EATING DISORDER
Have you ever suffered from an eating disorder? Have you ever even heard of it? Well, if you haven’t, you should know it’s a mental disorder, and it can have devastating effects on the overall health of an individual.
You can obviously tell from the tag itself that it’s a mental illness associated with how you fuel your body. In general, there are two types of eating disorder: bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa.
Bulimia nervosa
Commonly referred to as bulimia, it is a life-threatening eating disorder that has riddled so many people over the years. Someone suffering from bulimia nervosa will secretly consume large amounts of food, without self-control, and throw up just to get rid of the extra calories. If you ask them why they’d do that, you’ll be told that’s how they get to control their daily calories and weight.
Symptoms of bulimia nervosa
Some of the symptoms that you need to look out for include:
· Constantly living in fear of gaining weight
· Feeling the need to use enemas, diuretics, or laxatives, even though they are not needed.
· Trying to avoid certain foods, restricting calories, or fasting in between binges
· Recurring episodes of unhealthy eating in one sitting
· Constantly looking at your body shape or weight
· Using herbal products or dietary supplements for weight loss
· Forcing yourself to vomit
· Feeling not in control while binging
Anorexia nervosa
It’s often referred to as anorexia, and it’s characterized by an intense fear to gain weight, unusually low body weight, and a distorted perception of weight. A person suffering from anorexia will go to extreme lengths to ensure their body weight and shape is perfect in their eyes. Even if it means the process will have dire repercussions.
Symptoms of anorexia
The symptoms and physical signs that you need to look out for in this case include:
· Abnormal blood counts
· Constipation and abdominal pain
· Absence of menstruation
· Dizziness or fainting
· Fatigue
· Insomnia
· Their bodies will be covered by soft, downy hair
· Thin appearance
· Low blood pressure
· Dehydration
· Dry or yellowish skin
Prevention
Even though there’s truly no surefire way of preventing these eating disorders, you can always create awareness and a healthy environment around these individuals. Start by discouraging dieting, reinforcing a healthy body image, or not talking about weight.
Do you know or have you heard of someone who might be suffering from any one of these disorders? Ask them to reach out to a counselor. Make them understand that if they do not seek help as soon as possible, they’ll have to deal with serious health complications later on in life.
Also, you should let them know that at the core of that issue there’s always an idea or belief. Finding a way to control that idea or belief should be a priority, as it will play a critical role in the treatment.
Make the world a better place by helping us help people who are battling with these mental illnesses.
Email me at info@soteldotherapy.com
Call for an appointment at 613-400-0128
Comments