Do they call you Lard Arse?
Petrified of flying?
Wife tell her friends that you're a bore in bed?
Are you a Piggy Bank raider?
Wear your wife's clothes when she's out?
Is coke your order of the day?
Spend all your Child Benefits at Bingo?
Does Lightning light up your life
Regret that one night stand?
Have a taboo subject area that you want to discuss?
EATING DISORDERS
Eating disorders are complex, chronic illnesses largely misunderstood and misdiagnosed. The most common eating disorders - anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder - are on the rise worldwide. No one knows exactly what causes eating disorders. However, all socioeconomic, ethnic and cultural groups are at risk.
More than ninety percent of those with eating disorders are women. Eating disorders are one of the key health issues facing young women. Studies in the last decade show that eating disorders and disordered eating behaviours are related to other health risk behaviours, including tobacco use, alcohol use, marijuana use, delinquency, unprotected sexual activity, and suicide attempts. Anorexia nervosa, for example, ranks as the third most common chronic illness among adolescent females in the United States.
Eating disorders have numerous physical, psychological and social ramifications, from significant weight preoccupation, inappropriate eating behaviour, and body image distortion. Many people with eating disorders experience depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and childhood sexual abuse, and may be at risk for osteoporosis and heart problems. Moreover, death rates are among the highest for any mental illness.
TYPES OF EATING DISORDERS
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is a dangerous condition in which people can literally starve themselves to death. People with this disorder eat very little even though they are already thin. They have an intense and overpowering fear of body fat and weight gain, repeated dieting attempts, and excessive weight loss. This particular eating disorder affects from 0.5% to 1% of the female adolescent population with an average age of onset between 14 and 18 years. Anorexia is identified in part by refusal to eat, an intense desire to be thin, repeated dieting attempts, and excessive weight loss. To maintain an abnormally low weight, people with anorexia may diet, fast, or over exercise. They often engage in behaviours such as self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas. People with anorexia believe that they are overweight even when they are extremely thin. Often, the beginning of illness will occur after a stressful life event such as initiation of puberty or moving out of the parents' home.
Those with anorexia are often characterized as perfectionists and overachievers who appear to be in control. In reality, they suffer from low self-esteem and confidence and overly criticize themselves. They are also very concerned about pleasing others.
Complications - The most severe and noticeable consequences of anorexia nervosa resemble those of starvation. The body reacts to the lack of food by becoming extremely thin, developing brittle hair and nails, dry skin, lowered pulse rate, cold intolerance, and constipation as well as occasional diarrhoea. In addition, mild anaemia, reduced muscle mass, loss of menstrual cycle and swelling of joints often accompany anorexia.
Beyond experiencing the immediate effects of anorexia nervosa, individuals suffer long-term consequences throughout the life cycle, regardless of treatment. In addition to the risks of recurrence, malnutrition may cause irregular heart rhythms and heart failure. Lack of calcium places anorexics at increased risk for osteoporosis both during their illness and in later life. A majority of anorexics also have clinical depression while others suffer from anxiety, personality disorders or substance abuse, and many are at risk for suicide. Approximately 1 in 10 women afflicted with anorexia will die of starvation, cardiac arrest, or other medical complication, making its death rate among the highest for a psychiatric disease.
Bulimia Nervosa
Individuals suffering from Bulimia Nervosa follow a routine of secretive, uncontrolled or binge eating (ingesting an abnormally large amount of food within a set period of time) followed by behaviours to rid the body of food consumed. This includes self - induced vomiting and/or the misuse of laxatives, diet pills, diuretics (water pills), excessive exercise or fasting. Bulimia afflicts approximately 1% - 3% of adolescents in the US with the illness usually beginning in late adolescence or early adult life.3 As with anorexia nervosa, those with bulimia are overly concerned with food, body weight, and shape. Because many individuals with bulimia 'binge and purge' in secret and maintain normal or above normal body weight, they can often hide the disorder from others for years. Binges can range from once or twice a week to several times a day and can be triggered by a variety of emotions such as depression, boredom, or anger. The illness may be constant or occasional, with periods of remission alternating with recurrences of binge eating.
Individuals with bulimia are often characterized as having a hard time dealing with and controlling impulses, stress, and anxieties. Bulimia nervosa can and often does occur independently of anorexia nervosa, although half of all anorexics develop bulimia.
Complications - Most medical complications attributed to bulimia nervosa result from electrolyte imbalance and repeated purging behaviours. Loss of potassium due to vomiting, for example, damages heart muscle, increasing the risk for cardiac arrest. Repeated vomiting also causes inflammation of the oesophagus and possible erosion of tooth enamel as well as damage to the salivary glands. Some individuals with bulimia struggle with addictions such as drugs and alcohol, and compulsive stealing. Like those with anorexia, many people with bulimia suffer from clinical depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and other psychiatric illnesses.
Binge Eating Disorder (BED)
Binge eating disorder (BED) is the newest clinically recognized eating disorder. BED is primarily identified by repeated episodes of uncontrolled eating. The overeating or bingeing does not typically stop until the person is uncomfortably full. Unlike anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, however, BED is not associated with inappropriate behaviours such as vomiting or excessive exercise to rid the body of extra food. The illness usually begins in late adolescence or in the early 20s, often coming soon after significant weight loss from dieting. Some researchers believe that BED is the most common eating disorder, affecting 15% - 50% of participants in weight control programs. In these programs, women are more likely to have BED than males. Current findings suggest that BED affects 0.7% - 4% of the general population.
