Eating disorders are assorted as issues related to problems in eating. However, eating disorders cover a broader area and have various aspects other than food. An eating disorder has less to do with food and is primarily categorized as a mental health condition.
One cannot ignore them considering them to be a person’s eating pattern. Eating disorders need proper medical intervention and treatments.
What Are Eating Disorders?
Eating disorders are psychological conditions that cause varied eating habits in a person. A person with such a disorder might be obsessed with eating food or might be too ashamed of eating any food.
“People around the age of 20 are more likely to establish at least one eating disorder”
Such people are known to be highly conscious about their physical looks, like body shape, body weight, and fat accumulated.
Eating disorders are dangerous and can cause severe consequences like death if not treated on time.
What Are Some Causes of Developing Eating Disorders?
Eating disorders can develop in different people due to various causes. People around the age of 20 are more likely to establish at least one eating disorder.
Eating disorders develop due to the following causes:
- Genes: You could get an eating disorder from genes if you have a family history for the same.
- Personality: Many people develop an eating disorder because of the kind of psyche they want to establish. They may not eat at all to lose weight.
- Psychological health: It has been seen that people with low self-esteem, perfectionism, troubled relationships with others, and family are more likely to develop an eating disorder.
Types of Eating Disorders
There are various types of eating disorders in our society. Here are the five most prominent types of eating disorders:
- Night Eating Syndrome
NES is a condition that blends a person’s overeating at night with their varied sleep pattern. In simple words, a person with NES will eat a lot after having dinner, and then this overeating won’t let him sleep at night.
Symptoms
- Insomnia for 4-5 nights a week.
- Lack of morning appetite.
- Depressed mood.
- Anorexia Nervosa
One of the most common eating disorders, Anorexia Nervosa develops during adolescence. A person with this disorder thinks of being overweight even if they are underweight. They always try to lose weight. Anorexia treatment is necessary during the early stages.
Symptoms
- Restricted eating pattern.
- Underweight
- Do not eat in public.
- Try to puke if they eat extra.
- Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia nervosa tends to develop during adolescence and is more commonly seen in women. Contrary to anorexia, a person with bulimia eats large amounts of food in one go. The person feels as if he/she cannot stop their self from overeating.
Symptoms
- Binge eating with no control.
- Purging behaviors like vomiting, use of laxatives.
- Low self-esteem due to body shape and weight.
- Binge Eating Disorder
One of the most common eating disorder, it leads to episodes of overeating mostly. People with BED feel a lack of control over their eating patterns. However, such people do not get affected by calories or use purging behaviors to compensate for their binges.
Symptoms
- Eating a colossal amount of food in one go.
- Secretly eat uncontrollably.
- Feeling ashamed of binge eating.
- Obesity
- Pica
Pica is an eating disorder where a person likes eating things that are not edible. People with this disorder eat substances like dirt, ice, soil, chalk, hair, nails, detergent, etc. This eating disorder is frequently seen in children or pregnant women. It is caused due to nutritional deficiencies. The anarchy gets adverse as you never know what the person might eat.
“Due to the societal and peer pressure many adolescents develop such conditions”
Eating Disorder Treatment
There is not a particular way in which you can prevent eating disorders. However, most eating disorders can be easily treated, and you don’t have to worry about them. Here are ways that can be used to treat different eating disorders:
- Healthy eating
For people with anorexia and bulimia Nervosa, the essential part of their treatment includes healthy eating. Adequate nutrition is very crucial for the treatment of eating disorders. A dietician or a doctor shall plan a diet chart for you with a balance of all the required nutrients.
- Medical care
Sometimes the eating disorders can cause colossal complications and cause health issues like vomiting, laxative use, dehydration, anemia, or starvation. In such cases, your doctor will prescribe you the required meds. However, if no such complication occurs, then the use of meds can be avoided by talking to your doctor.
- Psychological treatment
Since eating disorders occur due to mental health conditions, psychological therapies play a critical role in their treatments. Through these therapies, one can determine the cause of the mixed eating pattern. A person may opt for family therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, or interpersonal psychotherapy. This treatment further helps one enhance self-esteem by counseling.
Final Thoughts
Eating disorders are quite trivial these days. Due to the societal and peer pressure many adolescents develop such conditions. On the brighter side, most eating disorders are easily treatable and can be cured quickly.
