Eating Disorders: Understanding the silent struggle -

Eating Disorders: Understanding the silent struggle

Theraverse . April 23, 2024

Eating disorder is a mental disorder defined by abnormal eating behavior that affects a person’s physical and mental health. Eating disorders are defined as the disruption in the eating behavior with excessive concern about body weight that impairs physical health or psychosocial functioning. Eating disorders can present as severe psychiatric illness associated with high rates of morbidity or mortality.

These disorders are not merely about food but are intricate conditions characterised by unhealthy pattern of eating, distress about body weight or shape and often, a distorted self-image. It is a type of mental illness that involves unhealthy thoughts and behaviours towards food, weight or shape

Eating disorders can affect people of any age, race, gender or sexual orientation. If you have eating disorders, you might worry so much about food that it makes it difficult to work, go to school or enjoy time with friends.

How common are eating disorders?

Approximately 20million girls and women and 10million boys and men in America have eating disorders. Taken together, eating disorders affect 5% of of the population most often developed in adolescence and young adults. Several, especially Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia nervosa are more common in women.

Types of Eating Disorders

There are different types of eating disorders. Some people may have more than one type of eating disorder. Types include:

Anorexia Nervosa – Individuals with anorexia nervosa obsessively restrict their food intake leading to severe weight loss and intense fear of gaining weight.
Bulimia Nervosa– People with Bulimia Nervosa engage in Episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviours such as purging through vomiting or excessive exercise
Binge Eating Disorder(BED)- BED involves recurrent episodes of consuming large quantities of food in a short period , often accompanied by a sense of loss of control without compensatory behaviours like purging.
Avoidant/Restrictive food Intake Disorder(ARFID)- People with dis disorder eat limited good or do not eat certain food. The pattern of eating often doesn’t meet minimum daily nutritional needs.
Rumination Disorder– Involves the regular regurgitation of food that occurs for at least one month. Regurgitated food may be re-chewed, re-swallowed, or spit out. Typically, when someone regurgitates their food, they do not appear to be making an effort, nor do they appear to be stressed, upset, or disgusted.

Symptoms of eating disorder

People of any body weight or size could go through this, you cannot always tell by someone’s appearance if they have an eating disorder. Eating disorders often impact the way people think about food or relate to it, which may not be reflected in their weight or size.

Anorexia Nervosa symptoms include:

Extremely restrictive eating
Extreme thinness
Intense fear of gaining weight
Distorted body image, a self esteem that is heavily influenced by perceptions of body weight and shape or a denial of the seriousness of low body weight

Bulimia Nervosa Symptoms include:

Chronically inflamed and sore throat
Swollen salivary glands in the neck and jaw area
Usually a normal or above average body weight.
Recurrent episodes of binge eating and fear of not being able to stop eating.
Self-induced vomiting (usually secretive)
Excessive exercise.
Excessive fasting.

Binge Eating Disorder Symptoms include:

Eating unusually large amounts of food in a specific amount of time, such as a 2-hour period
Eating even when you’re full or not hungry
Eating fast during binge episodes
Eating until you’re uncomfortably full
Eating alone or in secret to avoid embarrassment

Avoidant/Restrictive food Intake Disorder(ARFID) symptoms include:

Lack of appetite or interest in food
dramatic weight loss
upset stomach, abdominal pain ,or and other gastrointestinal issue with no known cause.
limited range of preferred foods that becomes even more limited.(“picky eating”that gets progressively worse )

Rumination disorder symptoms include:

Effortless regurgitation, typically within minutes of eating.
Belly pain or pressure relieved by regurgitation.
A feeling of fullness.
Nausea.
Losing weight without trying.

What causes Eating Disorders?

BIOLOGICAL FACTORS:

Genetic predisposition – Individuals with a family history of eating disorders are at a higher risk.
Neurochemical imbalances- Alterations in brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine can influence mood regulations and appetite control.

