Physical signs of eating disorder
Anorexia nervosa - Symptoms and causes
Overview
Anorexia (an-o-REK-see-uh) nervosa — often simply called anorexia — is an eating disorder characterized by an abnormally low body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of weight. People with anorexia place a high value on controlling their weight and shape, using extreme efforts that tend to significantly interfere with their lives.
To prevent weight gain or to continue losing weight, people with anorexia usually severely restrict the amount of food they eat. They may control calorie intake by vomiting after eating or by misusing laxatives, diet aids, diuretics or enemas. They may also try to lose weight by exercising excessively. No matter how much weight is lost, the person continues to fear weight gain.
Anorexia isn't really about food. It's an extremely unhealthy and sometimes life-threatening way to try to cope with emotional problems. When you have anorexia, you often equate thinness with self-worth.
Anorexia, like other eating disorders, can take over your life and can be very difficult to overcome. But with treatment, you can gain a better sense of who you are, return to healthier eating habits and reverse some of anorexia's serious complications.
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Symptoms
The physical signs and symptoms of anorexia nervosa are related to starvation. Anorexia also includes emotional and behavioral issues involving an unrealistic perception of body weight and an extremely strong fear of gaining weight or becoming fat.
It may be difficult to notice signs and symptoms because what is considered a low body weight is different for each person, and some individuals may not appear extremely thin. Also, people with anorexia often disguise their thinness, eating habits or physical problems.
Physical symptoms
Physical signs and symptoms of anorexia may include:
- Extreme weight loss or not making expected developmental weight gains
- Thin appearance
- Abnormal blood counts
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Dizziness or fainting
- Bluish discoloration of the fingers
- Hair that thins, breaks or falls out
- Soft, downy hair covering the body
- Absence of menstruation
- Constipation and abdominal pain
- Dry or yellowish skin
- Intolerance of cold
- Irregular heart rhythms
- Low blood pressure
- Dehydration
- Swelling of arms or legs
- Eroded teeth and calluses on the knuckles from induced vomiting
Some people who have anorexia binge and purge, similar to individuals who have bulimia.
But people with anorexia generally struggle with an abnormally low body weight, while individuals with bulimia typically are normal to above normal weight.
Emotional and behavioral symptoms
Behavioral symptoms of anorexia may include attempts to lose weight by:
- Severely restricting food intake through dieting or fasting
- Exercising excessively
- Bingeing and self-induced vomiting to get rid of food, which may include the use of laxatives, enemas, diet aids or herbal products
Emotional and behavioral signs and symptoms may include:
- Preoccupation with food, which sometimes includes cooking elaborate meals for others but not eating them
- Frequently skipping meals or refusing to eat
- Denial of hunger or making excuses for not eating
- Eating only a few certain "safe" foods, usually those low in fat and calories
- Adopting rigid meal or eating rituals, such as spitting food out after chewing
- Not wanting to eat in public
- Lying about how much food has been eaten
- Fear of gaining weight that may include repeated weighing or measuring the body
- Frequent checking in the mirror for perceived flaws
- Complaining about being fat or having parts of the body that are fat
- Covering up in layers of clothing
- Flat mood (lack of emotion)
- Social withdrawal
- Irritability
- Insomnia
- Reduced interest in sex
When to see a doctor
Unfortunately, many people with anorexia don't want treatment, at least initially.
Their desire to remain thin overrides concerns about their health. If you have a loved one you're worried about, urge her or him to talk to a doctor.
If you're experiencing any of the problems listed above, or if you think you may have an eating disorder, get help. If you're hiding your anorexia from loved ones, try to find a person you trust to talk to about what's going on.
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Causes
The exact cause of anorexia is unknown. As with many diseases, it's probably a combination of biological, psychological and environmental factors.
- Biological. Although it's not yet clear which genes are involved, there may be genetic changes that make some people at higher risk of developing anorexia. Some people may have a genetic tendency toward perfectionism, sensitivity and perseverance — all traits associated with anorexia.
