| Eating disorders are often described as an | | | | Eating Disorders are about being convinced |
| outward expression of internal emotional pain | | | | that your whole self-esteem is hinged on. |
| and confusion. Eating disorders afflict | | | | Eating Disorders are about attempting to |
| millions of people, thousands of which will | | | | control your life and emotions through food |
| die from them yearly. There is good news | | | | lack of food. A person with anorexia nervosa |
| though, eating disorders can be beaten. An | | | | typically starves himself or herself to be |
| eating disorder involves a distorted pattern | | | | thin and experiences excessive weight loss, |
| of thinking about food and size/weight: there | | | | typically 15% below the weight that doctors |
| is a preoccupation and obsession with food, | | | | consider ideal for his or her height and age. |
| as well as an issue of control or lack of | | | | A child with anorexia or bulimia may |
| control around food and its consumption. | | | | experience dehydration as well as other |
| Eating is controlled by many factors, | | | | medical complications. Anorexia may affect a |
| including appetite, food availability, | | | | child's growth, bone mass, cause puberty |
| family, peer, and cultural practices, and | | | | delays, an irregular heartbeat and blood |
| attempts at voluntary control. Dieting to a | | | | pressure problems, and gastrointestinal |
| body weight leaner than needed for health is | | | | problems. Treatment of anorexia calls for a |
| highly promoted by current fashion trends, | | | | specific program that involves three main |
| sales campaigns for special foods, and in | | | | phases: (1) restoring weight lost to severe |
| some activities and professions. Eating | | | | dieting and purging; (2) treating |
| disorders involve serious disturbances in | | | | psychological disturbances such as distortion |
| eating behavior, such as extreme and | | | | of body image, low self-esteem, and |
| unhealthy reduction of food intake or severe | | | | interpersonal conflicts; and (3) achieving |
| overeating, as well as feelings of distress | | | | long-term remission and rehabilitation, or |
| or extreme concern about body shape or | | | | full recovery. |
| weight. | | | | |
| | | | Eating Disorders Treatment Tips |
| These are also the three most common eating | | | | |
| disorders. Eating disorders can cause heart | | | | 1. Treatment can include medical supervision, |
| and kidney problems and even death.Eating | | | | nutritional counseling, and therapy. |
| disorders frequently co-occur with other | | | | |
| psychiatric disorders such as depression, | | | | 2. Supportive group therapy may follow, and |
| substance abuse, and anxiety disorders. The | | | | self-help groups within communities may |
| main types of eating disorders are anorexia | | | | provide ongoing support. |
| nervosa and bulimia nervosa. A third type, | | | | |
| binge-eating disorder. Eating disorders are | | | | 3. Behavioral therapy has proven effective in |
| not due to a failure of will or behavior; | | | | achieving this goal. |
| rather, they are real, treatable medical | | | | |
| illnesses in which certain maladaptive | | | | 4. Psychotherapy has proven effective in |
| patterns of eating take on a life of their | | | | helping to prevent the eating disorder from |
| own. Eating disorders frequently develop | | | | recurring and in addressing issues that led |
| during adolescence or early adulthood, but | | | | to the disorder. |
| some reports indicate their onset can occur | | | | |
| during childhood or later in adulthood. In | | | | 5. Family members or other trusted |
| addition, people who suffer from eating | | | | individuals can be helpful in ensuring. |
| disorders can experience a wide range of | | | | |
| physical health complications, including | | | | 6. Certain selective serotonin reuptake |
| serious heart conditions and kidney failure | | | | inhibitors (SSRIs) have been shown to be |
| which may lead to death. | | | | helpful for weight maintenance. |
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