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Definition and Background:
Eating Disorders are mental illnesses. Both females and males can have an eating disorder. Eating habits, concerns about weight and attitudes about body shape can have an effect on a person’s mental health. When a person’s mental health is affected and eating habits and exercise habits cause harm to the person, it is possible the person has an eating disorder. Eating Disorders, if not treated by a doctor, can kill a person. After learning a little more about Eating disorders, if you know someone that may have an Eating Disorder, it is important to tell someone. They need help and may not even know it.
What are the causes of Eating Disorders?
There is not a single cause of Eating Disorders. There could be many things that cause an Eating Disorder. Some causes of Eating Disorders could be stress, depression, and the desire to always be the best, the need to always be in control or an attitude that you are not good enough. It is also possible that there are abnormal levels of chemicals in the brain that may trigger an eating disorder. Some researchers believe eating disorders run in families because of genetics. Studies continue to determine how often this happens.
There are three kinds of Eating Disorders:
Anorexia Nervosa is one kind of Eating Disorder. If you are anorexic, you feel fat even when you are not. You always think about losing weight, you may not eat very much, you may exercise a lot or you may become malnourished and have to go to the hospital. Sometimes people who are anorexic will not eat in front of their friends and if you ask them why they will tell you they already ate. Many times they have not eaten anything at all. If a person is anorexic they are likely to become very skinny, complain about being tired all the time, have unusual eating habits or wear baggy clothes.
Anorexia nervosa affects about 1 in 100 young women. People with anorexia usually do not eat regularly, or they exercise obsessively. They literally starve themselves because they believe they are overweight even when they are not. The loss of nutrition can cause serious problems over time: loss of bone density, loss of muscle, anemia, and circulatory and respiratory ailments. In severe cases, anorexia nervosa can lead to death from starvation.
Bulimia Nervosa is another kind of Eating Disorder. A person may eat a lot really quickly and throw up to get rid of all of the food. They may exercise a lot after eating, become dehydrated, have an irregular heartbeat or develop problems with their stomach. A lot of times they will complain of having a sore throat or they will make frequent trips to the bathroom during or right after a meal. If a person is bulimic, they may gain and lose weight often, use medication to lose weight or have scratches on their hands from making themselves gag.
Bulimia nervosa is often referred to as binge-purge syndrome. During an eating binge, a person may eat an unusually large amount of food, then later will purge themselves by forced vomiting, or with laxatives. Because people with bulimia usually binge in private, and maintain a normal weight, the warning signs are not always as obvious as they may be with anorexia. Long term effects of bulimia include sore throat and tooth decay (from excess exposure to stomach acid), irritation of the colon, and dehydration.
Binge Eating is the last kind of Eating Disorder. This is when a person can not control their cravings for food and they eat all the time. A person can become extremely overweight and it can be very dangerous. When there is too much fat around the heart and other organs, your heart can not pump blood and you could die. If a person binge eats, he or she may gain weight rapidly, not stop eating even when full or act guilty or disgusted after eating too much.
Eating Disorder’s can be very dangerous. It is important to tell someone if you think a friend may have an eating disorder. It could save their life.
How is a diagnosis made?
Over 90% of Eating Disorders occur in adolescent girls however; boys also develop eating disorders. Psychiatrists, psychologists and other medical professionals that specialize in the treatment and diagnosis of eating disorders, can assist in evaluating and recommending proper treatment.
Common Treatments
Eating disorders can be treated successfully, especially with early intervention. Psychotherapy, nutritional counseling, and medication can help.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is where a person learns new patterns of thinking about and behaving with food and relationship. Keeping a food journal can show how feelings affect eating behaviors. A person with an eating disorder may also benefit from other forms of therapy like, individual, group or family therapy. Recovery may also include a plan for getting proper nutrition. Restoring normal body weight and learning to eat healthy is an important goal for anyone seeking treatment. Medication may be prescribed to relieve depression, anxiety and bingeing. Hospitalization may be necessary for severe starvation, dehydration or other serious conditions. The medical personal can make the appropriate suggestions regarding care for the individual.
National Eating Disorders Organization
www.laureate.com or 918-481-4044
Mental Health Association of Middle Tennessee (for resources available in Middle TN) - 615-269-5355
National Mental Health Association
(for assistance finding the closest NMHA affiliate to assist you) www.nmha.org or 800-969-6642
Search the internet under "Eating Disorders" for additional web sites. Eating disorders affect approximately half a million people. While anyone can have an eating disorder, they are most common in young women between the ages of 12 and 25. People who suffer from eating disorders usually have low self-esteem and a poor self-image, and have a need for control in their lives.
For information on eating disorder programs, click here or call 615-269-5355.
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