- Psychological. Some people with anorexia may have obsessive-compulsive personality traits that make it easier to stick to strict diets and forgo food despite being hungry.
They may have an extreme drive for perfectionism, which causes them to think they're never thin enough. And they may have high levels of anxiety and engage in restrictive eating to reduce it. - Environmental. Modern Western culture emphasizes thinness. Success and worth are often equated with being thin. Peer pressure may help fuel the desire to be thin, particularly among young girls.
Risk factors
Anorexia is more common in girls and women. However, boys and men have increasingly developed eating disorders, possibly related to growing social pressures.
Anorexia is also more common among teenagers. Still, people of any age can develop this eating disorder, though it's rare in those over 40. Teens may be more at risk because of all the changes their bodies go through during puberty. They may also face increased peer pressure and be more sensitive to criticism or even casual comments about weight or body shape.
Certain factors increase the risk of anorexia, including:
- Genetics.
Changes in specific genes may put certain people at higher risk of anorexia. Those with a first-degree relative — a parent, sibling or child — who had the disorder have a much higher risk of anorexia. - Dieting and starvation. Dieting is a risk factor for developing an eating disorder. There is strong evidence that many of the symptoms of anorexia are actually symptoms of starvation. Starvation affects the brain and influences mood changes, rigidity in thinking, anxiety and reduction in appetite. Starvation and weight loss may change the way the brain works in vulnerable individuals, which may perpetuate restrictive eating behaviors and make it difficult to return to normal eating habits.
- Transitions. Whether it's a new school, home or job; a relationship breakup; or the death or illness of a loved one, change can bring emotional stress and increase the risk of anorexia.
Complications
Anorexia can have numerous complications.
At its most severe, it can be fatal. Death may occur suddenly — even when someone is not severely underweight. This may result from abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) or an imbalance of electrolytes — minerals such as sodium, potassium and calcium that maintain the balance of fluids in your body.
Other complications of anorexia include:
- Anemia
- Heart problems, such as mitral valve prolapse, abnormal heart rhythms or heart failure
- Bone loss (osteoporosis), increasing the risk of fractures
- Loss of muscle
- In females, absence of a period
- In males, decreased testosterone
- Gastrointestinal problems, such as constipation, bloating or nausea
- Electrolyte abnormalities, such as low blood potassium, sodium and chloride
- Kidney problems
If a person with anorexia becomes severely malnourished, every organ in the body can be damaged, including the brain, heart and kidneys.
This damage may not be fully reversible, even when the anorexia is under control.
In addition to the host of physical complications, people with anorexia also commonly have other mental health disorders as well. They may include:
- Depression, anxiety and other mood disorders
- Personality disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorders
- Alcohol and substance misuse
- Self-injury, suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts
Prevention
There's no guaranteed way to prevent anorexia nervosa. Primary care physicians (pediatricians, family physicians and internists) may be in a good position to identify early indicators of anorexia and prevent the development of full-blown illness. For instance, they can ask questions about eating habits and satisfaction with appearance during routine medical appointments.
If you notice that a family member or friend has low self-esteem, severe dieting habits and dissatisfaction with appearance, consider talking to him or her about these issues.
Although you may not be able to prevent an eating disorder from developing, you can talk about healthier behavior or treatment options.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
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Early Signs of an Eating Disorder
What Is an Eating Disorder?
An eating disorder is any of a range of psychological disorders characterized by abnormal or disturbed eating habits. This pattern of eating leads to disruption in someone’s behaviors, thinking, and mood. It also negatively impacts interpersonal relationships, school, work, and physical health.
Eating Disorder Symptoms
- Chapped lips and gray skin
- Fainting spells from malnutrition and dehydration
- Hair loss
- Irregular or absent menstrual cycles
- Disrupted sleep patterns
- Musculoskeletal injuries and pain from excessive exercise
- Dental erosions from self-induced vomiting
- Chronic constipation, gastroesophageal reflux, and other gastrointestinal problems
- Markedly low blood pressure and pulse
- Prone to upper respiratory infections
- Low energy
- Overall poor health
Someone with an eating disorder will continue these behaviors despite physical and personal consequences.
