Eating disorders

Eating​ ​disorders​ ​are​ ​serious​ ​and​ ​have​ ​a​ ​big​ ​impact​ ​on​ ​someone’s health.​ ​We’re​ ​here​ ​to​
​help.​ ​Learn​ ​more​ ​about​ ​eating​ ​disorders, what​ ​the​ ​warning​ ​signs​ ​are,​ ​and​ ​who​ ​can​ ​help​
you ​change​​your relationship​​with​​food.
What​​is​​an​​eating​​disorder?

It’s​ ​more​ ​than​ ​just​ ​eating​ ​too​ ​little​ ​or​ ​too​ ​much.​ ​It’s​ ​when​ ​someone​ ​has​ ​an unhealthy​
​focus​​on​​eating,​​exercising,​​or​​their​​body​​size​​or​​shape.

Here’s​​what​​you​​need​​to​​know​​about​​eating​​disorders:

●​ You​​can’t​​always​​tell​​if​​someone​​has​​an​​eating​​disorder​​just​​by​​looking at​​them

●​ Both​​girls​​and​​guys​​of​​any​​age​​can​​develop​​an​​eating​​disorder

●​ Eating​​disorders​​are​​not​​a​​diet​​gone​​wrong​​or​​a​​cry​​for​​attention

●​ Sometimes​ ​eating​ ​disorders​ ​develop​ ​as​ ​a​ ​way​ ​for​ ​someone​ ​to​ ​feel​ ​in control​ ​of​
​emotions​​or​​something​​that​​is​​happening​​in​​their​​life

●​ Eating​​disorders​​can​​have​​a​​lifelong​​impact​​on​​someone’s​​health

●​ Eating​​disorders​​are​​very​​serious​​and​​it’s​​important​​to​​get​​support

●​ Help​​is​​available​​and​​recovery​​is​​possible

Types of eating disorders

Eating disorders can come in many forms. Here are the most common:
Anorexia Nervosa

Bulimia Nervosa

Binge Eating Disorder

Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders (OSFED)

How to tell if your relationship with food is becoming unhealthy?

You may notice changes in the way you:

Look

Feel

Act

Think

Recognising the signs and symptoms

Here are some of the most common warning signs and symptoms

How you look:

●​ Sudden​​weight​​loss​​or​​gain

●​ Your look​​tired​​and​​worn-out

●​ Your​​clothing​​style​​has​​changed

●​ Changes​​in​​the​​way​​your​​hair,​​skin​​and​​nails​​look

You may feel:

●​ Unhappy​​with​​your​​body​​shape​​or​​size

●​ Worried,​​upset​​or​​guilty​​after​​eating

●​ Moody,​​irritable​​or​​have​​low​​energy

●​ Faint,​​dizzy​​or​​weak

●​ Nervous​​or​​out​​of​​control​​around​​food

●​ Cold​​all​​the​​time​​–​​even​​in​​warm​​weather

How you act:

●​ Steal​​or​​hide​​food

●​ Withdraw​​from​​your​​friends
 ●​ Exercise​​often​​or​​excessively

●​ Vomit​​after​​meals​​or​​use​​laxatives

●​ Eat​​in​​secret​​or​​avoid​​eating​​with​​others

●​ Diet,​​overeat,​​fast​​or​​change​​the​​way​​you​​eat

How you think:

●​ Difficulty​​concentrating

●​ Have​​a​​strong​​fear​​of​​gaining​​weight

●​ View​​your​​body​​differently​​than​​others​​do

●​ Worried​​about​​what​​you​​eat​​or​​the​​way​​you​​eat

●​ Constantly​​think​​about​​food,​​eating​​or​​body​​weight

Who can help?

If you're worried about your eating habits, it's important to seek help as soon as
possible.

Here's who can help:

Parent or trusted adult

School counsellor

Psychologist

Doctor or nurse

Kids Helpline

Service that specialises in eating disorders like the Butterfly Foundation

You're not alone

With help you can start to change your relationship with food

If​ ​you​ ​notice​ ​any​ ​of​ ​these​ ​signs​ ​or​ ​you’re​ ​worried​ ​about​ ​your​ ​eating​ ​and exercise​ ​habits​ ​–​
​we’re​​here​​to​​help.

What is an Eating Disorder (ED)?

Eating Disorders describe illnesses that are characterized by irregular eating habits and
severe distress or concern about body weight or shape.

Eating disturbances may include inadequate or excessive food intake which can ultimately
damage an individual’s well-being. The most common forms of eating disorders include
Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder and affect both females and
males.

Disordered eating issues can develop during any stage in life but typically appear during
the teen years or young adulthood. Classified as a medical illness, appropriate treatment
can be highly effectual for many of the specific types of eating disorders.

Although these conditions are treatable, the symptoms and consequences can be
detrimental and deadly if not addressed. Eating disorders commonly coexist with other
conditions, such as anxiety disorders, substance abuse, or depression.

