Anorexia nervosa is perhaps the Eating Disorder that is best known to the public. It is a very dangerous illness that causes a person to intentionally deprive themself of food. This is potentially life threatening as people with this eating disorder can literally starve themselves to death. Somebody with Anorexia is unable to ever reach a point where they feel “thin” enough. They are driven by an obsession to lose weight, and this is the defining feature of the eating disorder. If somebody is about 15% below a healthy weight for their height and age and are refusing to make healthy improvements to this they might be considered to have Anorexia.

Even though they might be emaciated and severely undernourished the person with the anorexia eating disorder remains convinced that they are unacceptably “fat”. Their entire self-esteem and self-worth is tied up in their body weight and how they perceive their body. Weight loss gives an anorexic a sense of achievement and control, whereas weight gain leaves them feeling out of control and worthless.

Anorexia Nervosa is usually first displayed in puberty. It can often be linked to a very stressful life event, although this shouldn’t be considered to be the “cause” of this eating disorder. The great majority of cases of anorexia are female although there is an increasingly number of males being diagnosed. Males with anorexia can develop life-threatening medical complications, perhaps because they tend to be diagnosed only much later than females.

Anorexics are obsessed with reducing their weight and will go to great lengths to achieve this. They will reduce their food and calorie intake, eschewing meals in favour of salad or other low-calorie snacks. Anorexics will cut out a great amount of food and limit themselves only to a few specific foods that they believe are “safe” to eat and won’t cause them to gain weight. Certain anorexics will purge after eating in order to avoid digesting the food that they have just eaten and will refuse to eat in public or even with friends and family. Despite their aversion to food an anorexic may become obsessed with it. It is fairly common to see anorexics hoarding food, or preparing meals for other people without ever even tasting the food.

Serious health risks of Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia is an eating disorder with very serious implications associated with nutritional deficiencies. Heart problems are amongst the leading medical cause of death in people with severe anorexia. As a result of starvation the muscles of the heart become too weak to continue pumping. Other problems that arise in people with anorexia include damage to the central nervous system, seizures, cognitive deficits, and peripheral nerve damage.

Scans will show that the brain is undergoing structural changes as a result of the abnormal behaviour brought about by anorexia. Although some of these changes can be returned to normal there is evidence that some brain damage may be irreversible.

Additionally anorexic patients are more susceptible to developing psychological disorders such as major depression. This exacerbates the existing emotional and physical disturbance and worsens their self-esteem which heightens their need for hyper-vigilance over their eating in an effort to control their mood and self-esteem. This vicious cycle can be very difficult to break. Tragically, suicide is a leading cause of death in anorexia nervosa.

Although our medicine does not yet have a complete cure for anorexia nervosa this is an illness from which people do recover if it is caught early and treated effectively.

Anorexia Nervosa : Recognizing symptoms

Anorexia Nervosa presents in two different forms. The first type of anorexia, the “restricting type” accomplish weight loss primarily through restricting their nutritional intake through dieting, fasting, or excessive exercise. The second type of anorexia, the “binge-eating/purging type” will regularly engage in episodes where they consume a large amount of food (a “binge”) and then subsequently purging the food from their system by self-induced vomiting, laxative abuse, diuretics, or other methods. Anorexics who suffer from the binge-eating/purging type of the eating disorder double their risk of early death.

Symptoms of both types of anorexia include:

• Significant weight loss (not explained by another reason)
• A significant loss of appetite or refusal to eat coupled with a denial of hunger
• A highly restrictive diet while being under ideal body weight
• Unusual or secretive eating habits
• An excessive and uncompromising exercise routine
• An obsession with self-appearance and constantly weighing oneself
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Digestive problems – constipation or bloating
• Reduced sex drive
• Feeling the cold
• Withdrawing or avoiding social contact
• Irritable mood
• Hormonal difficulties

The physical symptoms of anorexia are those that are associated with the starvation that accompanies this eating disorder. These include fatigue, lowered heart rate and body temperature, a slower heart rhythym, a lower rate of metabolism, tooth erosion, infections, loss of menses, growth of fine hair on the face and back, loss of hair from the scalp, skin conditions, osteoporosis, and kidney problems.

