Eating Disorders
What Are Eating Disorders?
An eating disorder is an illness that causes serious disruption to a person’s diet and every day eating habits. Eating disorders are characterised by an abnormal attitude towards food that causes someone to change their eating patterns and behaviour.
A person with an eating disorder may focus excessively on their weight and shape, or how other people see them, leading them to make unhealthy, detrimental choices about food. The results are often damaging to their health.
Eating disorders are often blamed on the social pressure to be thin, as young people in particular feel they should look a certain way. However, the causes are usually more complex.
Examples of eating disorders include:
- Anorexia Nervosa – a potentially life-threatening psychological disorder characterised by either a significantly reduced appetite or complete aversion to eating.
- Bulimia Nervosa – a serious psychiatric illness where the person regularly binge-eats and then tries to compensate for that behavior by over-exercising and purging (by vomiting and/or using laxatives).
- Binge Eating Disorder – is characterised by compulsive overeating where the person consumes huge amounts of food while feeling out of control and powerless to stop.
- Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) – sufferers may have many of the symptoms of other eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa, but will not meet the full criteria for diagnosis of these disorders. People with EDNOS commonly have extremely disturbed eating habits, a distorted body image and an intense fear of gaining weight.
Who Suffers With Eating Disorders?
Although certain age groups are more prone to developing eating disorders, it is not uncommon for eating disorders to affect people of any age.
Risk factors that can make someone more likely to have an eating disorder include:
- having a family history of eating disorders, depression or substance misuse
- being criticised for their eating habits, body shape or weight
- being overly concerned with being slim, particularly if combined with pressure to be slim from society or for a job (for example ballet dancers, models or athletes)
- certain characteristics, for example, having an obsessive personality, an anxiety disorder, low self-esteem or being a perfectionist
- particular experiences, such as sexual or emotional abuse or the death of someone special
- difficult relationships with family members or friends
- stressful situations, for example problems at work, school or university
Treatment For Eating Disorders
If eating disorders are left untreated, they can have an extremely negative impact on someone’s personal and professional life, as well as on their relationships with family and friends. The physical effects of an eating disorder can cause permanent long-term health problems, and can sometimes be fatal.
Recovering from an eating disorder can take a long time and it is important for the person affected to want to get better. The support and understanding of family and friends is crucial in the recovery stage and beyond.
Treatment usually involves monitoring a person’s physical health while helping them to deal with the underlying psychological causes. Self-help manuals, books, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), various types of counselling, and family group therapy may all be offered under the guidance of a therapist or other healthcare professional. Sometimes medication is also offered.
There is a wide range of healthcare services, support groups, dedicated advice centres and websites that can help. See the “Links” section below for more information.
Links
- NEDA – Get the Facts on Eating Disorders
- ANAD – Eating Disorder Facts
- National Institute of Mental Health eating disorders advice
- Eating Disorders Online
- Web MD – Eating Disorders Health Centre
- Healthy Place – Eating Disorders Community
- Mind – Eating Disorders Advice
- Mayo Clinic – Eating Disorders
- National Centre for Eating Disorders UK
- NHS eating disorders advice
- Beat – beating eating disorders UK