To the lay person, BED can be difficult to distinguish from other causes of obesity. However, the overeating in individuals with BED is often accompanied by feeling out of control and followed by feelings of depression, guilt, or disgust.
Complications - People with BED are often overweight because they maintain a high calorie diet without expending a similar amount of energy. Medical problems for this disorder are similar to those found with obesity such as increased cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and diabetes, as well as increased risk for gallbladder disease, heart disease, and some types of cancer. Researchers have shown that individuals with BED also have high rates of depression.
Eating Disorder not Otherwise Specified (ENDOS)
The Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) category is for disorders of eating that do not meet the criteria for any specific eating disorder. In EDNOS, individuals engage in some form of abnormal eating but do not exhibit all the specific symptoms required to diagnose an eating disorder. For instance, an individual with EDNOS may meet all the criteria of anorexia nervosa but manage to maintain normal weight while someone else may engage in purging behaviour with less frequency or intensity than a diagnosed bulimic.
Disordered Eating
Far more common and widespread than defined eating disorders are atypical eating disorders, or disordered eating. Disordered eating refers to troublesome eating behaviours, such as restrictive dieting, bingeing, or purging, which occur less frequently or are less severe than those required to meet the full criteria for the diagnosis of an eating disorder. Disordered eating can be changes in eating patterns that occur in relation to a stressful event, an illness, personal appearance, or in preparation for athletic competition. The 1997 Youth Risk Behaviour Surveillance Study found that over 4% of students nationwide had taken laxatives, diet pills or had vomited either to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight
While disordered eating can lead to weight loss or weight gain and to certain nutritional problems, it rarely requires in depth professional attention. On the other hand, disordered eating may develop into an eating disorder. If disordered eating becomes sustained, distressing, or begins to interfere with everyday activities, then it may require professional evaluation.
DIAGNOSIS
Because of the secretive habits of many individuals with eating disorders, their conditions often go undiagnosed for long periods of time. In the cases of anorexia nervosa, signs such as extreme weight loss are more visible. Bulimics who maintain normal body weight, on the other hand, may be able to hide their condition to the casual observer. Family members and friends might notice some of the following warning signs of an eating disorder:
A Person with Anorexia may…
- Eat only 'safe' foods, usually those low in calories and fat
- Have odd rituals, such as cutting food into small pieces
- Spend more time playing with food than eating it
- Cook meals for others without eating •
- Engage in compulsive exercising
- Dress in layers to hide weight loss
- Spend less time with family and friends, become more isolated, withdrawn, and secretive
A person with Bulimia may…
- Become very secretive about food, spend a lot of time thinking about and planning the next binge
- Take repeated trips to the bathroom, particularly after eating
- Steal food or hoard it in strange places
- Engage in compulsive exercising if an individual is displaying any of these
characteristics, they should be taken to a physician, nutritionist, or other
professional with expertise in diagnosing eating disorders.
TREATMENT AND RECOVERY
Eating disorders are most successfully treated when diagnosed early. The longer abnormal eating behaviours persist, the more difficult it is to overcome the disorder and its effects on the body. In some cases, long term treatment and hospitalization is required. Families and friends offering support and encouragement can play an important role in the success of the treatment program.
Treatment
Presently, there is no universally accepted standard treatment for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating disorder. Ideally, an integrated approach to treatment would include the skills of nutritionists, mental health professionals, endocrinologists and other physicians. Various types of psychotherapy may be employed, including cognitive-behavioural therapy, interpersonal therapy, and family and group therapy. Self-esteem enhancement and assertiveness training may also be helpful. Antidepressants and other drugs have been part of some therapeutic regimes.
The status of eating disorders as curable diseases has been controversial, since relapse rates for disturbed eating patterns can be very high.
ETIOLOGY
No exact cause of eating disorders has yet been found. However, some characteristics have been shown to have influence in the development of the illnesses.
Personality Factors
Most people with eating disorders share certain personality traits: low self-esteem, feelings of helplessness, and a fear of becoming fat. In anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder, eating behaviours seem to develop as a way of handling stress.
Genetic and Environmental Factors Eating disorders appear to run in families, with female relatives most often affected. However, there is growing evidence that a girl's immediate social environment, including her family and friends, can emphasize the importance of thinness and weight control. For example, regular discussion of weight and dieting may normalize societal pressure to be thin.
Weight related teasing by peers and family is related to low body esteem and eating disturbances in young girls. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reports that girls who live in families that tend to be strict and place strong emphasis on physical attractiveness and weight control are at an increased risk for inappropriate eating behaviours.
Additionally, people pursuing professions or activities that emphasize thinness - like modelling, dancing, gymnastics, wresting, and long distance running - are more susceptible to the problem.
Body Image
The idealization of thinness has resulted in distorted body image and unrealistic measures of beauty and success. Cultural and media influences such as TV, magazines, and movies reinforce the belief that women should be more concerned with their appearance than with their own ideas or achievements. Body dissatisfaction, feelings of fatness, and drive for thinness has led many women to become overly concerned about their appearance. Research has shown that many normal weight and even underweight girls are dissatisfied with their body and are choosing inappropriate behaviours to control their appetite and food intake. The American Association of University Women found that adolescent girls believe physical appearance is a major part of their self-esteem and that their body image is a major part of their sense of self.
Why not post your experience on Youneed121. Not only will you find other people with eating disorders but your story could help others come to terms with feelings and emotions that you have gone through. Registration is free and you can start posting anominously straight away! Start Supporting Each other!