People with anorexia often restrict eating and may engage in excessive exercise. It is one of the most deadly psychiatric disorders.

It can affect any age group or gender. Not only the middle age and young women but nowadays it is more common for young men also.

What is Bulimia Nervosa?

Bulimia nervosa is characterize by recurrent episodes of binge eating excessive food. Then followed by self induce purging such as self-induced vomiting or by the use of laxatives. People with bulimia may also engage in extreme exercise or fasting. To compensate for their binge eating.

It begins during adolescence but sometimes it can develop later years too. And difficult to identify sometime because they hide their eating habits.

Generally, bulimia people have poor self-esteem and suffer from depression. Due to intense fear of weight gain though they are already overweight. Symptoms are unusual eating habit, weight fluctuates very often, avoid the social gatherings.

What is Binge eating Disorder?

Binge eating disorder is characterize by recurrent episodes of only binge eating. They eat a lot of food even though they did not feel hungry and eat un till they feel full. While eating food they prefer to be alone due to their eating habit. They may experience feelings of guilt, shame or disgust afterwards.

The causes of eating disorders are very complex . They can include genetic, environmental and psychological factors.

It often occur with other mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety.

Other Eating Disorders

Besides these eating disorders, there are other eating disorders too. Like restrictive or avoidant, pica and rumination are other disorders.

In Restrictive or avoidant disorders, not interest in eating or do not like the texture or smell of food. Could be they have had a negative experience of food in the past.

In Pica disorder where people eat unusual things like paper, chalk, bricks etc. . Which are non-food substances as well as non-nutritive.

In Rumination disorder, the food eaten before can brings back to the mouth. Re-chewed and swallowed again or spit out.

Symptoms of Eating Disorder

Symptoms of eating disorders vary depending on the type of disorder. Common symptoms include;

• Rapid or dramatic weight loss,
• Refusing to eat
• Only eat at a specific time or even eat only specific food
• Begin an extreme exercise
• Avoidance of social situations 
• Feelings of guilt or shame related to eating.

Still, in some cases signs not known, like going to the restroom as soon as after eating in bulimia disorder. Likes eating alone in binge-eating disorder.

By these conditions, mental health symptoms can also emerge. They avoids gatherings, activities they enjoyed before. Feel more withdrawn, or they might struggle with anxiety, depression or mood swings.

Cause of Eating Disorders

It is unclear that only for some people's voluntary eating habits turn into disorders.

Sometimes the relationship with food could be the reason for an eating disorder. It can start without notice such as they eat a little less or more food than usual. Later the urge to eat less or to eat more becomes the behavior.

Culture is also play an important role. Especially for women to fit in an ideal beauty which defined by a person's weight.

Eating disorders can have also a genetic root. It can also be trigger by depression, stress, anxiety, extreme dieting etc.

It can be trigger by stress, social difficulty, depression, or by dieting.

Also Read,

• Anxiety-Disorder
• Vitamin-B12-rich-fruits-vegetables
• Vitamin-D
• GUTHEALTH

Treatment for Eating Disorders

Sometimes it takes a year to decide for seeking help or for some people it might take longer than that. Once they decided to recover then there are many different options for treatment.

Treatment includes the combination of psychotherapy, medication and nutritional counseling. To address the differences element of disorder. The goal of treatment is to help the individual to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Develop healthy eating habits and improve their mental health and well-being.

It is important to seek professional help when you suspect eating disorder.

The healing process could be different from person to person. Depending upon their social support, eating habits etc.

With proper treatment and support, it is possible to overcome an eating disorder. Achieve a healthier and happier life.

Instead of following a restrictive diet, one of the best way to keep yourself emotionally, mentally and physically healthy is eating mindfully when you really feel hungry.

FAQ

Que. 1 How do people know they have eating disorders?

Ans. There are man ways to know if someone has eating disorder, such as;

• Strong resistance towards food,
• Over-exercising,
• Binge eating,
• Purging.

Que. 2 What are two major eating disorders?

Ans. The two major eating disorder are;

• Anorexia Nervosa
• Bulimia Nervosa

Que. 3 What are 5 things that can cause eating disorders?

Ans. The five major factors that increase the risk of an eating disorder, such as;

• Genetic. There are more chances if the family has an eating disorder history.
• Severe Dieting or starvation
• Mental health Problems
• Victim of weight Bullying.
• Anxiety or stress.

Que. 4 What is the most common form of eating disorder?

Ans. The most common eating disorder is Binge-eating disorder. They can eat large amount of food at any time. If they are not hungry also.  

Que. 5 What are the side effects of not eating?

Ans. There are many side effects of not eating;

• Cannot Concentrate
• Speak very slow or whisper
• Fanting
• Irritation
• Too much weight loss
• Fatigue
• Gut Problem
• Depression

Que. 6 Are eating disorders a mental health issue?

Ans. Yes, it is a serious mental health issue. Co-related to physical health problems. Often it is cause due to emotional problems and dissatisfaction with the body's size and shape.

Que. 7 What are 3 shocking facts about eating disorders?

Ans. Some shocking facts about eating disorder are;

• In a lifetime most people will face a eating disorder issues.
• One of the most dangerous mental illnesses.
• It affects all ages even the child at age 9 or 10, any gender, any race.

(This article is only meant for informational purposes. Must not be consider as a substitute for the advice provide by qualified medical professionals.)