The majority of individuals with eating disorders are female. Eating disorders involve disturbances in weight, eating patterns, and body image.
People with eating disorders often suffer from depression and low self-esteem. Sometimes their quest for an elusive "perfection" becomes, at best, destructive to good health and mental well-being and, at worse, deadly. Some individuals may be suicidal. For many, their eating disorder symptoms persist on for many years.
The specific types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.
Anorexia Nervosa
Other signs that a person may have anorexia nervosa include three or more missed menstrual
periods in a row, fasting, obsession with dieting, frequent self-weighing, problematic relationships with
friends and family, preoccupation with exercising, and an unrealistic view of oneself as overweight or "fat."
People with this disorder may complain of feeling bloated after eating a light meal, and they may purge by
vomiting or laxative abuse after eating. About half of those with anorexia nervosa also develop binge-eating
behavior. Death rates from anorexia nervosa are approximately 1 to 15 percent,
depending on the severity of illness.
Bulimia Nervosa
Additional signs that a person may have this disorder include preoccupation with food and eating,
preoccupation with body shape and weight, large financial expenditures on food, guilt feelings,
depression, anxiety and a desire to eat alone. Some steal food or other items.
Binge Eating Disorder
Why?
There is considerable pressure on Americans (again, particularly women) to be thin. Most people are of normal weight when their eating disorders start. Some research shows that 70 percent of American women think they are overweight; 38 percent of these women state they have abused laxatives and have severely limited their diets for weight-loss purposes.
Many people with eating disorders have low self-esteem and do not view their bodies as others see them. Their depression and poor self-image become a circle of misery: feelings of unworthiness lead to the eating disorder, which in turn leads to further feelings of guilt and unworthiness about the eating disorder symptoms.
Another possible cause is that a person feels unable to cope with some life-changing event, such as puberty. In some cases, the person is attempting to deny his or her sexuality by remaining in a small, childlike body.
Some studies have suggested that genetics play a role in the development
of eating disorders. In addition, a family history of alcohol abuse and
eating disorders appears to place a person at risk for
eating disorder symptoms. Many children of alcoholics are believed to
suffer from bulimia nervosa.
There may be biological factors that also contribute to the onset of
eating disorders and
perpetuate them once they develop.
The Consequences
Risks include dehydration, heart attack, irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, menstrual problems, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, susceptibility to drug and alcohol abuse, impulsive behavior, and decreased bone density that can lead to broken bones.
In addition, people with anorexia nervosa often bruise easily and feel uncomfortably cold because of the loss of body fat that results from their self-imposed starvation. The skin becomes dry, and hair and nails become brittle. As the person becomes abnormally thin, a new layer of hair may form on the skin to protect it.
With bulimia nervosa, the repeated vomiting of food can cause life-threatening tears in the stomach and throat. Serious chemical imbalances may occur because the body loses essential electrolytes and minerals during this purging process. Mouth and tooth problems, swelling of the parotid glands (near the ear), and muscle cramps can occur.
Some of these conditions may return to normal once the eating disorder is stopped; some of these problems,
however, may persist.
Treatment
Inpatient and outpatient treatment is available. Individual and/or group therapy and counseling, with family involvement, are often part of the treatment process. Nutrition information and healthy eating patterns are also emphasized. Antidepressant medications have proven helpful for some people. Many find cognitive therapy (learning to think more accurately) and behavioral techniques useful in helping them develop a healthy weight, healthy eating habits, and a healthy view of themselves.
