Eating disorders involve extreme behaviors, intense emotions and strong unhealthy attitudes towards eating, food and exercise.
While eating disorders seem to revolve around eating and food, they are really not about the food. They stem from deep feelings of needing to be in control, fear of being out of control, unmet needs and feelings of worthlessness and fears about not fitting in or belonging.
Eating disorders rear their heads in many forms and, like an abusive relationship, take control of your life.
Eating disorders are treatable; the earlier they are caught, the better.
As many as 35 million Americans suffer from eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia and binge eating disorder and as many as 20% of people who suffer from eating disorder will eventually die from them. So it is important to get help immediately.
-Anorexia nervosa is characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, with a failure to maintain a body weight of at least 85% of normal age and weight expectations.
-Bulimia is an eating disorder represented by binge eating and followed by compensatory behavior such as vomiting, excessive exercise, and/or use of laxative, diuretics, enemas, or fasting.
-Binge eating disorder is characterized by excessive and compulsive gorging on large amounts of food even when you are full. As with other eating disorders, there is an accompanying dissatisfaction with body image.
-Any type of compulsion about food and body image that takes over your life is reason to seek help immediately.
Eating disorders are largely diagnosed in young women in their teens and early 20s, but I have seen them interfere in the lives of older women, and children as well as men.
It is difficult to admit to having an eating disorder, but if you feel out of control in any of these areas, it’s time to seek help.
