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