The 411 on

Eating Disorders

What Are Eating Disorders?

An eating disorder is an obsession with food and weight that harms a person's well-being.

What Are Eating Disorders?

Generally, eating disorders involve self-critical, negative thoughts and feelings about body weight and food, and eating habits that disrupts normal body function, and daily life activities.

Eating Disorders are Psychological

For the most part eating disorders are related to obsessive compulsive disorders and are treated as mental health issues.

Eating disorders can cause physical problems, nutrient imbalances and can even lead to death.

Eating Disorder vs. Diet?

DIET

Dieting is about controlling your weight.

EATING DISORDER

ED’s are about controlling your life and emotions through your weight.

Eating Disorder vs. Diet?

DIET

Dieting is about improving health

EATING DISORDER

Eating Disorders are about getting thinner at the risk of your health.

Types of Eating Disorders

Anorexia NervosaBulimia NervosaCompulsive EatingBinge Eating

Other Related Disorders

Body Dismorphic DisorderMuscle Dysmorphia (bigorexia)

Compulsive ExercisingNight Eating SyndromeSleep Eating DisorderPica

NOTE:

THESE ARE PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS THAT MANIFEST IN A WAY THAT IS RELATED TO FOOD OR EXERCISE!!

IT’S NOT REALLY ABOUT THE FOOD…

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexics usually think they're fat even though they're very thin.

Thinness is an obsession. They avoid food (may even find food

disgusting)

They look like they're sick.

Anorexia Nervosa

They constantly worry about calories, fat, and/or food.

They may take diet pills, laxatives or water pills to lose weight.

They may exercise too much.

What anorexia looks like

Profile of an Anorexic

Usually Caucasian femaleMiddle–upper socioeconomic class

Responsible, meticulous, & obedient

Competitive and obsessiveMay have conflicts with family

High family expectationsExpression of self control

Anorexia: Symptoms

Extreme thinnessMenstrual problems (amenorrhea)

Lanugo--a fine hair that grows on the skin in response to the body's need for warmth

Extra sensitivity to coldEasily Bruising Skin

Anorexia: Symptoms

Dry Skin and Hair, Brittle Hair &Nails,

Hair Loss Bloated stomach after eatingEdema (swelling of face, etc.)Yellowed skinConfused thinking (since the brain

needs fuel to function properly)

Warning Signs of Anorexia

Abnormal, rigid eating habits Eating very little food (300-600

kcal/day) Hiding and storing food Exercising compulsively Preparing meals for others, but not

eating Withdrawing from friends and family Critical of self and others Sleep disturbances and depression

Anorexia: Complications

Bulimia

Nervosa Bulimia is eating a lot of food at once (bingeing) and then purging by vomiting, exercising, or using laxatives, pills, etc to remove the food from the body.

Bulimia Nervosa

Vicious Cycle of Bulimia

Binging and purging

Bingeing- Eating a large amount of food in a short period of time.

Purging-Behavior to compensate for binges; e.g., vomiting, abuse of laxatives or diuretics, fasting, excessive exercise

A loss of control to stop the cycle. Binges and purging both occur at least

twice a week for 3 months (average)

Bulimia Health and other Problems

Vomiting causes most health problems Demineralization of teeth Drop in blood potassium Swelling of salivary glands Stomach ulcers and bleeding Constipation Weight fluctuations Leads to guilt, depression, low self-

esteem

Secret Lives of Bulimics

Loss of control Many are not diagnosed (hide their

behavior) Hidden binge-and-purge habits Elaborate food rules Binge may consist of 3,000+ kcal Convenient, high-sugar, high-fat foods Excessive exercise (“debting” ) Binge-Purge cycles triggered by

emotional factors

Binge Eating Disorder

A binge eater periodically goes on large binges, consuming an unusually large quantity of food in a short period of time (less than 2 hours) uncontrollably, eating until they are uncomfortably full.

They do not purge after eating. Tend to have a more difficult time

losing weight and maintaining healthy weight.

Compulsive Overeating Disorder

An "addiction" to food, Using food and eating as a way cope

with daily stresses and problems in their lives.

Can be overweight to extremely obese.Hide behind their physical appearance, using

it as a blockade against society They feel guilty for not being "good enough,“Shame for being overweightVery low self-esteem

Profile of a Compulsive Overeater

They use food and eating to cope with these feelings, which only leads into the cycle of feeling them ten-fold and trying to find a way to cope again.

With a low self esteem and often constant need for love and validation he/she will turn to obsessive episodes of binging and eating as a way to forget the pain and the desire for affection.

Effects of Compulsive Eating

Obesity Type II Diabetes High blood-pressure/Stroke High cholesterol Heart attacks Arthritis Bone deterioration Extreme pain Death

Body Dysmorphia

BDD is a preoccupation with a physical defect in appearance or a vastly exaggerated concern about a minimal defect.

The individual thinks about his or her defect for at least an hour per day.  

The disorder leads to a great deal of internal suffering. 

Body Dysmorphia (BDD) Fear ridicule in social situations (think

everyone is looking at or talking about the defect)

May consult plastic surgeons and undergo painful or risky procedures to try to change the perceived defect.

The medical procedures rarely produce relief. Indeed they often lead to a worsening of symptoms.

Obsessive ruminations about appearance may make it difficult to concentrate on schoolwork. 

