Eating Disorder Help

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Author:
Thomas Morva

Young women and men sometimes starve themselves. It doesn’t matter how thin they may be— in their internal mirror, they are fat. Or they may so afraid of gaining weight, yet so desperately hungry, that they eat and eat until they feel so guilty that they must vomit up all the food. These people suffer from eating disorders. Eating disorders have nothing to do with the digestive tract of the person. Rather, the illness resides in the mind.

Anorexia and bulimia are the two most common eating disorders. They tend to appear most commonly in women. In fact, 90 percent of all cases are in women. Most eating disorders begin in the teenage years: anorexia most often occurs around puberty, and bulimia hits a bit later. People with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa share the same fear, guilt, and shame about food and fat. Still, they are two separate disorders with different symptoms. People with anorexia starve and exercise themselves thin. People with bulimia eat unhealthy amounts of food and then vomit or purge themselves. People with anorexia or bulimia tend to start at normal weights, but then suffer from poor nutrition as well as the mental and emotional effects of having an eating disorder. Some people with eating disorders may have a combination of anorexia and bulimia.

People with anorexia or bulimia, despite their different behaviors toward food, share many of the same symptoms. Both are undernourished, and, as a result, may have dry skin, brittle hair and nails, be constipated, and may be sensitive to temperature changes. Women may have irregular periods. People with eating disorders may develop food rituals, like only eating certain foods or at specific times, and they may eat in secret. Even when thin, people with eating disorders think of themselves as fat and are terrified of gaining weight.

Each eating disorder has its unique symptoms, however. People with anorexia lose dramatic amounts of weight, eat little amounts of food, and exercise excessively. People with bulimia, however, have symptoms related to constant vomiting. Their stomach acid eats away at their teeth enamel, burns their esophagus, and can cause the salivary glands to swell. People with bulimia may also have cuts or bruises on their fingers from inducing vomiting.

Both anorexia and bulimia are completely treatable. People with eating disorders need professional help from doctors and psychiatrists. It may take years to learn to control an eating disorder. Love and support from friends and family are also needed for recovery from any eating disorder.

About the Author
Bulimia Info provides detailed information about the causes, symptoms, and effects of bulimia; bulimia treatment and recovery; the relationship between anorexia and bulimia; and information about the “pro bulimia” viewpoint. Bulimia Info is affiliated with Original Content.

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Eating Disorders... Hypnosis For Eating Disorders? Today, eating disorders such as Anorexia and Bulimia are running rapid. If a person intentionally starves him or herself yet believes they are overweight, they could very well be suffering from Anorexia Nervosa, which is a severe emotional disorder that needs serious intervention. With this, the diet is drastically restricted, coupled by excessive exercise. The result is dangerous weight loss that can cause serious damage to the body to include death. Bulimia is a form of Anorexia, which is characterized by misuse of laxatives, diuretics, enemas, and/or vomiting to rid the body of food consumed during binge eating. In both cases, the body is put at great medical risk. The problem is that both Anorexia and Bulimia are not just serious but difficult to treat. In addition to the body needing intervention, the mind also needs intervention since the individual with the eating disorder sees him or herself as fat although they could easily be 50% of their normal weight. These eating disorders typically begin in adolescents, which are seen most often around time of puberty. However, although rare, eating disorders can affect people over the age of 40, and again, both males and females although girls are in the highest risk category. If you have a child and you begin to notice things like infrequent or stopped menstrual cycle, dry skin, thinning hair, cold and/or swollen feet, or a bloated stomach while watching drastic weight loss, then you need to pay attention. The psychological signs generally involve poor judgment, problem with memory and/or concentration, a distorted perception of the body, denial, obsessive-compulsive behavior, and depression; these could well be indications that an eating disorder is a problem. Treating eating disorders is a long process that...