Eating DisordersEssential Question: Why are eating disorders considered mental/emotional disorders if they effect the person physically?

What is an eating disorder?

An emotional disorder that manifests itself in an irrational craving for, or avoidance of, food. Eating disorders are often viewed as physical illnesses because of the obvious impact on appearance, but they have dramatic mental and emotional effects on the person that can be even more harmful.

Three examples of eating disorders are:Anorexia nervosa

Bulimia nervosa

Binge eating

Why?

The reasons that someone suffers from an eating disorder can vary for each person. Some common examples include:

Poor body image (not happy with looks)

Depression

Life altering events (death in family, divorce, etc.)

Obsession with dieting

What is beauty? Over the course of time, society has changed the idea of what beauty is and how people “should” look…

What is “beauty”?

Media impactMedia images are more than meets the eye.

There are large crews of professional stylists that change the looks of the people we see to an unachievable status for normal people. Also, a lot of times they use airbrushing and photoshop to completely change the person’s appearance.

Before and after of Jaime Lee Curtis at a photo shoot. Wish I had 3 experts to help with my make-up and hair…

Click here to watch another professional transformation

ED statisticsEating disorders have

increased threefold in the last

50 years

10% of the population is

afflicted with an eating

disorder

90% of the cases are young

women and adolescent girls

61% of college

women show some

sort of eating

pathology

Anorexia

People suffering from anorexia have an intense fear of weight gain and as a result, starve themselves.

May exhibit unusual behaviors with regards to food.

Preoccupied with thoughts of food, and may show obsessive-compulsive tendencies related to food

may adopt ritualistic behaviors at mealtime.

may collect recipes or prepare elaborate meals for others.

Anorexia – signs, syptoms &

consequencesExpresses body image concerns: being too fat even though normal or thin; unable to accept compliments; constantly compares self to others;

Constantly talks about food

Sudden weight loss, gain, or fluctuation in short time

Lanugo hair (fine body hair)

Bulimia

People suffer from bulimia typically overeat (much like binge eaters); to avoid weight gain, the person uses inappropriate weight loss techniques such as undereating, over-exercising, or purging.

Purging can take form as self-induced vomiting or laxative abuse.

Bulimia – signs, symptoms &

consequencesErosion of tooth enamel from the acid produced by vomiting

Damage to the stomach from frequent vomiting

Irregular heartbeat/Heart failure

Electrolyte imbalances (loss of important minerals like potas- sium) that can lead to sudden death

Binge eating

People who binge eat will secretly eat unusually large servings of food in one sitting (sometimes more than the daily recommended amount for that person).

Almost everyone overeats on occasion, such as having seconds or thirds of a holiday meal. But for some people, overeating crosses the line to binge-eating disorder and it becomes a regular occurrence, usually done in secret.

Binge eating – signs, symptoms &

consequencesEating unusually large amounts of food

Eating even when you're full or not hungry

Eating rapidly during binge episodes

Eating until you're uncomfortably full

Frequently dieting, possibly without weight loss

Insomnia

Obesity

High blood pressure

Type 2 diabetes

High cholesterol

Gallbladder disease and other digestive problems

Heart disease

Some types of cancer

How are they overcome?

Recovery from an eating disorder almost always requires professional help from a doctor, psychologist or both. Remember, eating disorders affect the mind and body. Without help, eating disorders can lead to a persons death!

Friends and family can help support this recovery by reminding the person that it is not his/her fault and that they are not alone. Do not blame the person for the eating disorder and make sure you maintain a positive attitude when helping someone overcome an eating disorder.