Types of Disordered Eating

The three most common types of Eating Disorders are as follows:

●​ Anorexia Nervosa-The male or female suffering from anorexia nervosa will

typically have an obsessive fear of gaining weight, refusal to maintain a
healthy body weight and an unrealistic perception of body image. Many
people with anorexia nervosa will fiercely limit the quantity of food they
consume and view themselves as overweight, even when they are clearly
underweight. Anorexia can have damaging health effects, such as brain
damage, multi-organ failure, bone loss, heart difficulties, and infertility. The
risk of death is highest in individuals with this disease.
●​ Bulimia Nervosa-This eating disorder is characterized by repeated binge
eating followed by behaviors that compensate for the overeating, such as
forced vomiting, excessive exercise, or extreme use of laxatives or diuretics.
Men and women who suffer from Bulimia may fear weight gain and feel
 severely unhappy with their body size and shape. The binge-eating and
purging cycle is typically done in secret, creating feelings of shame, guilt, and
lack of control. Bulimia can have injuring effects, such as gastrointestinal
problems, severe dehydration, and heart difficulties resulting from an
electrolyte imbalance.
●​ Binge Eating Disorder- Individuals who suffer from Binge Eating Disorder will
frequently lose control over his or her eating. Different from bulimia nervosa
however, episodes of binge-eating are not followed by compensatory
behaviors, such as purging, fasting, or excessive exercise. Because of this,
many people suffering from BED may be obese and at an increased risk of
developing other conditions, such as cardiovascular disease. Men and women
who struggle with this disorder may also experience intense feelings of guilt,
distress, and embarrassment related to their binge-eating, which could
influence the further progression of the eating disorder.

Causes of Disordered Eating

EDs are complex disorders, influenced by a facet of factors. Though the exact cause of
eating disorders is unknown, it is generally believed that a combination of biological,
psychological, and/or environmental abnormalities contribute to the development of these
illnesses.

Examples of biological factors include:

●​ Irregular hormone functions

●​ Genetics (the tie between eating disorders and one’s genes is still being
heavily researched, but we know that genetics is a part of the story).
●​ Nutritional deficiencies

Examples of psychological factors include:

●​ Negative body image

●​ Poor self-esteem
Examples of environmental factors that would contribute to the occurrence of eating
disorders are:

●​ Dysfunctional family dynamic

●​ Professions and careers that promote being thin and weight loss, such as
ballet and modeling
●​ Aesthetically oriented sports, where an emphasis is placed on maintaining a
lean body for enhanced performance.
○​ Examples include:
■​ Rowing
■​ Diving
■​ Ballet
■​ Gymnastics
■​ Wrestling
■​ Long distance running
●​ Family and childhood traumas: childhood sexual abuse, severe trauma
●​ Cultural and/or peer pressure among friends and co-workers
●​ Stressful transitions or life changes

Signs & Symptoms of an ED

A man or woman suffering from an eating disorder may reveal several signs and symptoms,
some which are:

●​ Chronic dieting despite being hazardously underweight

●​ Constant weight fluctuations
●​ Obsession with calories and fat contents of food
●​ Engaging in ritualistic eating patterns, such as cutting food into tiny pieces,
eating alone, and/or hiding food
●​ Continued fixation with food, recipes, or cooking; the individual may cook
intricate meals for others but refrain from partaking
●​ Depression or lethargic stage
●​ Avoidance of social functions, family, and friends. May become isolated and
withdrawn
●​ Switching between periods of overeating and fasting
Treatment for Disordered Eating
Because of the severity and complexities of these conditions, a comprehensive and
professional treatment team specializing in eating disorders is often fundamental in
establishing healing and recovery.

Treatment plans are utilized in addressing the many concerns a man or woman may be
facing in the restoration of their health and well-being and are often tailored to meet
individual needs.

Treatment for an ED is usually comprised of one or more of the following and addressed
with medical doctors, nutritionists, and therapists for complete care:

●​ Medical Care and Monitoring-The highest concern in the treatment of eating

disorders is addressing any health issues that may have been a consequence of
eating disordered behaviors.
●​ Nutrition: This would involve weight restoration and stabilization, guidance
for normal eating, and the integration of an individualized meal plan.
●​ Therapy: Different forms of psychotherapy, such as individual, family, or
group, can be helpful in addressing the underlying causes of eating disorders.
Therapy is a fundamental piece of treatment because it affords an individual
in recovery the opportunity to address and heal from traumatic life events
and learn healthier coping skills and methods for expressing emotions,
communicating and maintaining healthy relationships.
●​ Medications: Some medications may be effective in helping resolve mood or
anxiety symptoms that can occur with an eating disorder or in reducing
binge-eating and purging behaviors.

Varying levels of treatment, ranging from outpatient support groups to inpatient treatment
centers, are available and based on the severity of the eating disorder. In any case,
recognizing and addressing the ED are crucial in being able to begin treatment.