An eating disorder is a mental illness marked by irregular eating habits that harm a person's mental and physical health.
People with eating disorders often develop an unhealthy obsession with food and their body size, weight, or shape. Society being forced-fed social media from an early age, where people paint a lovely picture of their lives while comparing themselves to others, is a critical component that leads to higher incidences of eating disorders. People with eating disorders often mistakenly believe they are fat when they are not. This is normally reserved for women or adolescent females. They watch television, movies, read magazine articles, and look at images of superstars they aspire to be like because they possess the "perfect physique" that everyone desires. The media convinces us that we need such types of bodies in order to be happy and successful.
Types of eating disorders
Anorexia nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is a type of eating disorder marked by a skewed sense of weight, a strong fear of gaining weight, and an unusually low body weight.
Binge eating disorder
Frequently eating unusually big amounts of food in one sitting and feeling out of control over your eating habits.
Bulimia nervosa
Bulimia nervosa may be a dangerous disorder that will cause death. Bulimics may binge — eat an enormous amount of food without control — then purge, attempting to obviate the extra calories in an unhealthy way.
Pica
Pica is a type of compulsive eating disorder in which people eat things that aren't food. The most common foods eaten are clay, flaking paint and dirt.
Rumination syndrome
A condition in which a person spits up food from their stomach, chews it again, and then either swallows or spits it out. Within 30 minutes of eating, it generally occurs.
Avoidant/ restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)
•An eating disorder is an avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). ARFID children are extremely selective eaters who show little interest in food. They eat a limited number of favorite meals, which can lead to stunted growth and nutritional deficits.
Night eating syndrome
•Night eating syndrome (NES) is a condition characterized by nighttime overeating and sleep disturbances. You eat a lot after supper, have difficulties sleeping, and eat when you wake up in the middle of the night if you have an NES.
Symptoms
The symptoms of this disorder may be physical and emotional or behavioral changes.
Physical symptoms
Physical symptoms may include-
Extreme weight loss
Fatigue
Insomnia
Dizziness
Thin look
Abnormal blood counts
Dry or yellowish skin
Intolerance of cold
Irregular heart rhythms
Low blood pressure
Dehydration
Absence of menstruation
Constipation and gastrointestinal pain
Swelling of arms or legs
Emotional and behavioral changes
It may include-
Fear of gaining weight (repeatedly measuring the bodyweight )
Exercise excessively
Dieting or fasting
Frequently skipping meals or refusing to eat
Lying about how much food has been consumed •Denial of hunger or finding reasons for not eating
Social withdrawal
Reduced interest in sex
Flat mood (lack of emotion)
Causes
Biology and genetics
Certain people may be predisposed to eating disorders due to genetic factors. Biological factors, such as alterations in brain chemistry, can trigger eating problems.
Mental and emotional well-being
Eating disorder sufferers may have psychological and emotional issues that exacerbate the disorder. Low self-esteem, perfectionism, impulsive behavior, and strained relationships are all possibilities.
Sociocultural factors
Eating disorders may be caused by sociocultural factors such as media and peer influences.
Complications
Eating disorders can lead to a variety of problems, some of which are life-threatening. The more severe or long-term your eating disorder is, the more likely you are to develop serious issues like:
Serious medical issues
Anxiety and depression
Suicidal thoughts or conduct
Growth and development issues
Social and relationship issues
Substance abuse disorders
Problems in work and school
Death
Prevention
Emotional Bites
Asking children why they might eat besides being hungry is a simple approach to start a conversation about emotional eating. Discuss more effective coping mechanisms for dealing with emotions, emphasizing the importance of communicating feelings with a trustworthy adult.
Say No to Teasing
Another approach is to underline that it is inappropriate to make disparaging remarks about other people's bodies.
Body Talk
Stress the necessity of paying attention to one's own body. That is, you should eat when you are hungry (not when you are starving) and stop when you are full (not stuffed). These notions are instinctively understood by children.
Fitness Comes in All Sizes
Teach youngsters about body size genetics and the natural changes that occur in the body. Discuss their concerns and expectations as they expand in size. Concentrate on physical fitness and a well-balanced diet.
Discover everything
There is to know about anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and other eating disorders. This will assist you in recognising the signs of a potential eating disorder so that you can intervene early and treat it.
Treatment
Psychological therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) - This type of treatment focuses on your eating disorder's actions, feelings and ideas. It teaches you how to recognise and correct skewed ideas that contribute to eating disorder behaviors after it has helped you develop healthy eating habits.
Family-based therapy - During this therapy, family members will learn how to assist you in reestablishing appropriate eating habits and maintaining a healthy weight until you can do it on your own. Parents learning how to help a teen with an eating disorder may benefit from this form of counseling.
Nutrition education
Aim towards a healthy weight.
Fix any health problems that have developed as a result of malnutrition or obesity.
Practice meal planning.
Avoid dieting
Know how nutrition affects your body, especially how your eating disorder contributes to nutritional and physical difficulties.
Establish regular eating patterns - three meals a day with regular snacks is a good rule of thumb.
Conclusion
Eating disorders are a type of serious mental illness that is characterized by significant changes in eating patterns, as well as related thoughts and emotions. Patients with eating disorders usually develop unhealthy obsessions with food and their body size, weight, or shape. Eating disorders are classified into seven varieties, each with its own set of symptoms, such as insomnia, dizziness, exhaustion, low blood pressure, and so on. Genetics or social factors may be at blame. Anxiety, sadness, suicidal thoughts, and even death can occur as a result of eating disorders. Eating disorders can be avoided by discussing the issues and learning about the maany types of eating disorders. Psychological therapy and dietary education can help people with eating disorders.
References
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