This may be caused by any number of factors and serve any number of purposes, but whatever the reason behind the eating disorder, these actions are harmful and can result in significant functional impairment, even leading to death in extreme cases.
7 Eating Disorder Warning Signs
While eating disorder behaviors can vary from person to person, we’ve identified some common warning signs to watch out for, including:
1. Alterations in Weight
If the person weighs less than 85 percent of their ideal body weight and exhibits other characteristic signs of an eating disorder, they can be diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. Someone can still be close to, at, or even above their ideal body weight and have an eating disorder.
This is common in those diagnosed with bulimia nervosa, marked by binging and purging.
2. Preoccupation With Body Image
Do you know someone who spends an inordinate amount of time looking in the mirror, makes negative comments about her physical appearance and insists that they are overweight? That behavior alone doesn’t necessarily constitute an eating disorder, but if they become preoccupied with certain celebrities and models, compare themselves unfavorably to them, or wear baggy clothing to hide their body shape, these actions can be cause for concern.
3. Disruptions in Eating Patterns
You may notice that someone stops eating with the family, dislikes previously enjoyed foods, is preoccupied with counting calories and fat grams, drinks excessive amounts of water and caffeine to suppress their appetite, eats noticeably smaller portions, or refuses to eat at all. Or maybe they start bingeing on certain foods and going to the bathroom immediately after meals to vomit what they just ate.
Also be on the lookout for newly developed eating rituals such as chewing for long periods before swallowing, cutting food into small portions, moving food around on the plate, or hiding food in a napkin to dispose of later.
4. Preoccupation With Nutritional Content
A dedication to eating nutritious food is admirable, but if someone you know begins to classify foods as good or bad, healthy or unhealthy, safe or unsafe, and is constantly searching out organic, low-fat diet foods, frequently visits websites focused on nutrition, or suddenly declares they are vegetarian or vegan, this, in conjunction with other behaviors, could be a sign that they need help.
5. Changes in Exercise Patterns
Another warning sign is when someone becomes preoccupied with physical fitness, spends hours exercising in a ritualistic way, talks excessively about the number of calories they’ve burned, or gets upset if their exercise routine is disrupted.
6. Mood Fluctuations
As an eating disorder gains momentum, it may lead to signs of irritability, depression, and anxiety, causing the individual to stop socializing and lose interest in previously enjoyed activities.
7. Use of Laxatives, Diuretics, or Diet Pills
There is tremendous pressure on young girls and women today to look a certain way, but when they are willing to risk their health to achieve an unhealthy standard, resorting to laxatives, diuretics, or diet pills, that can be a sign they need help.
The First Steps to Recovery
If you or someone you care about exhibits one or more of the warning signs listed, you need to act. An eating disorder can quickly take on a life of its own. The treatment process can be started by contacting the individual’s primary care physician for a physical evaluation, including laboratory studies and an EKG.
Now it’s time to find the appropriate level of treatment. Depending on the severity of the issue, this may be a therapist who is comfortable working with eating disorders, an outpatient eating disorder program, or even an inpatient facility that can offer round-the-clock care.
Eating disorders can be successfully treated, especially when they are caught early, but it’s important to get help as soon as possible.
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The Meadows Ranch has helped more than 10,000 individuals struggling with an eating disorder to find the beauty within. Our goal is full and complete recovery for all patients, returning them home with the tools and insights they need to live a healthy and fulfilling life.
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Eating Disorders - Symptoms and Treatments for Anorexia and Bulimia Articles EMC
Eating disorders, such as anorexia - restriction of food intake, and bulimia - episodes of overeating, are increasingly common in today's society. Right now we can talk about an epidemic of eating disorders.
Eating disorders such as anorexia - restriction of food intake, and bulimia - episodes of overeating, are increasingly common in modern society. Right now we can talk about an epidemic of eating disorders.
