Eating Disorder or Diet? Having an Eating Disorder is much more than just being on a diet. An Eating Disorder is an illness that permeates all aspects of each sufferer's life, is caused by a variety of emotional factors and influences, and has profound effects on the people suffering and their loved ones...
Anorexia NervosaThe person suffering with Anorexia may be abnormally sensitive about being perceived as fat, or have a massive fear of becoming fat -- though not all people living with Anorexia have this fear. They may be afraid of losing control over the amount of food they eat, accompanied by the desire to control their emotions and reactions to their emotions...
Bulimia NervosaMen and women who live with Bulimia seek out binge and purge episodes -- they will eat a large quantity of food in a relatively short period of time and then use behaviors such as taking laxatives or self-induced vomiting -- because they feel overwhelmed in coping with their emotions, or in order to punish themselves for something they feel they should unrealistically blame themselves for...
Compulsive OvereatingPeople suffering with Compulsive Overeating have what is characterized as an "addiction" to food, using food and eating as a way to hide from their emotions, to fill a void they feel inside, and to cope with daily stresses and problems in their lives...
Binge Eating DisorderMen and Women living with Binge Eating Disorder suffer a combination of symptoms similar to those of Compulsive Overeaters and Bulimia. Reasons for Binge Eating can be similar to those of Compulsive Overeating; Using Binges as a way to hide from their emotions, to fill a void they feel inside, and to cope with daily stresses and problems in their lives...
Eating disorder treatment: Help for anorexia and bulimia
The exact treatment needs of someone struggling with an eating disorder will vary according to the individual. It is, therefore, important that a health professional coordinate any treatment plan.Eating disorder treatment step #1: Ask for help
Eating disorder treatment step #2: Find a specialist
Eating disorder treatment step #3: Address health problems
Eating disorder treatment step #4: Make a long-term treatment plan
Gina’s story
Gina battled bulimia for seven years—struggling on her own in secret—before she finally opened up to her mother. Gina wrote her a long letter explaining her shame and embarrassment, and gave her mother a book about how to deal with someone with an eating disorder. Her mother was so relieved that Gina had finally opened up, and together they sought professional help.Gina’s road to recovery was still rocky and she had plenty of slip-ups, but she also had the support of her family. Gina chose to use relationships to replace her bulimia. She saw a therapist and joined a support group of fellow eating disorder sufferers. In time, she went back to graduate school, got married and had children. Like everyone else, she still had difficult experiences in life. Her mother developed cancer and Gina lost her job. But she no longer used her eating disorder to cope.
Where to go for more information
For further information about eating disorders, contact a community organization like the Canadian Mental Health Association to find out about support and resources in your community. Visit their website at www.cmha.ca. In addition, the National Eating Disorder Information Centre keeps a national listing of treatment services and resources online at http://www.nedic.ca/.
What causes an eating disorder?
When someone has an eating disorder, their weight is the prime focus of their life. Their preoccupation with calories, grams of fat, exercise and weight allows them to displace the painful emotions or situations that are at the heart of the problem and gives them a false sense of being in control.
There is no single cause. An eating disorder generally results from a combination of factors. Psychological factors include low self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy or lack of control, depression, anger or loneliness. Interpersonal factors include troubled family and personal relationships, difficulty expressing emotions and feelings, history of physical or sexual abuse. Media promotion of unrealistic images and goals, along with its tendency to equate a person's value with their physical appearance is another contributor.
The possibility of biochemical or biological causes is being studied. Some people with eating disorders have been found to have an imbalance of chemicals in the brain that control hunger, appetite and digestion, possibly as a result of the disorder.