Anorexia Nervosa : Causes

There is no single, specific, cause of Anorexia nervosa and it appears to arise as a result of a complex interplay of factors. Factors that have been identified as possibly being associated with this eating disorder include emotional and personality development and family stress. A hypothetical link to genetic susceptibility has been proposed but not yet fully demonstrated. A constant stream of messages about the “ideal” look from society can certainly contribute to the development of Anorexia nervosa.

Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa

A patient with Anorexia Nervosa must be assessed by a physician to immediately treat any of the physical problems that may have arisen from the starvation. Sometimes a doctor will insist that a patient is admitted to hospital, not only for safety but also to ensure that their eating can be observed and monitored. Anorexia Nervosa is a multi-faceted eating disorder that has an impact on many areas of life. An effective treatment for Anorexia will comprehensively address the biological, social, familial, psychological, vocational, and other factors that are implicated in the illness. This may require close collaboration between professionals from various clinical disciplines: doctors, dieticians, therapists, and psychiatrists.

Denial of the problem is very common in patients diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. Even though a patient may need to be hospitalized to deal with life-threatening health complications they may steadfastly refuse to acknowledge that they have a problem. Sometimes they may have received encouragement for being thin from friends or athletic coaches and this affirmation will need to be countered.

An effective therapist is generally one who is specialized in helping people with this eating disorder. Therapy needs to be conducted in a safe, non-judgemental, and completely confidential setting to allow the anorexic the freedom to explore their life. Treatment for anorexia nervosa needs to be focused, concentrated, and intense if it is going to effectively address all of the emotional and psychological underpinnings of this eating disorder.

Patients with anorexia nervosa will often feel very guilty or ashamed about their illness. Part of treatment will be to help the patient start to feel more accepting of themself. The family will also be involved as they are generally under considerable stress as a result of watching a loved one literally starve to death. Family therapy will also help the family to become aware of how they can support the anorexic.

Somebody who has a compulsive eating disorder feels unable to control how much or how often they eat. They can’t control when they eat, how quickly they eat, eat only when they’re alone, and will eat throughout the day. This page has some information on this form of eating disorder.

If you’re struggling to control how much or how often you eat you should look for expert assessment to see if you have a compulsive eating disorder. Therapy can be effective in helping you reclaim your life from this illness.Treatment for compulsive eating disorder can help you to learn a new way of coping with emotions and develop healthier eating habits. Leaving this illness untreated can lead to physical health problems and other eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa developing.

Compulsive Eating Disorder : Symptoms

The symptoms of a compulsive eating disorder are a sense that you cannot stop eating. People with this illness eat very quickly, eat non-stop, and try to avoid letting other people see them eating. They often eat foods that have a high sugar content for the “sugar rush” that they provide. If the compulsive eater doesn’t get the food they are craving they will often experience physical symptoms.

Compulsive Eating Disorder : Causes and Treatment

Compulsive Eating Disorders develop as a result of a complex interplay of factors that include family history, physiology, childhood development, coping style, and personality factors. For some people a compulsive eating pattern is a “coping” strategy to try and reduce feelings of anxiety or stress.

Therapy for a compulsive eating disorder is usually provided by somebody who has specialized in treating this form of illness. Treatment focuses on providing the patient with a safe and comfortable setting where they feel able to explore the issues that underlie their eating disorder. Confidentiality is essential as patients will need to explore deep emotional and psychological causes of their compulsive eating behaviour. Therapy will lead towards teaching the patient healthier ways to cope with life and to develop healthier eating patterns.

Bulimia nervosa has potentially fatal consequences if it is not treated. It is a very serious eating disorder that is characterized by a cycle of “binges” followed by “purges”. It is called a “binge” when the patient consumes a large amount of food very quickly.

