Eating Disorders

Everyone knows what an Eating Disorder is, right?

Emotional turbulence can cause your mind to develop an unhealthy relationship to food. People assume that eating disorders are all about losing weight in order to be thin. That’s both the stereotype and the stigma associated with them.

Most of the time eating disorders are about taking control of a personal world that’s way too far out of control. Victims use food intake to regain that sense of control they crave.

Anorexia and Bulimia are the most well known types of eating disorders and involve depriving the body of nutrients, but there are other serious conditions in this spectrum disorder.

Let’s start with the one everybody knows the most about, Anorexia Nervosa.

The victim slowly starves themselves while day after day they are consuming little to nothing at all. Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness and is extremely difficult to treat. Aside from death, victims will suffer from sterility, osteoporosis, hypothermia among other conditions damaging to the body. Even the mind can be affected as the body begins to shut down from lack of nutrition.

Bulimia Nervosa has the same goal, but uses a different strategy to take control over the body.

The victim will binge on food, then, force themselves to purge it back up. The cycle can continue until they either get help or succumb to the disorder. It can all start innocently enough when people want to lose weight and still be able to eat something. What they don’t realize is that purging can be addictive.

Like cutting, the intense act of vomiting releases endorphins along with the inevitable rush once it’s all over. Now, the victim doesn’t want to stop. Side effects of purging time after time can leave the victim dehydrated, destroy the enamel on teeth, cause hair loss, and even liver failure.

Unlike a cutter who may be wearing arm warmers in the hot summer sun or wear a full sweat suit on a stifling August beach, bulimics can’t be spotted that easily, especially if they wear baggy clothes to hide their weight loss. Bulimia Nervosa is, however, dangerous and needs professional treatment immediately.

ENDNOS (Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified) is a new category, but still dangerous.

These victims aren’t sick enough for a diagnosis of anorexia or bulimia but still exhibit unusual and unhealthy eating patters. Victims will often have a combination of anorexia and bulimia tendencies and depending on the extent of the practice can result in the same deadly consequences.

Binge Eating Disorder, or BED is a fairly new category.

The opposite of the previous three disorders, the victim takes control of an emotional disorder by binging on food instead of starving themselves. Again, like cutting, a large amount of food ingested over a short time period can provide a temporary sense of comfort through triggering euphoria in the brain.

The consequences of extended binging can be serous and include heart disease, stroke, and the related effects of obesity. People who binge need to find help and discover a healthier way to cope rather than turning to food.

Anorexia Athletica is another relatively recent category of eating disorder.

The victim will exercise to the point where it becomes unhealthy for their body as they create a calorie deficit on a regular basis. Instead of starving themselves like an anorexic, over-exercising they’ll burn more calories than they take in. They will be at risk for malnutrition, decreased bone density, and delayed menarche.

Finally, there is Orthorexia.

The victim will become obsessed with eating only certain foods and avoid all others. Unlike an anorexic, they don’t restrict their food intake, but their obsession over planning their meals begins to take over their life. Although seldom life-threatening, their obsession can lead to isolation, physical deterioration, and may impact their ability to enjoy life.

Many who are victims of eating disorders may practice Self-Harm.

Eating disorders and the emotional disturbances that lead to them inevitably result in low levels of self-esteem and self-worth. When frustrations boil over they may punish themselves with cutting or other forms of self-harm.

Anyone with an eating disorder should work with a therapist and visit a nutritionist. If their condition has become serious, checking into an eating disorder program or unit at a clinic or hospital would be the prudent thing to do as these disorders can be life-threatening.

To help someone with an eating disorder, always reach out in a kind, non-threatening way. Maintaining Control is their first priority, so don’t try to take that away from them. If you push them to eat, or not to eat, depending on the disorder, you’ll likely push them away. Be reasonable and suggest they get professional help. Make sure they feel it’s their decision so they feel in control of the situation.

Eating disorders may not seem that serious, but they can be among the most dangerous and difficult mental illness to treat. With awareness, knowledge, and compassion we can help eating disorder victims find health and wellness!  

Outline

EATING DISORDERS

Not always about Losing Weight

Emotional Disturbances are the Root Cause

Personal World is Out of Control

Victim Substitutes Control of their Body

TYPES OF DISORDERS  

Anorexia – Slow Starvation

Bulimia – Binge then Purge

ENDNOS – A Mix of Symptoms

BED – Binging without Purging

Orthorexia – Only Eat Certain Foods

SELF-HARM PRACTICED

Low Self-Esteem can Lead to Cutting

Victim wants to Punish Themselves

To Help – Don’t Push

Victim Needs to Remain in Control