What is an Eating Disorder? My Story-Time #Mental Health Study (5)
5.639 million singapore 91.3% women 8.7% man.
7 billion worldwide 9% population worldwide.
Approximately 30 million people in the United States have some type of eating disorder. Some overeat and become obese, some don’t eat enough and literally starve themselves, while others overeat and then purge themselves by vomiting up food or using other methods to rid their bodies of excess calories. There is often a hyper-focus on body shape and weight. The one issue all eating disorders have in common—besides a lack of control over eating habits—is that they can progress and cause serious, even permanent damage to your mental and physical health. That’s why it’s important to recognize if you or someone you know shows signs or symptoms of an eating disorder, and reach out to get the right kind of help.
What are the different types of eating disorders?
There are many different types of eating disorders but four eating disorders is only recognized in the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). The list is as follows ;
Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. Any two people with he same eating disorders can have various many different symptoms and experiences. Overall, however, these are the common and most recognizable signs and symptoms that meet the diagnostic criteria for each of the four recognized eating disorders.
Anorexia Nervosa
For people with this disorder, their food intake is limited, leading to very low body weight for one’s age and height. They have extreme fear of weight gain and being fat or extreme measures to prevent weight gain even though the individual is underweight.They also have issues with body image or denial that underweight condition is a serious problem.
Bulimia Nervosa
For people with this disorder, they eats out very often, eating large amount of food, feeling out of control over eating behavior and amount of food eaten. They frequently purge to prevent weight gain as using such methods self induced vomiting, laxatives or diuretics, routine fasting and over exercising. They're overly concerned with body weight and shape and disorder eating and purging behavior occur at least once a week for 3 months or lesser or more.
Binge Eating Disorder
For people with this eating disorder, cases happen least once a week for 3 months, depends on individual, some more than once a week or a month. They also ate more food in a specific period pf time than most people would eat in the same amount of time and feeling out of control over eating behavior and the amount of food eaten. Plus episodes of binge eating involve at least three of these five behaviors which are eating much faster than normal, eating until uncomfortably full, eating huge amount of food even when not feeling hungry, eating secretively or alone out of shame and experiencing feeling of disgust, depressed or extreme guilt after bingeing.
Avoidant Restrictive Food
For people with this disorder have lack of interest or other avoidance of food due to the sensory characteristics of food such s the colors and textures. Avoidance is also associated with at least of the following which significant weight loss in children, which failure to reach expected weight or height. Significant nutrient deficiency dependence on nutritional supplements or oral feeding tube, disruption of psycho-social functioning. This condition cannot be explained away by the unavailability of foods or culturally approved eating practices. There are no issues with body weight or body image and avoidance is not associated with anorexia or bulimia. There is also no other eating disturbance or medical condition that represent that would explain the avoidance or the avoidance is more extreme that would normally be associated with another condition.
Other Eating Disorders?
There is actually man different types of eating and body image issues that can affect anyone, at any age and though they are less common than the four primary eating disorders. The do include Rumination Disorder, which when someone consistently regurgitates food after eating. Orthorexia, a form of extreme "clean-eating" and Food Addiction when someone cannot control their intake of specific types of food or ingredients. These abnormal and excessive behaviors that relate to diet or body image are conditions that often require professional treatment to prevent symptoms from worsening.
Risk of an Eating Disorder?
Eating disorders are often most associated with females during adolescence and young adulthood but anyone, be it rich or poor or young or old, and of any race, ability. culture, gender and sexual orientation can develop an eating disorder. Genes, environment, societal norms and psychological health do play a role. People with other mental and behavioral health challenges such as depression, anxiety or drug and alcohol use are also most likely to engage in unhealthy eating behaviors. High stress situations including peer pressure and activities that encourage a stricter diet —such as participating in sports, dancing, or modeling—can also increase the risk.
How do I know if someone has an Eating Disorder?
Only physician or mental health professional can give an accurate diagnosis but here are some signs you can observe if you or any of your loved ones struggle with disorder eating habits. Eating in secret or leaving meals to go to the bathroom, feeling or expressing guilt about eating habits. Constantly talking about weight or losing weight, being overly and obsessively focused on eating healthy foods. Consistently skippings meal, giving reasons such as being busy. Exercising excessively. Checking the mirror or scale frequently and using dietary supplements or laxatives.
How will Eating Disorder impact my life?
Eating Disorder, disrupting your day-to-day activities, an eating disorder which affect your mental and emotional health. You might find yourself feeling more anxious about number of calories you consume or ashamed about your weight. You start to isolate from friends and family who express concerns about your health and that isolation can lead to depression. The physical impact of an eating disorder can be significant and over time, disordered eating behaviors can damage your digestive tract, skin, bones and teeth, as well as the functioning of various organs such as your heart.
Eating disorders have the highest death rate among mental health conditions, especially anorexia. In fact, eating disorders, the risk of early death with anorexia are 18 times higher than that of their peers and that's why early recognition of symptoms and appropriate treatment are essential.
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Story Time.
Here, I'd like to share my story about my eating disorder. I wasn't diagnosed with any eating disorder because nobody cares, not even my psychiatrist. I develop this fear of gaining weight when I noticed changes in my body such as my weight, size and clothes that used to fit me, doesn't fit anymore and people close to me sees that my body image has changed and ever since then, I've become self-conscious about everything, especially my body weight. The techniques I used were drowning myself with laxatives which I got from the pharmacy and I got those in over 100 tablets and I'd consumed at least 20 per day and that kills me in the inside.
And because it doesn't work, I mean drowning yourself with laxatives? Not a good option. So I thought why not try to cut down unhealthy food and focus on healthy food, but doesn't work out either and soon I began binge eating. I remembered I ate 2 large pizzas and 1 french fries by myself and a litre of coke. Chocolates at night and my body weight gains very fast. My weight exceed 100kg and my body fat is above 30%. I grew depressed and relapse once again because of my body weight and complained to my psychiatrist and psychologist, they don't even notice or ever care. And ever since then till now, I develop this fear of gaining weight and very conscious with what I ate. I don't want to look fat. I want to be thin.
It's not safe action for you guys to follow but don't follow my footsteps. It's not safe.