This disorder affects both physical and mental well-being, leading to issues related to thoughts about food, eating, weight, shape, and behaviors. Emotions and physical health are intertwined, hindering crucial aspects of life. Untreated, it can become long-term and even fatal due to malnutrition. Common types include anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorders. Negative thoughts about weight, body shape, and eating habits are major drivers, resulting in physical problems affecting the heart, digestive system, bones, teeth, and mental health, such as depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicidal tendencies.
Types of Eating Disorders
Symptoms can vary depending on the type of eating disorder as well as different body types.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight, leading to extreme calorie restriction, significant weight loss, and a distorted body image. Subtypes include restricting and binge-eating/purging. Extreme efforts to obtain an unrealistic body shape include excessive exercising, using laxatives or diet aids, or vomiting after eating. This condition can affect people even when they are still eating throughout the day or have an over-average body weight.
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia nervosa features recurring binge eating episodes followed by purging behaviors like vomiting, laxative use, or excessive exercise. Individuals with this condition often restrict their food options, leading to strong urges to binge and purge, as seen in anorexia. Binge eating involves consuming a large amount of food uncontrollably. Feelings of guilt follow, driving purging through methods like vomiting, laxatives, or altering insulin doses to lose weight and alleviate shame. Severe self-judgment about personal appearance motivates these extreme actions.
Binge Eating Disorder
Binge eating disorder is characterized by frequent episodes of consuming large quantities of food in a short period of time without the compensatory behaviors seen in bulimia, such as purging. During binges, individuals eat more than intended, even when uncomfortably full. Feelings of guilt, disgust, and shame accompany the fear of weight gain, leading to restricted eating and intensifying the urge to binge. Binge episodes may occur at least once a week, sometimes triggered by embarrassment and hidden from others.
Risk Factors and Causes:
Genetics: A family history of eating disorders can increase the risk.
Biology: changes in brain chemicals can play a role in eating disorders.
Societal and Cultural Factors: Media portrayals of body image, bullying, societal pressures, and the “thin ideal” play a significant role.
Psychological and Environmental Factors: Trauma, low self-esteem, perfectionism, and other psychological factors contribute to the development of eating disorders.
Other mental health issues, such as trauma, anxiety, depression, OCD, and others, can increase the likelihood of an eating disorder.
Treatments:
Treatments can be in the form of medicine or self-coping, as both can be immensely effective. Medical and therapeutic treatments involve:
Psychotherapy is essential, with specialized approaches like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and family-based therapy (FBT).
Medication may be used in some cases, particularly for co-occurring conditions like depression or anxiety.
As for recovering oneself, you may do these acts to ensure healthy eating habits and lifestyle behaviors:
Choose a healthy diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Limit salt, sugar, alcohol, saturated fats, and trans fats. Avoid extreme dieting. If you need to lose weight, talk to your health care provider or a dietitian to create a plan that meets your needs.
Don’t use dietary supplements, laxatives, or herbal products for weight loss.
Get enough physical activity. Each week, get at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity, such as brisk walking. Choose activities that you enjoy, so you’re more likely to do them.
Seek help for mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, or issues with self-esteem and body image.
