Eating disorders are medical conditions which are characterized by a profound disruption in eating habits and general health. The two most commonly discussed eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, although some psychologists also identify binge eating as an eating disorder. In all instances, eating disorders are accompanied with physical and psychological ill health, and require treatment from several angles for successful recovery. If you suspect that someone you know has an eating disorder, please take steps to make sure that he or she is safe and healthy.
Anorexia nervosa is one of the most common eating disorders, and also one of the most deadly. Approximately 90% of patients being treated for anorexia nervosa are women and girls. This eating disorder is characterized by an unwillingness to reach or maintain a healthy body weight, combined with a profound disconnect between perceived and actual weight. Many patients believe that they are fat, despite the evidence in the mirror, and will take steps including drastic reduction of food intake, vomiting, ingestion of laxatives and diuretics, and excessive exercise to remedy their perceived weight problem.
Treatment for anorexia starts with providing the patient with proper nutrition and getting his or her weight back up to a healthy level. In extreme cases, this may be done in an inpatient clinic setting so that the patient can be carefully monitored, and it may include the use of feeding tubes and intravenous nutrition if the patient refuses to accept food. Once the patient has reached a safe weight, psychotherapy is integrated into the treatment to get at the underlying cause, and if the patient recovers fully, regular visits to a nutritionist and psychologist maintain the recovery.
Anorexia may be the most harmful of all eating disorders, thanks to the extreme impact that malnutrition has on the human body. If caught early, the patient may make a full recovery, but long term health problems such as poor skin, difficulty maintaining weight, poor circulation, and heart problems are not uncommon. In extreme cases, the patient may die: even if he or she appears to be recovering. Extreme anorexia requires immediate medical intervention.
Bulimia is characterized by bouts of binge eating interspersed with purging in the form of vomiting and laxative use. Bulimia tends to be less severe than anorexia, although it can develop into anorexia if left untreated. More males tend to be bulimic: around 65% of patients are women. Bulimia can also develop as a result of excessive binge eating, which is accompanied by a feeling of being out of control, followed by intense remorse.
The symptoms for all eating disorders tend to center around food and body image. If you notice that someone around you has developed strange eating habits such as dramatically reducing the amount of food eaten, eating in private, long bathroom trips after eating, or only eating certain “safe” foods, he or she may be experiencing an eating disorder. Eating disorders also often run in tandem with psychological problems such as anxiety and depression, and are compounded by distress about body image. Eating disorders are also very serious; if someone you know seems to be losing weight at a dangerous rate or exhibits any other symptoms of an eating disorder, get help.
