Anorexia nervosa is likely the most well-known eating disorder. It generally develops during adolescence or young adulthood and tends to affect more women than men 7.
They tend to constantly monitor their weight, avoid eating certain types of foods, and severely restrict their calories. Common symptoms of anorexia nervosa include 8 :. Obsessive-compulsive symptoms are also often present. For instance, many people with anorexia are often preoccupied with constant thoughts about food, and some may obsessively collect recipes or hoard food.
Such individuals may also have difficulty eating in public and exhibit a strong desire to control their environment, limiting their ability to be spontaneous. Anorexia is officially categorized into two subtypes — the restricting type and the binge eating and purging type 8. Individuals with the restricting type lose weight solely through dieting, fasting, or excessive exercise.
Individuals with the binge eating and purging type may binge on large amounts of food or eat very little. In both cases, after they eat, they purge using activities like vomiting, taking laxatives or diuretics, or exercising excessively. Anorexia can be very damaging to the body. Over time, individuals living with it may experience the thinning of their bones, infertility, brittle hair and nails, and the growth of a layer of fine hair all over their body 9.
Summary People with anorexia nervosa may limit their food intake or compensate for it through various purging behaviors. They have an intense fear of gaining weight, even when severely underweight. Bulimia nervosa is another well-known eating disorder. Like anorexia, bulimia tends to develop during adolescence and early adulthood and appears to be less common among men than women 7. Each binge eating episode usually continues until the person becomes painfully full.
During a binge, the person usually feels that they cannot stop eating or control how much they are eating. Binges can happen with any type of food but most commonly occur with foods the individual would normally avoid. Individuals with bulimia then attempt to purge to compensate for the calories consumed and relieve gut discomfort. Common purging behaviors include forced vomiting, fasting, laxatives, diuretics, enemas, and excessive exercise.
Symptoms may appear very similar to those of the binge eating or purging subtypes of anorexia nervosa. However, individuals with bulimia usually maintain a relatively normal weight, rather than becoming underweight. Common symptoms of bulimia nervosa include 8 :. Side effects of bulimia may include an inflamed and sore throat, swollen salivary glands, worn tooth enamel, tooth decay, acid reflux, irritation of the gut, severe dehydration, and hormonal disturbances 9. In severe cases, bulimia can also create an imbalance in levels of electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, and calcium.
This can cause a stroke or heart attack. Summary People with bulimia nervosa eat large amounts of food in short periods of time, then purge. They fear gaining weight despite being at a normal weight. Binge eating disorder is believed to be one of the most common eating disorders, especially in the United States A starved brain and body cannot function optimally. Therefore, an individual struggling with an eating disorder will present with at least some, if not all, of the physical signs below:.
It is unsurprising with all of the physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms of eating disorders above that the long-term consequences can be severe.
The malnourishment that results from disordered eating impacts all organ systems in the body including the brain as well as the cardiovascular, endocrine, and gastrointestinal systems. Due to malnourishment, the body breaks down its own tissues, including the heart, which leads to a lack of energy to pump blood through the body, lowering pulse and blood pressure and increasing the risk of heart failure.
The electrolyte imbalance caused by vomiting or laxative use or excessive water intake can also increase the risk of heart failure. Lack of fat and cholesterol through disordered eating impacts functions of the endocrine system, such as the production of sex and thyroid hormones. For this reason, individuals may experience loss of or irregularities in the menstrual cycle. This also impacts bone density, metabolic rate, and issues regulating core body temperature which can result in hypothermia.
It is difficult for the brain to function when it is not receiving proper and consistent nourishment. This leads to difficulty concentrating, sleeping, or staying asleep, sleep apnea, and dizziness or fainting.
The electrolytes mentioned above are also used to create signals in the brain, meaning malnourishment disrupts the ability of the brain to communicate effectively to the body. Finally, gastrointestinally, eating disorders impact stomach emptying and absorption of nutrients which can lead to severe stomach issues. Consistent vomiting can wear down the esophagus causing it to rupture, which is life-threatening.
