Overview

eating disorders are very complicated mental health conditions characterized by abnormal or atypical eating and associated behaviors that can cause harmful effects on both physical and emotional well-being. It is noted that these disorders develop because of a number of factors such as genetic, environmental, psychological, and sociocultural factors among many others, and take different forms. 

Properties of eating disorders

• Distorted body image: this is one of the classic characteristics of eating disorders, having an uneven mental picture of their body size or shape. 

• Unhealthy relationships with food: there are certain risks that people with eating disorders develop improper attitudes towards foods. Such issues begin with the certain fear caused by the desired outcome. 

• Fixation of Body Weight: women often put themselves on strict weight control all the time. They will try to misinterpret their weight by using measures such as starving, advanced dieting, extreme over-exercise, and so on. 

Influence on Mental and Emotional Health

• Low self-esteem: Many individuals with eating disorders have low self-esteem and consider themselves only in terms of appearance.

• Guilt and shame: Such feelings are sensitive, especially in cases of binge eating or when anorexics feel they have eaten more than allowed by their self-imposed food regimen.

• Perfectionism: Often expressed as an unhealthy urge for control and perfection on all matters concerning food, exercise, and body image.

• Emotional distress: Adverse feelings such as sadness, frustration, fear, or even anger have been known to cause serious eating disorders. 

In the case of eating disorders, it is not true that there is just one cause rather, they arise from several risk factors:

• Biological Causes:

• Genetics- A few researches have proved that there existed some people who had genes that led them to suffer from an eating disorder. Although there are treatments for mental disorders such as anxiety the tendency to have an eating disorder increases if any of the close relatives have it.

• Neurobiological factors- Endocrine hormonal dysregulations, changes in some of the neurotransmitters, and the way the brain is interconnected could boost healthy eating disorders and negative body image.

• Psychological Causes:

• Trauma or abuse- Physical abuse, sexual abuse as well as emotional abuse are all kinds of trauma that people who have experienced have found ways of overpowering eating disorders to have control of their bodies.

• Anxiety and depression- Eating disorders go hand in hand with mental disorders for example anxiety, depression, or even obsessive-compulsive disorder.

• Sociocultural Causes:

• Cultural pressures- Most cultures, especially the Western ones, tend to worship thinness beauty, and appearance. People are affected by advertising shows showing a body image that is not real to most women and this causes some of them to feel insufficient.

• Peer pressure: Family dynamics, such as siblings pointing at your weight and friends laughing, even moderate criticism can be enough to develop an eating disorder.

• Environmental Factors:

• Stress

Physical Consequences

• Malnutrition

• Heart problems: Prolonged lack of food intake and the resulting factors of purging such as taking out the food without any absorption can affect the heart to the extent of causing its irregular rhythms or worse heart failures.

• Digestive issues: Engaging in the act of cleansing oneself (vomiting; misuse of laxatives) may contribute immensely to the development of conditions such as constipation, bulimia, gastro-esophageal reflux disease, as well as tear of the esophagus, which is often life-threatening.

• Hormonal imbalances: Women with eating disorders may develop issues related to their menstrual cycles, risk factors for bone density, as well as infertility, whereas men may similarly suffer from reduced testosterone levels.

Treatment Approaches

• Psychotherapy: Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) since it targets the negative thoughts surrounding eating and body image disorders in its patients. At the same time, interpersonal therapy (IPT) can also enable the patients to deal with the disorder fully by looking for the emotional and relational issues related to it.

• Nutritional counseling: Registered dietitians may also assist in formulating a fair and achievable food and eating action plan for the wrongdoer, correcting any imbalances in nutrients, and ensuring that the individual has a positive attitude toward food.

• Medications: It is also not uncommon for mental health drug regimens to include the use of functional medicines, such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety agents, or medications desired at decreasing binge-eating episodes in instances of attending pathology.

• Support groups: The process of recovery is accomplished with a key role of peer support. There are various forms of these support groups in person or online where such individuals can share their experiences in an understanding environment with people who face the same challenges.

Recovery

It is not impossible to recover from an eating disorder, however, this nearly always takes a considerable amount of time and energy, and it is more than self-determination alone, it is about the will to keep going because of the help and courage one is given. Recovery may include:

• Physical recovery: Often the most important and the most basic stage is the restoration of normal dietary intake to a weight-concerned individual.

• Repairing one’s mind: it is crucial to face and defeat the psychological and emotional sides of the eating disorder which through therapy and support can be helped in overcoming these issues.

• Restoring the attitude towards food: Overcoming the need to restrict eating, the feelings of guilt or preoccupation with food is one of the key components of the therapy.

• Sustaining support: Continuation treatment, group meeting sessions or other support activities play a role in the maintenance of recovery and preventing a relapsing episode.

~KIRAN