Chart on Symptoms of Eating Disorders Source: Open Maricopa Education
There have been several research studies that show a connection between depression and eating disorders. Depression causes individuals to develop poor eating habits as a way to control their feelings. Depression bring up many unpleasant emotions, grief, anger, hopelessness, and fear. Many children, teens, and adults suffer from some type of eating disorder.
Most of us know someone with an eating disorder a family member, co-worker, friend, or acquaintance. They diet and exercise excessively, eat and purge themselves, or use laxatives to the excess. Some people with eating disorders eat very little even when they are underweight. You watch them push food around on the plate and eat very little. Even when they are underweight they think they are too heavy.
Eating disorders are an unhealthy way of looking at diet and exercise. Of course there are many other causes of eating disorders heredity, hormones, peer pressure, trauma, physical and mental abuse diet, and environment factors. Eating disorders are increasing among teens, adult men, and women and are often connected to body image and self-esteem issues.
Types of Eating Disorders
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia- Source: Mirror-Uncyc
This is an eating disorder that causes the person to diet excessively and not eat enough to sustain good health. Their obsession with weight and exercise leads to poor health. They eat small quantities of food, exercise for hours, use laxatives and medications to control weight.
This leads to bone problems, brittle hair and nails, dry skin, anemia, muscle weakness, constipation chronic illness, and weight loss. Some individuals eat too food and purge themselves. Some patients need treatment for both the eating disorder and the depression. Some individuals suffer from other mental health issues.
Bulima Nervosa
Man Eating Too Much Source: Tasnim News
Those with bulimia eat large amount of food and often purge or make themselves throw up. This gives them a sense of control over their emotions or problems. They may exercise excessively, use laxatives, and stop eating for a period of time. When they eat too much they feel out of control and later shame and guilt for overeating.
This leads to sore throats, swollen gland, digestive disorders, dehydration and other life threating illness. Often someone with this disorder must be treated for mental health issues and their eating disorder. Eating disorders and symptoms vary from individual to individual.
Binge Eating Disorder and Avoidance/Restrictive Disorders
Binge Eating Source: Flicker/Vic
Children and adults can develop other types of eating disorder. Some people suffer from binge eating disorders. They eat large amounts of food but do not purge or make themselves throw up. After they feel guilt and shame for eating too much. Later they diet excessively, limit what they eat, exercise too much, and use laxatives. This can lead to eating alone and trying to hide the problem.
An avoidant restrictive eating disorder causes someone to avoid certain food because they don't like the color, smell or taste of them. They may avoid eating because of fear of choking, vomiting, and stomach problems. Overall, this leads to less nutrition, weight loss, the in-ability to gain weight.
An eating disorder is a serious illness and anyone need that suffer from it needs to get professional help.
Thin Person Photo Source: Flicker/Tony Alter
How to Help Someone With an eating disorder
Hope Image Source: En. Wikipedia
Learn as much as you can about eating disorders read articles and talk to a doctor before talking with the person that suffers from an eating disorder. If the person is in an outpatient program and lives in your household eat with the person, spend time doing activities outside of eating and try to provide support while the person is recovering.
If you know someone with an eating disorder it is important to try to get them to seek treatment. Your regular doctor can provide a physical, order blood tests, and refer you to medical professionals that treat eating disorders. They might require a mental health evaluation to determine if therapy is needed. Some patients need to be hospitalized due to the severity of their eating disorder.
A program with qualified mental health professionals and dietitians is the best option. If the patients do not change their eating patterns and mental perceptions of food and exercise treatment will not be successful. Therapy often involves cognitive behavioral therapy, group therapy, nutritional counseling and medications.
There are outpatient program at hospital and inpatients programs for those that suffer from eating disorders. Many provide help after the person leaves the program or goes home. The goal of these program are to help the person learn healthier habit for eating, exercise and coping with everyday problems.
Hope On the Horizon Image Source: Flicker/ Tomas Sobek
References:
The Association Between Eating Disorders and Mental Health, Journal of Eating Disorders, March 27, 2023, Several authors listed.
Eating Disorders, Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 2024
The Link Between Food and Mental Health, by Rebecca A. Clay, American Psychological Association, September 2017
Eating Disorders: Symptoms and Causes Mayo Clinic, 2024
Anorexia and Depression: Where Is the Connection, by Hope Gillette, Healthline, January 22, 2024
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