Anorexia and bulimia tend to occur in girls during adolescence. They can be primary when they develop as a primary disease, and secondary when they occur against a background of depression.
As a rule, eating disorders occur when a teenager is unhappy with their appearance and wants to change. He tries to solve the problem with weight loss.
One must always remember that food restrictions are a very pleasant state of lightness, flight, which helps teenagers cope with anxiety and bad mood. Therefore, in many cases, when teenagers openly declare their desire to lose weight in order to be like their idols, there is a desire to manage their emotions or cope with anxiety behind this.
Symptoms to look out for
- child eats small meals;
- goes to the toilet immediately after eating;
- sports excessively;
- is often weighed, counts calories;
- loses weight rapidly;
- is fixated on his appearance, considers himself fat, even if the weight is below normal.
If these symptoms are present, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible, because the further the eating disorder progresses, the more difficult it is to help the patient, especially when physiological disorders begin.
In girls, the menstrual cycle is disturbed, edema appears, general metabolic disorders, and damage to the gastrointestinal tract. Eating disorders lead to severe endocrinological disorders and can cause infertility.
Bulimia is the other side of anorexia. It is expressed in episodes of uncontrolled overeating, after which, as a rule, adolescents cause vomiting. Overeating helps to cope with anxiety and emotional stress. Children often don't feel guilty about eating too much afterwards. Regular vomiting is dangerous. It leads to metabolic disorders, to irreversible disorders of the intestinal tract. Therefore, if you notice a sharp increase in weight in a child, you see that immediately after eating he goes to the toilet, find hidden food in his room, while at the same time he can be fixed on his appearance, you need to get expert advice. Additional causes for concern may be sleep disturbances, mood swings, irritability.
Each family has its own traditions and eating habits, sometimes adults instill in adolescents diets that they themselves adhere to.
Against this background, an eating disorder in a child may not be pronounced. Sometimes parents' adherence to strict diets can provoke eating disorders in children.
It is wrong to focus on the idea of the right weight or the right amount of food that a person should consume. For example, in a restaurant, parents can make a remark to a teenager when he asks for dessert or fix it on his appearance, on his weight, compare him with someone from a mutual friend or with his mother. This usually has a very strong effect on girls who have a predisposition to eating disorders.
The treatment of anorexia and bulimia is a long process
It must be remembered that food restriction is a subjectively pleasant condition, adolescents become addicted to it, so they limit themselves again and again. Treatment of anorexia and bulimia is recommended to start in a hospital under the strict supervision of clinic doctors. It is rarely possible to cope with an eating disorder on your own with the joint efforts of the family, so it is better not to risk it and contact a specialist as soon as possible.
The main goal of treatment is to relieve the patient of excessive fixation on his appearance. This is a long-term treatment, it includes many stages. But it always begins with the solution of physical problems: the restoration of the menstrual cycle and metabolism. An eating disorder is a life-threatening condition and at a critically low weight, the changes may be irreversible and the patient cannot be saved. Parents should remember this. The advantage of EMC is that the psychiatry clinic is part of a somatic hospital, where all types of diagnostics and doctors of all specializations are presented. A correction plan for each patient is developed jointly with endocrinologists, therapists, pediatricians, and gastroenterologists. Thus, a high efficiency of treatment is achieved.
The European Medical Center (Moscow) uses pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy to treat anorexia and bulimia. Drug therapy is aimed at correcting the emotional disturbances and anxiety that occur against the background of an eating disorder.
Pharmacotherapy, including helping to regulate hunger and control appetite. In parallel, a massive behavioral therapy begins, which helps the patient change his lifestyle. Patients learn to adequately perceive their weight, work is being done on motivation, changing eating habits, learning to live without overeating and limiting themselves to diets.
The psychotherapist also works with parents, teaches them to support the child, to respond correctly to painful behavior. This becomes the key to a supportive environment in which adolescents return after inpatient treatment and continue outpatient treatment.
