Eating Disorders Explained

Unhealthy eating patterns lead to an eating disorder.themselves to vomit or use laxatives.Health problems
This is very common among teenage girls who arerelated to Anorexia/BulimiaThey are:Poor circulation of
obsessed about becoming thin, and start harming theirbloodIrregular menstrual cycleBrittle
body by not eating. Poor nutrition harms their bodybonesInfertilityFainting and dizzinessDehydration leading
organs. This is a very serious problem as it affectsto kidney damage Slowed heartbeatLow blood
them mentally as well, and leads to depression andpressure Reduced body temperatureHair
anxiety. An eating disorder can be overeating aslossCompulsive eating:When a person starts binging,
well.When a person finds refuge in food to cover theirleading to a feeling of guilt and shame, she/he is said to
mental disturbance, then they are suffering from anbe a compulsive eater. This is not like bulimia where
eating disorder.The three most common types ofthe person involves purging. This leads to weight gain
eating disorder are:AnorexiaBulimiaCompulsiveand depression. Here the person has an uncontrolled
eatingAnorexia:This is a psychological disorder, mostlyurge to eat all the time. 40 percent of people who are
seen in teenage girls, as a result of low self esteem orobese are binge eaters.How would you know if you
emotional or physical abuse. Obsession to become thinare a compulsive eater?These are common signs of
is the main reason for these people to start overa compulsive eater:Eating uncontrollablyDepression
dieting. The more they lose weight, the more theyDieting frequentlyPreoccupied about their
have the drive to push further. They stop worryingweightVigorous exercise or vomiting to lose
about their body, and they become only interested inweightHealth problems like heartburn, dental problems,
losing weight. They starve so as to take control overfatigue, weight gain, insomnia and high
the body. They start neglecting their health, which canBP.Treatments:Recovery from these disorders is
sometimes even lead to death. This disorder is also apossible. The person must undergo certain lifestyle
type of addiction.They develop psychological fear ofchanges with the help of the people around him/her.
food and fatness, which leads them to the extent ofThere are different kinds of psychological therapy
vomiting out anything and everything that they eat.available to treat these problems. For a person
Some people also start using laxatives to reducesuffering from anorexia, hospitalization may be
weight. No matter how thin they grow, they are nevernecessary in extreme cases; when due to severe
satisfied. Bulimia:This is also similar to anorexia, whereweight loss different parts of the body get affected.
the person becomes obsessed with growing thin. HereIntravenous feeding may be required, and the focus
the person may binge on food, then throw upwould be on gaining weight. Family support and
everything she/he just ate. They may first eat a largeassistance is very important. The person is given
amount of food, and even indulge in rich food in a shortnutritional education for a healthy alternative to weight
period of time, then later force themselves to vomit.management. A lot of counseling is given, and therapy
They may also start exercising excessively, useto boost up one's self esteem. Everyone has the right
laxatives, or fast to make up for the food they had, asto love his own body.So with the help of medical,
they start to feel guilty about having eaten food.psychological and nutritional assistance, people with
Bulimia is most common in adolescent and young adulteating disorders can be healed.Stefan Rockhaus
women.Unlike anorexia where the person stops eating,writes articles on health topics.
bulimic people do eat food, but they either force