By Doris Omdahl, LMHC, RPT-S
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Registered Play Therapist
It is estimated that about 8 million Americans suffer from eating disorders every year. Nearly 90% are females between the ages of 12 and 25; however a growing number of males, especially athletes, are affected also. There are three kinds of eating disorders.
People with Anorexia nervosa have a distorted body image that causes them to see themselves as overweight even when they are thin. In these cases, the process of eating becomes an obsession; they develop eating habits such as picking out a few foods, eating in small quantities, weighting and portioning food, refusing to eat in front of others. The desire for thinness leads to voluntary starvation. People with Anorexia might exercise compulsively, might constantly check their body weight, and might use laxatives to control their weight. The implications of these behaviors include loosing large amount of weight, thinning of the hair, loss of energy, social withdrawal, depression, absent or irregular menstrual periods, dehydration, low blood pressure, and loss of concentration. Feelings of self-worth are determined by what is or is not eaten.
People with Bulimia nervosa eat excessive amounts of food (thousands of calories in just a few hours), then they pure their bodies of the food by using laxatives, enemas, diuretics, self-induced vomiting or exercise. They are preoccupied with weight; they usually eat in secret, until in pain. They feel ashamed as they binge, and relieved of tension and negative emotions when they purge. The implications of these behaviors include fluctuations of weight, sore throat, swollen glands, puffiness in the cheeks, broken blood vessels under the eyes, tooth decay, stomach cramps, muscle ache, menstrual irregularities, erratic heartbeat, dizziness, and sinus infections. The self worth of people with bulimia is determined by their weight.
People with a Binge Eating Disorder eat large amounts of food when not hungry, but they do not purge their bodies of excessive calories. They eat rapidly, and most of the time they eat alone because they feel ashamed or embarrassed. The implications of these behaviors include weight fluctuations, obesity, feelings of shame, depression, hypertension, fatigue, and tendency to abuse alcohol and drugs. The self worth of people with a binge eating disorder is determined by their weight.
Some psychological characteristics predispose people to develop eating disorders. Low self-esteem, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, intense dissatisfaction with the way they look, problematic families or dysfunctional relationships are some of them. Some physical factors such as genetics can also be influential. Situational factors can also be present; for example family members or friends making comments about their bodies Traumas such as rape, sexual molestation, abuse or a significant loss can also trigger an eating disorder.
Eating Disorders can be treated successfully; they usually do not go away on their own. A multidisciplinary approach involves a complete physical examination to rule out medical illnesses, nutritional counseling to assess and improve nutritional intake, psychological intervention to identify the most important issues underlying and maintaining the eating disorder and in some cases, a psychiatric evaluation to determine the need for medication. It is important to remember that treatment does not work instantly; it may need to be long-term. Support groups can also help and are available.