 Could You or Someone You Care About
Have an Eating Disorder?
It’s no secret that, in modern American culture, thinness is often associated with positive qualities such as happiness, attractiveness, and success. Because of this over-emphasis on appearance, nearly every person has been faced with doubts or stresses related to their weight and body shape – pressures that can have a decidedly negative impact on one’s self-image and self-esteem.
Though most people are able to address these stresses in healthy manners, some individuals fall prey to the complex psychological conditions known as eating disorders – conditions that often result in severely distorted self-image and considerably unhealthy attitudes toward food.
Experts estimate that in the United States alone, more than five million individuals are struggling with eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, compulsive eating disorder, and pica. In the absence of timely and effective treatment, these disease can wreak physical and emotional devastation on afflicted individuals, and in some cases can even be fatal.
Though eating disorders primarily affect teenage girls and young women, no members of any gender, class, cultural, or socioeconomic group are immune from contracting these conditions.
Common Types of Eating Disorders and Their Symptoms
- Anorexia Nervosa
Perhaps the most common and well-known of all eating disorders, anorexia nervosa involves the intentional self-deprivation of food in order to achieve an unrealistic and unhealthy level of thinness. Fixated on their weight and body shape, many anorexics continue to see themselves as “fat” even after they have attained emaciated states that threaten their very lives. Most anorexics view continued self-starvation as “successful” demonstrations of their self-discipline, and feel that even the slightest gains are signs of failure and diminished self-worth.
- Binge Eating Disorder
Binge eating disorder is marked by recurring episodes in which massive amounts of food are consumed in brief periods during which sufferers feel a complete loss of control over their behavior. When a person is in the grip of a binge eating episode, neither being hungry nor feeling uncomfortably full have any effect on the quantities and types of foods that are being eaten. Left untreated, binge eating disorder often leads to obesity, which has been associated with myriad health consequences. Individuals with this disorder are also at increased risk for contracting a range of other related conditions, including anxiety, bulimia nervosa, panic disorder, and various personality disorders.
- Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia presents with elements that appear to be similar to aspects of both anorexia and binge eating disorder. Bulimic individual often engage in “binges” during which large amounts of food are eating in brief periods of time. These binges are usually – and almost immediately – followed by “purges” (the elimination of the just-eaten food, often by the use of laxatives or forced vomiting). Bulimia is a dangerous attempt to attain and maintain unhealthy levels of thinness, and if left untreated can lead to conditions including heart disease, kidney damage, anxiety disorders, depression, and digestive problems. Because of the self-loathing that often accompanies cases of bulimia, individuals with this disorder have been found to be at increased risk for other self-destructive behaviors, including promiscuous unsafe sex, self-mutilation, and the abuse of alcohol and other drugs.
- Compulsive Eating Disorder
Similar to the feelings of helplessness that are experienced by binge eaters, compulsive eating disorder is marked by a lack of personal control over the amount and type of food that a person eats, as well as the manner by which he consumes that food. Some compulsive eaters feel the need to eat extremely quickly, others are compelled to eat when they are alone, and still others are compelled to eat nearly constantly. Individuals who are afflicted with compulsive eating disorder often eat abnormal amounts of sugary foods – and when they are unable to consume the foods they crave, many experience withdrawal symptoms that are evocative of the pain that is associated with some types of drug addictions.
- Pica
One of the most misunderstood eating disorders is pica, which manifests itself as a continued compulsion to eat substances that are not normally considered to be foods. Pica is most commonly experienced by children and pregnant women, though individuals of all ages – and both genders – can develop the disorder.
Children with pica may feel forced to eat substances such as sand, leaves, glue, or leaves, while teens and adults who have the disease may be compelled to consume soil, clay, or detergents. In addition to exposing oneself to potential poisoning, acting upon these cravings can obviously cause a number of serious medical conditions, including internal obstructions, perforations, and infections.
Causes of Eating Disorders
Eating disorders arise from a complex interplay among myriad internal and external factors. Risk for developing an eating disorder may be higher among individuals who have emotional disorders, histories of family stress, and certain genetic predispositions – but no one cause or group of causes have been determined to be responsible for these conditions.
Treatment of Eating Disorders
Effectively treating a disordered eater is dependent upon addressing the unique circumstances related to that person’s condition. Because of the complex nature – and potentially devastating results – of eating disorders, the primary course of action should involve the assistance of a physician who has an understanding of these disorders. Treatment – which may be conducted on an outpatient basis, in a hospital, or at a residential treatment facility – often incorporates input from physicians, therapists, and nutrition specialists. |