The main prevention of eating disorders is the correct attitude to nutrition and perception of appearance in the family. It is very important that the family is neutral about food, adults do not remark that the child eats too much or eats food that makes them fat. Healthy food is necessary, but it is important that it is not the main value in the family.
The same applies to appearance.
A big plus if the girl looks good, but this should not be an overvalued idea around which the whole life of the family is concentrated. Unfortunately, often eating disorders appear in girls who practice ballet, or sports where it is required to maintain a certain weight.
The task of parents is to be attentive to their child and, if alarming symptoms appear, not to postpone a visit to a specialist.
Causes, Symptoms, Signs and Treatments in 2019year
- What is an eating disorder (what is an eating disorder)?
- Types of Eating Disorders (EDI)
- Causes of Eating Disorders
- Signs and Symptoms of Eating Disorders
- Treatment of Eating Disorders
- Stories of girls cured of eating disorders
- Eating Disorders Abstract
Eating disorders (EDDs) are diseases characterized by unhealthy eating behavior based on preoccupation with body weight and appearance.
Eating disorders may include inappropriate or excessive food intake, which may eventually markedly impair an individual's well-being.
The most common forms of eating disorders (EDD) are anorexia, bulimia and compulsive overeating - they all occur in both women and men.
Eating disorders can develop at any stage of life, but tend to form and become more common during adolescence or early childhood. Properly selected therapy can be very effective in the treatment of many types of eating disorders.
If RPP is left untreated and left without due attention, the symptoms and consequences can be very deplorable, lead to the destruction of health and even lead to death of the patient. Eating disorders are often accompanied by psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety disorders, depression, neurosis, substance abuse and/or alcohol.
If you cannot cope with the disease on your own, we recommend that you seek help, because in the treatment of bulimia, with frequent induction of vomiting after eating, serious professional help is needed either from a psychotherapist or an eating disorder specialist.
Want to cure bulimia?
The three most common types of eating disorders are:
- Anorexia - A man or woman suffering from anorexia usually has an obsessive fear of gaining weight, refuses to maintain a healthy body weight, and has a distorted body image. Many people with anorexia severely limit the amount of food they eat and consider themselves fat, even if in fact they are much underweight. Anorexia can have detrimental health effects such as brain damage, multiple organ failure, bone loss, infertility, and heart problems. This eating disorder has the highest mortality rate.
- Bulimia - This eating disorder is characterized by frequent overeating, accompanied by "compensating" behavior - artificial vomiting, excessive exercise and abuse of laxatives and diuretics. Men and women who suffer from Bulimia may fear weight gain and be dissatisfied with the size and shape of their own bodies.
Overeating and purging tend to happen in secret, creating feelings of shame, guilt, and lack of control. Side effects of bulimia include gastrointestinal problems, severe dehydration, and heart problems caused by electrolyte imbalances.
- Binge eating disorder (CB) - Individuals suffering from compulsive overeating often lose control of their eating. Unlike bulimia, binge eating is not accompanied by compensatory behaviors such as purging, fasting, or excessive exercise. Compulsive overeating can be divided into 2 types:
- FIRST TYPE , in which, after frequent episodes of compulsive overeating, the patient goes on a strict diet, from which he again breaks down and goes to the CP.
- SECOND TYPE , in which the patient is kept on a strict diet for a week, and on weekends he goes on a food "binge" and then is compensated by laxatives or increased sports. Patients may also experience strong feelings of guilt, anguish, and embarrassment (associated with their binge eating), which may affect the further development of eating disorders.
Causes of Eating Disorders
The exact cause of eating disorders has not yet been officially confirmed. Anna Vladimirovna Nazarenko, head of the Eating Behavior Recovery Clinic, based on more than 15 years of practical experience, believes that one of the common causes is an individual feature of the aesthetic perception of a person, which is laid in us even before birth. In simple terms, the main reason is the desire to be thin and beautiful from an aesthetic point of view, as an individual personality trait. The type of eating disorder that a patient develops depends on psychological characteristics and external social factors.
