Thinking About Eating Disorders

Allow me to tell you the story of a friend of mine.

A young teenage girl we know recently suffered through the death of her mother and consequently had to be faced with being raised by her father in whom she was petrified of. Did I mention she was to be in charge of raising her 6 younger brothers and sisters.

She was always thin, but now weighs 90 pounds. She doesn’t think she has a problem and her father doesn’t think she has a problem. There are many questions in this situation, the major one being does she have an eating disorder. If she does have an eating disorder, what type is it….anorexia, bulimia?

It’s clear she needs help, others have tried, however her father prevents any intervention. The question becomes, what is causing the eating disorder? That’s why I assembled this collection of articles and ebooks on eating disorders. Hopefully, you…the reader, might see yourself or someone you care about in the articles to come. Perhaps you might see that you are experiencing the symptoms discussed for anorexia or bulimia. Maybe you binge eat.

In a society that is increasingly placing standards of beauty upon the youths of our population, people are at more of a risk than ever when it comes to developing an eating disorder. The celebrities in television and the media display stick-thin figures which can create a high standard of beauty that can lead to many problems with an individual’s self esteem. When coupled with the fact that an obesity epidemic is overtaking much of the modern world, it’s important to have a full understanding of the eating disorders which are prevalent in society today in order to be able to catch the warning signs when an individual you know is afflicted.

This truly is a life and death discussion. Admitting you might have an eating disorder of some type is the first step in finding a solution to your problem. I pray that you might listen to the voice inside your head as you read the following material.

 

All About Bulimia

One of the most prevalent eating disorders within our society today is the dreaded bulimia. It's a disease that is often thought of as being merely a physical manifestation, but few realize that it's actually a mental condition which is causing the sufferer to behave as they do. In this article, we'll be discussing the eating disorder known as bulimia, in order to inform you of the causes, the symptoms, and the possible methods of treatment.

Bulimia is also known as bulimia nervosa. It's much different than anorexia nervosa, which is another common eating disorder in which individuals decrease the amount of food that they eat and undergo over-exercise or the use of laxatives in order to get their body as thin as possible. Bulimics are also concerned with getting their body weight as low as possible, but they often over-indulge in eating food before 'purging' it. Those with the disorder may engorge themselves with heavy amounts of food, with some bulimics consuming as much as twenty thousand calories in a meal. This is known as the 'binging' phase of bulimia, which is quickly followed by a purging phase. Individuals with bulimia 'purge' their body of the nutrition that the foods that they eat supply them with by a variety of methods, most commonly through inducing vomiting. Other methods of purging include the use of laxatives or diuretics, and even enemas to remove food from the body.

The disorder is caused by a poor self-image in many cases, and those with bulimia are never satisfied with the appearance of their body. Even when they are at the pinnacle of low body weight, they may continue to try to lose weight, drastically damaging their body within the process. Those that express high levels of concern when it comes to the appearance of their body and low self esteem, with a constant fear of being seen as fat are most often afflicted with the disease. Some individuals exhibit no symptoms or signs of the disorder, but one method of identifying symptoms includes eating with the individual and noting if they go to the bathroom immediately afterwards. Long-term bulimics may exhibit a dental problems such as tooth decay due to stomach acids eroding the enamel of the teeth, or problems with the throat. The glands of the neck and the face may appear to be swollen and a general sense of weakness may be present. The problem is very prevalent within society, with a full ten percent of college-aged girls affected by the disorder.

While weight loss may occur through the disorder, the damage that it does to the body is drastic and often irreversible. Dehydration is a common side-effect, and the dental health of an individual is often drastically altered. Stomach ulcers may develop, and after an extended period of time with the disorder, an irregular heartbeat may occur. Bulimics also face an increased occurrence of suicidal behavior. If you know an individual that you suspect may be suffering from the disease, confront them with love and compassion. Expect to be rejected, but suggest that they speak to a counselor or a doctor about the problem to see what they can do about overcoming it.

Written by: Scott Parat