Eating disorders
What are eating disorders?
Eating disorders are a range of psychological conditions that cause unhealthy eating habits to develop. This might start with an obsession with food, body weight, or body shape. People with an eating disorder often also experience depression and anxiety.
Eating disorders may stem from various factors. These include genetics, personality traits, being bullied about body shape or eating habits, and cultural preferences such as the ideals of thinness.
Do I have eating disorders?
Eating disorders are not only about food. They are complex mental conditions with different specific types. The most common types are anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder.
Anorexia Nervosa – physical, psychological and behavioural conditions may include:
- Perceiving oneself as overweight regardless of the fact of being severely underweight
- Intense obsession with weight
- Severely restricting calories intake
- Avoiding eating certain types of food
- Purging after eating such as vomiting, taking laxatives
- Having a distorted body image
- Persistence behaviours of trying to lose weight such as overly exercising
- Having a strong influence of perceived body image on one’s self-esteem
Bulimia Nervosa – physical, psychological and behavioural conditions may include:
- Constant behaviour of eating and purging such as forced vomiting, fasting, using laxatives, and excessive exercise
- Binge eating with lack of control
- Avoiding eating certain types of food, but tend to binge on those when losing control
- Having fear of gaining weight, despite having a normal weight
- Having a strong influence of perceived body image on one’s self-esteem
- Losing control of the amount of food you eat
- Eating large amounts of foods in a short period of time, in secret and until uncomfortably full, despite no hunger
- Feeling guilty, ashamed, or distress about the binge eating behaviour
- No use of purging behaviour
- Avoiding social situation that involved food or eating with others
- Having very strict habits or routines around food
- Spending a lot of time worrying about your weight and body shape
- Mood swings
- Feeling tired or dizzy
- Missing of period in women and girls
- Digestive problems
One may have a mixture of eating disorders, and the conditions can be dangerous and fatal if continue without treatment. Talking therapy, CBT, and mindfulness-based therapy can help very well with eating disorders. The therapy will be individualised for each person, which will help you cope with your feelings, overcome unhealthy habits, create good relationship with food, establish a healthy lifestyle, self-esteem, and body image. Get in touch