Examples of psychological characteristics:
- Negative perception of one's own body;
- Low self-esteem.
If you cannot cope with the disease on your own, we recommend that you seek help, because in the treatment of bulimia, with frequent vomiting after eating, serious professional help is needed either from a psychotherapist or an eating disorder specialist.
Want to cure bulimia?
Examples of social factors:
- Dysfunctional family dynamics;
- Occupation and occupation that promotes weight loss, such as ballet and modeling;
- Aesthetically oriented sports promoting a muscular toned body;
- Examples:
- Bodybuilding;
- Ballet;
- Gymnastics;
- Wrestling;
- Long distance running;
- Family and childhood injuries;
- Cultural pressure and/or pressure from peers and/or friends and colleagues;
- Difficult experiences or life problems.
To date, no studies have been conducted in the field of eating disorders and no evidence has been found in favor of the theory of a genetic predisposition to an eating disorder. The only thing that has been reliably proven is that the risk of getting bulimic is higher if someone in the family has an addiction (alcohol, drug or bulimia).
Signs and Symptoms of Eating Disorders
A man or woman with an eating disorder may exhibit a range of signs and symptoms, for example:
- Chronic dieting despite dangerous weight loss;
- Frequent fluctuations in weight;
- Obsession with calories and fat in food;
- Ritualization of eating, eg cutting food into tiny pieces, eating alone and/or habit of hiding food;
- Obsession with food, recipes or cooking. A person may cook complex meals for others but refuse to eat together:
- Depression or apathy:
- Avoidance of social functions, family and friends. The patient may isolate and withdraw from public life:
- Alternating periods of overeating and fasting.
Eating Disorder Treatment in 2019
Given the severity and complexity of these conditions, patients require comprehensive treatment under the supervision of a diverse team of eating disorder specialists. Here, too, everything depends on the level of destruction of the personality.
Specialists include: a professional eating disorder specialist, a psychotherapist, in some cases a gastroenterologist, an internist, and a neurologist.
Currently in Israel and Russia outdated methods of inpatient treatment with antidepressants are mainly used, which destroy the liver, kidneys, and have a short-term effect. The patient is constantly in a state of inhibition and the psychotherapist does not have the opportunity to work effectively and conduct personality psychotherapy in this state of the patient. Such a state only helps doctors in the hospital to feed the patient and has a short-term effect, i.e. gives a short remission time, but does not give a long-term stable and successful final recovery, since it is necessary to work with the patient through awareness. As practice shows, the latest PSYCHOTHERAPY indicates that the best method of treating ED is outpatient treatment and psychotherapy without a hospital and antidepressants (the only exception may be cases of acute anorexia, when it is already a question of life and death).
The Individual Treatment Plans are used to address many of the challenges a man or woman faces in regaining their health and well-being. Treatment of eating disorders is usually supervised by one or more specialists (psychologist, neurologist, etc.):
- Medical supervision and care. The biggest challenge in treating eating disorders is dealing with any health problems that may have resulted from the eating disorder;
- Nutrition: This includes restoring and stabilizing a healthy weight, normalizing eating habits and developing an individual nutrition plan;
- Psychotherapy: Various forms of psychotherapy (individual, family or group) can help address the underlying causes of eating disorders. Psychotherapy is a fundamental part of treatment, as it is it that can help the patient survive traumatic life events and learn how to properly express their emotions, communicate and maintain healthy relationships with others;
- Medications: Some medications can be very effective in relieving symptoms of depression or anxiety that can occur with eating disorders, or in reducing binge eating and purging.
Depending on the severity of the eating disorder, different levels of treatment may be recommended to the patient, ranging from outpatient support groups to inpatient treatment centers. In any case, the patient first of all needs to recognize the presence of RPP and seek help from specialists.
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Stories of girls cured of ED
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Basic Theses about Eating Disorders
- Anorexia kills . This disease actually has the highest mortality rate of all mental disorders. The media often reports on celebrity deaths from anorexia. Perhaps the first such case was the death of Karen Carpenter in the early eighties. The singer suffered from anorexia and abused emetics. She eventually succumbed to heart failure. Many years later, her sad experience was repeated by Christina Renee Henrich, a world famous gymnast who died at 1994 year.