PSYCHOLOGICSAL FACTORS:

Low Self-Esteem- Negative body image and feelings of inadequacy can drive unhealthy behaviors related to food and weight.
Perfectionism – Unrealistic standards can lead to rigid dietary rules and excessive exercises.
Difficulty coping with emotions- Some people use of food or the control of food intake to cope up with stress, anxiety or trauma

SOCIAL INFLUENCES:

Cultural Ideals of Beauty- Societal pressure to follow unrealistic standards of thinness can lead to dissatisfaction with ones body and can trigger disordered eating behavior.
Peer Influence- Peer groups that emphasize dieting or weight loss may normalise unhealthy eating habits and body dissatisfaction.
Media Portrayal- Images in the media glorifying an ideal body type can distort perception of self-image and encourage harmful dieting behavior to conform to societal expectations.

ENVIRONMENTAL TRIGGERS:

Traumatic life events- childhood trauma, abuse, or significant life changes can disrupt one’s relationship with food and body image.
Family Dynamics- conflicts in the family or severe neglect or overemphasis on appearance can contribute to eating disorders.
Sociocultural Factors- socioeconomic status, access to healthcare and culture norms surrounding food and body image can influence the prevalence of eating disorder in different populations.

Harmful effects on health

People with eating disorders are at higher risk for suicide and medical complications. People with eating disorders can also have other mental disorders like depression, anxiety or problems with substance abuse.

Eating disorders can lead to a wide range of psychiatric and physical illness. The most common reason behind developing an eating disorder starts with unhealthy eating pattern.

Eating disorders may have Physical Health – not eating enough or eating too much can mess up your body. you might feel weak, dizzy and tired all the time. your hair could fall out and your skin might look pale or yellowish. plus, your body might have trouble in digesting food properly, leading to troubles like stomach pain or constipation.

Mental health also takes a hit due to this. You might feel anxious or sad and it might be difficult to concentrate or remember things. Self-doubts and preoccupation regarding thoughts about weight and body-image may be all-consuming.

Barriers to seeking help

Stigma: Societal stigma and misconceptions surrounding eating disorder can stop individuals from seeking help due to fear of judgement or shame.
Lack of awareness: Many people may not recognize the signs and symptoms of eating disorders in themselves or others, this leads to delaying or preventing access to appropriate care.
Perceived control: Individuals with eating disorders may perceive their disordered eating behaviors as a source of control amidst of other stressors, which makes it challenging to acknowledge the need for assistance.
Over-glorification of dieting regimes and weight loss journeys: Especially on social media, it has become a trend to post quick progress and weight loss videos. While it is completely acceptable for people to get fitter, it should not be at the cost of compromising mental and physical health.

What are the treatments of Eating Disorder?

Eating Disorder treatment plans are specifically tailored to each person and may include a combination of Multiple Therapies. Treatments will usually involve talk therapy, as well as regular health checks with a physician. It is important to seek treatment early for eating Disorders, as the risk of medical complications and suicide is high.

Treatment options include:-

Individual, group or family psychotherapy – A type of psychotherapy called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) may be recommended to help reduce or eliminate disordered behaviour such as binge eating, purging and restricting. CBT involves Learning how to recognise and change disordered or unhelpful thought pattern.
Medications – A doctor may recommend treatment with medications such as antidepressants, antipsychotics or mood stabilisers to help treat an eating disorder or other conditions that may occur at the same time such as depression or anxiety.
Nutritional counselling – This involves working with a dietitian to learn proper nutrition and eating habits and may also involve restoring or managing a persons weight if they have experienced significant weight changes. Many studies have shown that combining nutritional therapy with cognitive therapy may significantly improve treatment outcome.

In conclusion, eating Disorders are complex and multifaceted mental illness that can have a profound effect on both physical and mental health. They can be caused by a combination of biological, Psychological, and environmental factors and they can have harmful effect on both physical and mental health. seeking help early is very important and treatment options such as therapy, medications and Nutritional counselling can make a big difference recovery. It is essential to raise awareness, reduce sigma and provide support to those affected by eating disorders, as early intervention and compassionate care can greatly improve outcomes and quality of life.

By Samia Faisal Khan (Intern at Talk Therapy Clinic)

REFERENCES