Eating Disorders
A variety of psychiatric illnesses called eating disorders can lead to the development of unhealthful eating patterns. They could begin with a fixation on food, their weight, or their body type.
Despite the fact that eating disorders can afflict anyone of any gender at any stage of life, they are becoming more prevalent in men and gender nonconforming individuals.
Causes Of Eating Disorders
Numerous causes, according to experts, could be responsible for eating problems.
Genetics is one of them. People appear to be more likely to acquire an eating disorder if they have a sibling or parent who does.
One last thing to consider is your personality. According to a 2015 research review, neuroticism, perfectionism, and impulsivity are three personality qualities that are frequently connected to an increased risk of having an eating disorder.
The perceived pressure to be thin, cultural desires for thinness, and media exposure that promotes these ideals are other potential factors.
More recently, specialists have suggested that variations in biology and brain structure may possibly contribute to the emergence of eating disorders. Serotonin and dopamine levels in particular may play a role as brain messengers.
Symptoms Of Eating Disorders
All eating disorders involve an excessive focus on issues with food and eating, and some of them also feature an excessive focus on weight, despite the fact that the symptoms of different eating disorders vary.
Mental Symptoms
Mental signs may include:
- Dramatic weight loss
- Concerns about eating in public
- Weight, food, calories, grams of fat, or diet obsession
- Constipation, cold tolerance, abdominal pain, lethargy, or excess energy
- Excuses for not eating
- Fear of excessive weight gain or “fatness”
- Wearing layers to cover weight loss or to maintain body temperature
- Amount and type of food eaten
- Certain foods
- Denies hunger
- Expresses need to “burn” calories
- Repeated weighing
- Develops binge eating and urinating habits Activity
- Preparing meals for those who do not eat
- Absence of menstruation (usually menstruation)
Physical Signs
Physical signs may include:
- Stomach cramps and other gastrointestinal disorders
- Difficulty concentrating
- Atypical laboratory tests (anemia, low thyroid, low hormones, low potassium, low blood count, low heart rate)
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Feeling chilly all the time
- Sleep problems
- Menstrual problems
- Calluses on fingertips (signs of vomiting)
- Dry skin
- Dry and thin nails
- Thinning hair
- Muscle weakness
- Poor wound healing
- Weakened immune system function
Types Of Eating Disorders
Extreme food and weight concerns are common in a category of diseases known as eating illness, but each disorder has its own set of symptoms and diagnostic standards. The symptoms of the six most prevalent eating disorders are listed below.
- Anorexia nervosa
- Bulimia nervosa
- Anorexia nervosa
- Pica
- Rumination disorder
- Restrictive/avoidant eating disorder
Treatment
Treatment options include:
Psychotherapy for individuals, groups, or families
To help lessen or get rid of disordered behaviour including binge eating, purging, and restricting, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) may be suggested. CBT entails learning to identify and alter false or harmful thought processes.