Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are serious conditions. They relate to persistent and harmful eating behaviours that have a negative impact on health, emotions and the ability to function effectively. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia and binge eating are the most common eating disorders.
People with eating disorders focus excessively on their body weight, shape and food intake. They restrict their body’s ability to get the right nutrition. Eating disorders can cause serious damage to the heart, digestive system, bones and teeth, and other organs, and can give rise to other life-threatening conditions.
Often, eating disorders develop in adolescence or early adulthood, though they can happen at any age. People with an eating disorders can recover and resume healthy eating habits with the right treatment.
Anorexia
Anorexia nervosa, often called anorexia, is an eating disorder in which people have an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of their own bodies and body weight.
Anorexia is more common in girls and women, and in teenagers. However, it may develop at any age. Adolescents may be more susceptible because of the changes their bodies go through during puberty or increased peer pressure to conform to certain ‘ideal’ body types they see in mass or social media.
There are numerous dangers to health associated with anorexia: anaemia; heart problems; osteoporosis; muscle atrophy; period irregularity or stoppage; gastrointestinal problems; drops in sodium and potassium levels; kidney problems; and at its most severe, death. Every organ in the human body is at risk if anorexia is not treated, including the brain, and the damage may not be reversible.
A diagnosis of anorexia requires a physical and mental assessment by a physician and a mental health professional respectively. However, you can seek help whenever you feel you need it – the sooner the better.
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder or showing signs of developing one, get help immediately.
Causes
Not all body- and weight-conscious people are anorexic and what causes anorexia is unknown. As with so many illnesses, anorexia may be caused by a combination of:
Biology. Genetic changes may put some people at higher risk of developing anorexia.
Physiology. Personality traits like perfectionism or high levels of anxiety may cause some people to restrict their food intake to achieve what they believe to be the ‘perfect’ body and weight.
Environment. Success and self-worth are often equated with thinness, particularly in media and advertising. Peer pressure is a powerful mechanism that influences the desire for thinness, especially among young people. Emotional stress triggered by a traumatic change in circumstances – for example, the death of a loved one or the loss of a job – can also increase the risk of developing anorexia.
Signs & Indications
People with anorexia focus on controlling their weight and body shape, and may use extreme methods to achieve control: they severely restrict how much food they eat; control their calorie intake by inducing vomiting after eating or misusing laxatives, diet aids, etc., or exercise too much. Regardless of how much weight they lose, anorexics continue to fear gaining weight or becoming fat.
Each person’s body is different, so it’s difficult to conclude from observation that a person has anorexia. But there are some physical signs to look out for besides extreme weight loss, excessive thinness and general weakness and fatigue:
- Bluish discolouration of the fingertips
- Thinning hair or sudden hair loss
- Stoppage of periods in menstruating women
- Dry or yellowish skin
- Inability to tolerate even slightly low temperatures
- Swollen arms or legs
- There may also be behavioural signs that are worrisome:
- Frequently skipping meals, refusing to eat, denying hunger or making excuses to avoid eating
- Not wanting to eat in public or lying about how much food has been eaten
- Frequently weighing oneself or checking one’s appearance in the mirror for perceived flaws
- Covering up in layers of clothing
If you or someone you know is experiencing these problems, get help. If you’re hiding your problems from friends and family, reach out to us for confidential support.
Treatment
Anorexia doesn’t really have to do with food; rather, it is a very unhealthy and potentially life-threatening way to cope with emotional problems. Untreated, it can take over a person’s life.
With treatment, you can return to healthier eating habits, gain the right perspective on what really makes you worthy and deserving of happiness, and avoid some of the dangerous complications that it causes.
Unfortunately, for many people, the desire to stay thin is stronger than the desire to overcome anorexia. Primary care physicians are often in a good position to identify the signs early and prevent a full-blown illness from developing.
If you notice that someone has low self-esteem, extreme dieting habits and is constantly dissatisfied with their appearance, encourage them to seek help.
The earlier treatment begins, the more effective it is.
Treatment for anorexia usually involves a combination of psychotherapy (for example, cognitive behaviour therapy) and supervised weight management. The aim is to help people understand what causes their problems and assist them to reach a healthy weight in the right manner.
Children and adolescents with eating disorders can also be treated with family therapy or adolescent-focused therapy. Medication may be prescribed in some cases to support recovery but this is not always the case.
Remember, you are more than just your body, your weight and your physical appearance. Don’t delay, reach out today.
Bulimia
Bulimia is an eating disorder in which a person binges on food or overeats regularly. The person then feels a loss of control and uses different methods – for example, vomiting, abusing laxatives, or extended periods of fasting or self-imposed starvation – to prevent weight gain.
Bulimia is more common in women than in men and frequently starts in adolescence and early adulthood. People with bulimia may be aware that their eating patterns are abnormal and experience guilt as a result.
Diagnosis depends on certain observed characteristic behaviours over a period of time and requires an extensive evaluation by a physician and mental health specialist.
Bulimia carries serious risks in the long term: irregular periods, dehydration, damage to the teeth and gums, electrolyte imbalance that is harmful to the heart, and several gastrointestinal disorders.
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder or showing signs of developing one, get help immediately.
Causes
The exact causes of bulimia are unknown, but as with other eating disorders, a combination of factors may be responsible: genetics, biology, emotional health and self-esteem, social pressures or other stressors.
Biology. Genetic or family history may put some people at higher risk of developing bulimia.
Psychology. Depression, anxiety and substance abuse disorders increase the risk of developing bulimia. Negative self-image, traumatic and environmental stresses may also contribute.
Signs & Indications
Many people with bulimia are of normal weight or maybe slightly overweight, so it’s not always apparent that something is wrong. Here are some of the signs to watch for:
- Constantly worrying about being fat or overweight
- Having a distorted, negative body image
- Strict dieting or fasting after eating unusually large quantities of food
- Not wanting to eat in the presence of others
- Going to the bathroom immediately after eating or for long periods of time
- Over-exercising
- Significant fluctuations in weight
If you or someone you know is experiencing these problems, get help. If you’re hiding your problems from friends and family, reach out to us for confidential support.out to us for confidential support.
A Note on Binge-Eating
A person who eats a much larger amount of food in a shorter period of time than is normal for them is said to be binge-eating. People who binge-eat feel a loss of control. In addition to overeating at meals, they may consume snacks throughout the day. Binge-eating usually leads to becoming overweight.
Binge-eating may occur on its own or in combination with other eating disorders like bulimia. Though the exact causes of binge-eating are unknown, it often begins during or after a period in which a person is dieting very rigorously.
Treatment
A combination of nutritional counselling, therapy and medication usually works best to treat bulimia.
People with bulimia learn how to structure and pace their food intake and to adjust the calories they consume to maintain a healthy weight without the need to overeat and purge.
Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is very effective in identifying and changing negative thoughts about self-image and food, and finding better, healthier ways to cope with the stresses of life. CBT can break the vicious cycle of overeating and purging. Combining CBT with medication helps people deal with their underlying psychological problems so they can avoid a relapse.
Interpersonal therapy, which frames a person’s problems in terms of their personal relationships, may also help address bulimia.
If you notice that someone is showing signs of an eating disorder, encourage them to seek help.
The earlier treatment begins, the more effective it is.
Children and adolescents with eating disorders can also be treated with family therapy or adolescent-focused therapy.
Remember, you are more than just your body, your weight and your physical appearance. Don’t delay, reach out today.