- "Women Athlete Syndrome" is a dangerous condition that can put professional athletes at risk for lifelong health problems. Their coaches, friends and family should support them and help prevent eating disorders.
- Serious changes in life can trigger the development of an eating disorder . Getting started at university is no exception. A young man or girl leaves home, leaves friends and family to go into the unknown. For some, being a student can be much more emotionally difficult than for others. The start of adulthood can be a major psychological upheaval and, unfortunately, being a student can trigger the development of an eating disorder.
- Eating disorders are thought to be more common in wealthy, well-educated women who belong to a high socioeconomic class. Eating disorders are also often considered an exclusively "European" disease and therefore rarely seen in other ethnic groups.
However, this is all a big misconception. In fact, eating disorders have been around for a long time in many cultures and ethnic groups. And this is another proof that there are no barriers and restrictions for eating disorders. Men, women, Europeans, African-Americans, residents of the Caucasus, Kazakhstan, and others can become victims of eating disorders. For example, in the Anna Nazarenko Eating Behavior Recovery Clinic, the second place in terms of the number of applications belongs to Kazakhstan, the third place is shared by Belarus and Ukraine, the first place belongs to Russia.
- According to the National Eating Disorders Association, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people (and others in the LGBT community) are at higher risk of developing eating disorders, incl. anorexia and bulimia. Single gays and bisexuals are more likely to suffer from anorexia (because they are forced to maintain a slim figure as a competitive advantage), while gays and bisexuals who are in a relationship are more likely to suffer from bulimia.
Lesbian and bisexual women with eating disorders are not much different from heterosexual women with eating disorders, but lesbian and bisexual women are more likely to have psychiatric disorders.
- In pursuit of the ideal . Ballerinas put in a lot of effort to succeed in their profession, however, as a result, they often become victims of eating disorders. It's no secret that ballet dancers often suffer from eating disorders, and this is understandable, since during training and rehearsals in front of a large mirror, they have to compare themselves with their competitors. Moreover, professional ballet itself promotes unhealthy thinness.
- Does vegetarianism contribute to eating disorders? Currently, about five percent of Americans consider themselves vegetarians (they exclude meat and animal products from their diet). This percentage does not take into account those who consider themselves "quasi-vegetarians" (people who eat some animal products, but at the same time the basis of their diet is plant foods).
Vegetarianism is much more common among those suffering from eating disorders. Approximately half of patients struggling with an eating disorder practice some form of a vegetarian diet.
- The most serious complications that result from eating disorders are malnutrition or an unstable heartbeat. At the same time, a number of complications associated with eating disorders can have serious long-term consequences for the patient's health, even if they are not obvious and practically do not manifest themselves. Bone loss or osteoporosis is a "silent" yet very serious disease that often affects patients with anorexia.
- Because of the sheer amount of misinformation about eating disorders, these major illnesses tend to be misunderstood, oversimplified, or grossly generalized. The truth is that eating disorders are complex diseases due to many factors. Understanding the consequences of eating disorder can help raise awareness about how to get help.
- The media plays an important role in promoting an unhealthy perception of one's own appearance , as retouched images in magazines and on TV screens create an unattainable ideal of a "perfect body".
- Until the patient learns to eat right and respond to external challenges, he will not be able to return to normal communication with his family and friends. Once he has successfully adopted healthy eating habits, it is time to start rehabilitation therapy.
Five irreversible health effects of bulimia
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Most girls and women are captivated by stereotypes and in pursuit of an ideal appearance and figure are constantly trying to change themselves. Often the consequence of such a war is bulimia.
7 Reasons Why You Start Gaining Weight By Trying To Lose Weight By Vomiting After Eating
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Many mistakenly believe that vomiting after eating helps to get rid of excess weight, especially if there is a "cleansing" after each meal.
