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