Eating Disorder Facts

Eating disorder facts are important to know, because there's so much misinformation. The disorders can be caused for many reasons: genetics, family problems, as well as our culture. Doctors can't exactly pinpoint why, however, researchers have discovered that those with an eating-disorder have faulty brain functioning in the area of appetite and digestion.

Another explanation is that the media sends out messages that thin is in. Have you looked at celebrities lately. Although some of them are actually healthy, most go to extreme lengths to be underweight - and as for models.......

For many girls, the message of extreme thinness contributes to a distorted body image. I’ve seen bright, beautiful girls obsessed with achieving an ‘ideal’ weight which was much too low for their height and frame. They start by skipping meals, and denying the nutrition that their bodies need to develop.

Eating disorders are about control. Anorexics feel in control by not eating, or eating a very small amount. There is an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat even when they are underweight.

Anorexics always see themselves as fat, even though they're excessively thin. They control their weight with compulsive exercise, laxatives, enemas, and diuretics. They're starving and are obsessed with food. Many even have rituals around eating.

Girls often have delayed, infrequent or absent menstrual periods. Mortality rate has been estimated at 0.56% per year, which is about 12 times higher than the annual death rate in females for the 'normal' population.

The most common causes of death is cardiac arrest, electrolyte imbalance and suicide.

In bulimia, you’re in control with food, till you’re out of control. Then there is excessive eating. Huge amounts of food within a discrete period of time is consumed. Then, they'll purge by vomiting, diuretics, enemas or they'll fast exercise excessively.

Surprisingly, those with bulimia usually weigh within the norm. This behavior is there terrible secret. They feel disgusted and ashamed, yet they're relieved when they purge.

Compulsive over-eating is eating uncontrollably followed by feelings of guilt and shame. This is different from bulimia, because there's no purging. Compulsive over-eaters use food to cope with stress, upset, depression, anxiety and low-self-esteem. They go into a 'zone' (much like a gambler) when they eat, and negative feelings are temporarily blocked, then when they stop, there are terrible feelings of guilt and shame.

Prejudice is very strong among over-eaters and they are often stereotyped as being lazy, gluttons who lack will-power. But this is an emotional problem, nothing to do with will-power.

I've found that among the eating disorders, compulsive over eating is the easiest to treat. With therapy, the root cause is addressed, and we work on the triggers, and dealing with problems (not escaping from them). The client learns to understand him/her self and becomes greatly relieved.

Every compulsive over eater knows what's 'good' and 'bad' food. They also know every diet out there. I only work with the emotional triggers and when the client connects their feeling with what they but in their mouth, - like a miracle - without stringent dieting, the weight seems to melt away once emotional eating has ended.

As a former client has said "I've stepped out of the bubble, and I'm never going back."

Food issues are common among women who've been abused or suffered addiction

Think you have and eating disorder? Take a quiz.

Effective treatment for an eating-disorder

Diet pills are not the answer.

More about food addicts

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