Eating disorders

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Bulimia – what are the signs and symptoms of bulimia?

Signs of bulimia

Signs of bulimia

The main signs of bulimia are binge eating and purging (ridding your body of food by making yourself vomit or taking laxatives).

There may also be psychological symptoms, such as:

an obsessive attitude towards food and eating

unrealistic opinions about body weight and shape

depression and anxiety

isolation – losing interest in other people

Without treatment, bulimia can lead to a number of physical complications. Read more about complications of bulimia.

Binge eating

Binge eating is repeatedly eating vast quantities of high-calorie food, without necessarily feeling hungry or needing to eat. The urge to eat can begin as an attempt to deal with emotional problems, but can quickly become obsessive and out of control.

Binge eating is usually a very quick process and you may feel physically uncomfortable afterwards. When binge eating is a symptom of bulimia, it happens regularly, not just once or twice.

Binge eating episodes are sometimes spontaneous, where you eat anything you can find. They can also be planned, where you make a shopping trip to buy foods specifically to binge on.

Read more information about binge eating.

Purging

Purging is a response to binging. After you have eaten lots of food in a short space of time, you may feel physically bloated and unattractive. You may also feel guilty, regretful and full of self-hatred.

However, the main impulse to purge is a powerful, overriding fear of putting on weight.

The most common methods of purging involve making yourself vomit or using laxatives to encourage your body to pass the food quickly.

Less common methods of purging include taking diet pills, over-exercising, extreme dieting, periods of starvation or taking illegal drugs, such as amphetamines.

Cycle of guilt

Bulimia is often a vicious circle. If you have the condition, it is likely that you have very low self-esteem. You may also think you are overweight, even though you may be at or near a normal weight for your height and build.

This may encourage you to set yourself strict rules about dieting, eating or exercising, which are very hard to maintain. If you fail to keep to these strict rules, you binge on the things that you have denied yourself. After feeling guilty about binging, you purge to get rid of the calories.

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Supporting someone with an eating disorder

Supporting someone with an eating disorder

Supporting someone with an eating disorder

If your friend or relative has an eating problem, they will eventually have to get professional help from a doctor, practice nurse, or a school or college nurse.

If a friend or relative has an eating disorder, such as anorexia, bulimia or binge eating, you might want to encourage them to speak to someone about it. You could go with them for support if they want you to.

But there are other things you can do. You’re already doing a great job by finding out how to help them – it shows you care.

You may have noticed your friend has changed. They may no longer go out or want to be included in things.

Keep trying to include them, just like before. Even if they don't join in, they will still like to be asked. It will make them feel valued as a person.

You can also try to build up their self-esteem, perhaps by telling them what a great person they are and how much you appreciate having them as a friend.

Try not to give advice or criticism. Give your time and listen to them. This can be tough when you don't agree with what they say about themselves and what they eat.

Remember, you don't have to know all the answers. Just being there is what's important. This is especially true when it feels like your friend or relative is rejecting your friendship, help and support.

How are eating disorders treated?

Treatment for eating disorders varies around the country. Different types of help may be offered depending on where you live.

Treatment includes dealing with the emotional issues as well as the physical, but this must be done slowly so your friend or relative is able to cope with the changes.

Treatment will involve your friend or relative talking to someone about the emotional difficulties that have led to their eating disorder. It will also explore their physical problems, general health and eating patterns. Help with eating and putting on weight is usually not enough.

The earlier your friend or relative embarks on the treatment programme and the more they engage with it, the better their chances of making a good recovery.

Will they have to go into hospital?

Most people with eating disorders are seen as outpatients. This means they visit the hospital - for example, one day a week. In severe cases, they might need to visit the hospital more often, or be admitted to hospital for more intensive support and treatment (known as inpatient care).

Should I visit them in hospital?

This depends on what your friend wants, how you feel and what the treatment centre allows. Let them know you're thinking of them and would like to visit them. If this is not possible, you can always write to them or call to let them know you're still there to support them.

Can people be forced to get help for eating disorders?

If your friend or relative has lost a lot of weight, they may be in danger of starving themselves and developing serious complications. They may not be able to think clearly and may refuse life-saving treatment.

In these circumstances, their doctor may decide to admit them to hospital for specialist treatment. This can only be done after the doctor has consulted colleagues and they agree with the doctor's decision. This is called being sectioned and it is done under the rules of the Mental Health Act.

Will they be cured when they come home?

Your friend or relative will still need your support. Most people with an eating disorder do recover and learn to use more positive ways of coping.

But recovery from an eating disorder can be very difficult and can take a long time. Part of your friend may want to get better, while the other part might be very scared about giving up the eating disorder. They might think, "I want to get better, but just don't want to gain weight."

They will probably have good days and bad days. During times of stress, the eating difficulties may return. Changing the way people with eating disorders think and feel is never easy and it takes time.

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Eating Disorders – What are the signs and symptoms of an eating disorder?

Eating Disorders – What are the signs and symptoms of an eating disorder?

It has been a few years since we took a look at eating disorders here at Patient Talk.