Behaviors associated with BDD

Repeated requests for reassurance about the defect

Avoiding mirrors/obsessive looking in mirrors Repeatedly measuring or palpating the defect Elaborate grooming rituals. Camouflaging some aspect of one’s

appearance Repeated touching of the defect Avoiding social situations where the defect

might be seen by others. Anxiety when with other people.

Muscle Dysmorphia

An obsession with muscles and body building, getting bigger and stronger.

May feel they need to be muscular and ‘‘ripped “ to be attractive.

AKA reverse anorexia or bigorexia

Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder

Indicators of MDD

Many reported taking anabolic steroids to build bigger muscles, but still were unsatisfied

Preoccupation body building is so intense that some routinely gave up desirable jobs, careers and social engagements to spend hours in a gym each day.

They weighed themselves several times a day, repeatedly checked themselves in mirrors.

Indicators of MDD

They may refuse to go to the beach or pool for fear their bodies don't look good enough to be seen.

Wear baggy sweatshirts and pants even in midsummer to conceal their bodies

Experienced great distress if they had to miss even one day of weight-lifting.

Compulsive Exercising

The main goal of the exercise is burning calories

Will find time at any cost to do the exercise (including cutting school, taking off from work, hiding in the bathroom and exercising, etc.).

Addictive & compulsive- putting the individual's physical safety, emotional health and other areas of their life (job, school, family, etc.) in jeopardy because of the compulsive nature of the exercise.

Compulsive Exercising

A sense of temporary power, control and/or self-respect.

A way to forget about their underlying issues and to relieve guilt and pressure of the stresses that build.

Some will continue to exercise with a feeling that it is a chore or a punishment, others will be addicted to the sense of power and self-respect they feel from the activity.

Night Eating Syndrome

People that skips meals during the day and then binge on food in the evening

They end up overeating at night and may even eat until very late.

This may lead to problems with falling asleep and/or staying asleep.

Sleep Eating Disorder

It is a combined sleep-eating problem.Associated with sleep walkingThey binge on usually large quantities

of food,Sufferers may not remember these

episodes,At great risk of unintentional self-injury. Leads to anxiety, tiredness, stress and

anger.

Pica

A compulsive craving for eating, chewing or licking non-food items or foods containing no nutrition.

Including chalk, plaster, paint chips, baking soda, starch, glue, rust, ice, coffee grounds, etc.

Sometimes be linked to certain mineral deficiencies (i.e., iron or zinc).

Pica can be associated with, developmental delays, mental deficiencies, mental illness, family problems and/or a family history of the disorder.

Dangers of Eating DisordersMalnutrition Vitamin& Mineral Deficiencies (Iron deficiency anemia)

DehydrationElectrolyte Imbalances Muscle AtrophyLow Blood Pressure Impaired Neuromuscular FunctionParalysis

Dangers of Eating DisordersDizziness, blurred vision, passing

out, heart pounding and headaches.

Low Platelet CountLow Blood Sugar/HypoglycemiaDiabetes Bad CirculationSlowed or Irregular Heartbeat,

Arrhythmias, Angina, Heart Attack

Dangers of Eating DisordersHormone imbalancesKetoacidosis Kidney Infection and FailureOsteoporosis/OsteopeniaArthritisDental Problems, erosion of

tooth enamel, severe decay, gum disease

Infertility, Miscarriage, Birth defects

Dangers of Eating Disorders

EdemaTearing of Esophagus, gastric

rupture, GI Bleeding , peptic ulcers

Acid Reflux DisordersCancer - Insomnia Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Danger of Eating DisordersLowered body temperature. Pancreatitis Digestive Difficulties -cramps,

bloating, constipation, diarrhea, incontinence

Weakness and Fatigue Seizures Depression

Danger of Eating Disorders

Death Caused by any of the previous or any combination of the following: heart attack or heart failure; lung collapse; internal bleeding, stroke, kidney failure, liver failure; pancreatitis, gastric rupture, perforated ulcer, depression and suicide.

Signs of Eating Disorders Unnatural concern about body weight (even if

the person is not overweight) Obsession with calories, fat, and/or food. Use of any medicines to keep from gaining

weight (diet pills, laxatives, water pills) Throwing up after meals Refusing to eat /lying about how much was

eaten Fainting Over-exercising Not having periods Increased anxiety about weight

Myths about Eating Disorders

Myth #1: You have to be underweight to have an eating disorder.

People with eating disorders come in all shapes and sizes. Many individuals with eating disorders are of average weight or are overweight.

Myth #2: Only teenage girls and young women are affected by eating disorders.

While eating disorders are most common in young women in their teens and early twenties, they are found in men and women of all ages.

Myth #3: People with eating disorders are vain. It’s not vanity that drives people with eating disorders to follow

extreme diets and obsess over their bodies, but rather an attempt to deal with feelings of shame, anxiety, and powerlessness.

Myth #4: Eating disorders aren’t really that dangerous. All eating disorders can lead to irreversible and even life-threatening

health problems, such as heart disease, bone loss, stunted growth, infertility, and kidney damage.

Treating Eating Disorders

Psychotherapy Nutritional counseling

Support groupsResidential treatment

Treating Eating Disorders

For anorexics, the first step is getting back to a normal weight. If you're malnourished or very thin, you may be put in the hospital. Your doctor will probably want you to see a dietitian to learn how to pick healthy foods and eat at regular times. For both anorexics and bulimics, family and individual counseling (talking about your feelings about your weight and problems in your life) is helpful.