Binge eating can also cause a life-threatening emergency in that it can lead to a stomach rupture. Essentially, all of the organs and gastrointestinal functions are severely disturbed in eating disorder behaviors and can result in many life-threatening illnesses and issues. There are many genetic, environmental, and sociological factors that contribute to eating disorder development. Biological risk factors for eating disorders include many genetic factors such as predispositions to medical and mental illness.
Individuals that have a family history of mental illness diagnoses are more likely to experience mental illness themselves. Even if the predisposed mental illness is not an eating disorder, eating disorders commonly co-occur with diagnoses such as depression, anxiety, or substance use issues, to name a few. Psychological factors for eating disorders include a co-occurring diagnosis of another disorder, as mentioned above.
Additionally, there are specific personality traits that research indicates can increase the likelihood of developing an eating disorder, such as perfectionism, low self-worth, distorted body image, or impulsivity. This can include family dynamics, as family-related beliefs and discussions around weight, food, and self-view are shown to be associated with eating disorder diagnoses.
There are various levels of care designed to treat specific stages of eating disorder severity—these range from inpatient at a medical facility down to outpatient. Any eating disorder treatment center can assess a struggling individual to determine the appropriate level of care. Outside of receiving treatment in general, it is also important to ensure the facility uses evidence-based practices, as these can lead to better long-term outcomes.
Do not be afraid to ask any questions that arise if you or a loved one are searching for the treatment that will best support recovery. Anorexia kills people. In fact, this disease enjoys the highest fatality rate of any psychiatric disorder. In the case of a celebrity death, the media provides coverage. Perhaps the first recognized case was that of Karen Carpenter in the early 8Os. An anorexic who relied on ipecac for vomiting, she died of heart failure.
Years later, she was followed by Christina Renee Henrich, a world-class gymnast who died in Female Athlete Triad Syndrome is a dangerous illness that can cause women who are extreme in their sports to have lifelong health concerns. Their coaches, friends, and family need to pay attention and help prevent the athlete from developing Female Athlete Triad Syndrome.
Many of us internalize messages from a young age that can lead to either a positive or negative body image. For those who suffer from eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, emotions and sense of self-worth are directly, and disproportionately linked to weight, and therefore, food intake. National surveys estimate that in the US, 20 million women and 10 million men will develop an eating disorder at some point in their lives.
And according to the National Institute of Mental Health , eating disorders are most common in teens or young adults — specifically young women. But eating disorders can also affect people of all ages, backgrounds, body weights, and ethnicities. They may refuse to eat, causing them to lose large, unhealthy, and sometimes even lethal amounts of weight.
People who suffer from bulimia nervosa also tend to have a negative and distorted body image; they eat excessive quantities, then purge their bodies of the food — and calories — they fear. Because of this, people with a negative body image are at risk of developing an unhealthy relationship to food; a relationship that prioritizes weight loss over health and wellness. There are a number of reasons people might struggle with body image and eating disorders. Many people struggle with an eating disorder without any family or friends noticing, because eating disorders often entail shame and secrecy.
Additionally, negative body image and eating disorders tend to be rooted in deeper psychological struggles, such as low self-esteem and feelings of helplessness. Anorexia nervosa tends to be linked with perfectionism, while bulimia nervosa is linked with impulsiveness. Their lack of understanding of calories may lead them to eat foods that usually someone who was anorexic might refuse, such as chocolate and high calorie drinks, which can mean that it takes a long time for a diagnosis to be made.
They might not admit to having a fear of putting on weight, often finding this very hard to describe. Some children do not lose weight, but instead simply fail to grow and put on weight as would be expected in a child of that age.
Catching eating disorders early in this age group is essential. Young children can get very ill very quickly and the sooner they get treatment the better the chance of recovery. Sufferers may complain of stomach ache, nausea, constipation etc, but will not admit they are avoiding food. Obsessive and anxious attitudes towards food. This may include unusual diets in younger children.
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