With around one in ten of us suffering from an eating disorder (anorexia , bulimia or binge eating) we felt that it would be a great idea to share this very useful infographic with our readers.

We would very much appreciate it if you would share this information with your friends and family!

Castlewood Treatment Center – Eating Disorder Signs and Symptoms Infographic

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10 Healthy Eating Habits People Don’t Know Can Lead to Orthorexia

Eating well is an important part of leading a healthy life. However when you become absorbed by your efforts to stay fit and balanced can lead to the development of orthorexia. You may not know what orthorexia is. No need to worry, we are about to tell you what it is and how it can affect your life.

So what is orthorexia?

Orthorexia - the "healthy" eating disorder

Orthorexia – the “healthy” eating disorder

Orthorexia is an eating disorder. If one does not seek treatment or therapy to counteract this eating disorder it could lead malnutrition and even death.

Individuals with orthorexia spend inordinate amounts of time thinking about and planning their meals, going to extreme lengths to avoid foods that could lead to negative effects when eaten in excess. However, even foods that contain fat and sugar are healthy to eat when eaten in moderation and the body needs both fat and sugar in order function properly. Orthorexia leads individuals to deprave their bodies of nutrition that they need in order to lead a healthy life.


It is a condition that is about what is put into the body but it stems from the mind. Low self-esteem, an extreme desire to achieve high standards of beauty, and obsessive personalities can all lead people to develop orthorexia. It differs from other eating disorders because it is not focused on the amount of food that one eats, rather the type of food that one eats.

One should seek to eat a diet that contains fruits, vegetable, and even supplements to aide weight loss such as Calotren. There are certain behaviors and healthy eating habits that one should be wary of.

  1. Counting your calories

You should be watching what you eat but counting your calories is not altogether necessary. As long as you are aware of the portions that you are intaking and the types of foods that you are eating you don’t need to count the calories that you eat in order to maintain a healthy, balanced diet.

  1. Measuring your food on a scale

Many people use scales in order to weight their food before eating a meal. This is another behavior that can lead to obsessive behavior.

  1. Keeping a food diary

Some keep journals that log every single thing that they eat throughout the day. You should be aware of what you are eating to avoid overeating, and sometimes those who have busy schedules keep food logs to stay organized but this is something that you should be cautious of.

  1. Reading food blogs frequently

Every person is different. Your age, level of fitness, height, and gender can all change the amount of food and types of food that you should be eating. Reading blogs and comparing oneself to others constantly can lead to negative consequences.

  1. Following an excess of healthy eating social media pages

Many of the insecurities that we face today stem from the constant connection that we now have to media thanks to technology. There are social media pages that are specifically dedicated to healthy eating. Overloading one’s mind with these images and mantras is another thing that could possibly lead to orthorexia.

  1. Avoiding all restaurants

When one has orthorexia they will avoid any foods that are not prepared by them because they do not have control over the ingredients that are in the food they are eating.

  1. Thinking of measures to improve your diet all the time

As previously mentioned, orthorexia leads to obsessive behavior and part of this is one’s mind being constantly on the food that they are eating and the effects that it has on their body.

  1. Making vows to cut out certain foods

If something is detrimental to your physical health then one could limit the intake of certain foods, but a person who is fixated on their diet may cut them out completely.

  1. Constantly researching foods

This is another trait that characterizes orthorexia or may lead to sudden weight loss. Wanting to know exactly what is in the food and how it will affect the body.

  1. Seeking to cut out all foods with fat and sugar

An individual with healthy eating habits will seek to manage their diet, but cutting out all foods that have fat and sugar could potentially lead to orthorexia.

References

https://www.consumerhealthdigest.com/health-conditions/orthorexia-nervosa.html

 

Author Bio

Willo Conner is a Health and Wellness Expert. He loves to write on a variety of topics such as joint health, weight loss, beauty and skin care for blogs and online publications sites, also loves latest technology, gadgets fashion and style. Willo also takes pleasure in riding bikes, likes to eat, especially the fresh veggies and organic food. Follow him here – Facebook, Twitter, Google+

 

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Parental Help for Eating Disorders: A free guide for parents of children with eating disorders.


Eating Disorders

Eating Disorders

With Eating Disorders Awareness Week just passed we have been asked by Laura Shay to let you know about her recent research.

Laura has been working on a guide for parents of children and adolescents who suffer from eating disorders.

Shay writes “Up to 24 million people of all ages and genders in the U.S. have eating disorders, which have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. Anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder or EDNOS (Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified) are more common in women than men, though studies have shown that men often fail to get the support they need out of a misconception that these disorders are ‘a female thing’. If your loved one has just been diagnosed with an eating disorder, there are many steps you can take to ensure that they recover. Increase your awareness of the nature of eating disorders, find a good team which may comprise a doctor, nutritionist and therapist, and above all, do not blame yourself or your loved one; eating disorders can arise from many causes, including genetics and other illnesses and disorders. Be patient and expect a few setbacks along the way; treatment will take at least six months, though with your support and the right therapy, your loved one will surely recover and build a much more positive relationship to food.

You can read it here: http://www.bulimia.com/topics/for-parents-and-families/ ”