“Purging” refers to the attempt to get the food out of their body in order to prevent it from being digested. There are several ways in which bulimics purge, such as self-induced vomiting, laxative abuse, and excessive exercise.

Bulimia nervosa can lead to a number of psychological problems such as depression and anxiety disorders. Impulsive behaviour can also lead the person to self-destructive or dangerous situations. Bulimia nervosa is also associated with many physical problems that include heart problems, kidney damage, and damage to the digestive system. People with this eating disorder are at a higher risk of self-mutilation, developing a substance abuse problem, and engaging in sexual promiscuity. Bulimia nervosa is usually first noticed in the teenage years. It is much more prevalent in women than men.

Patients with bulimia nervosa usually feel that they have lost control of themselves during their cycle of bingeing and purging. This sense of loss of control leads to intense feelings of shame and low self-worth. They will go to great lengths to hide their eating behaviour as a result of this shame which makes it difficult for family and friends to identify the problem until it has been present for quite some time.

Bulimia Nervosa : Signs and Symptoms

There are a number of ways to assess if somebody has this eating disorder. You should always consult with a medical doctor if there is any doubt. Some of the signs you should look out for are:
Psychological signs:

• An obsession with food
• Obsessing about body weight and appearance
• Repeated episodes of bingeing and purging at least twice a week for at least 3 months
• Excessive exercise and dieting
• Strongly self-critical
• Depressed mood
• Shame and guilt

Some of the physical symptoms of bulimia nervosa include:

• Swollen salivary glands
• Swollen cheeks and other general swelling
• Irregular menstrual cycle
• Constipation
• Abdominal pain and bloating
• Overall weakness
• Dental erosion

If you’re in any doubt you should immediately consult with a physician. It’s also important to remember that the shame that somebody with this eating disorder feels will prevent them from admitting their problem or asking for help.

Bulimia Nervosa : Causes and Treatment

Our science is yet to isolate a cause for Bulimia Nervosa and it is currently thought to be the result of a number of factors which work together to produce the illness. These factors include psychological issues like emotional coping styles, stress, developmental concerns and physical issues like a biological or genetic susceptibility. Inter-cultural studies show that societies which have a “thin ideal” image of attractiveness are more likely to produce individuals with this eating disorder.

Treatment for Bulimia Nervosa should start with a complete physical examination by a medical doctor. Because this eating disorder can produce a diverse range of physical problems it is important that the patients medical health be stabilised so that they can begin therapy. Therapy usually consists of a blend of approaches that aim to help the patient develop insight into the core issues that underpin their eating disorder. Bulimia nervosa treatment is a specialised discipline and is usually provided by a therapist who has trained especially to deal with this illness. The counselor will work on providing a safe and confidential environment that encourages the patient to relax and feel that they can explore their underlying core issues. The client will be given the opportunity to learn new ways of coping and develop healthier eating patterns.

Orthorexia nervosa was first described in 1997 by Dr Steven Bratman. It is not yet officially recognized by the American Psychiatric Association and so doesn’t enjoy the status of being a formal diagnosis. Because of this it is often diagnosed as a form of anorexia, but it does have some unique attributes. The main way in which orthorexia differs from anorexia is in the reasons that the person starves themself for.

Motivation of orthorexia eating disorders

An orthorexic is not motivated by a desire to be thin: Their obsession is with eating pure and healthy food. Although this might sound harmless, or even desirable, the orthorexic will go to such extremes to avoid eating food that they feel might be unhealthy or “contaminated” that they find themselves unable to eat anything at all. The drive to eat “healthily” can push the orthorexic to social isolation, starvation, and an obsession with food.

There have been a number of fad diets through the past few decades. These fashionable diets prescribe very strict ideas of what’s healthy or not. Many of these diets have made very rigid dietary practices part of the norm. In addition there has been an increasing concern with obesity that is creating an increasing focus on healthy eating.

Orthorexia eating disorder

Orthorexics vest their self-esteem into their eating practices and become obsessed with adhering to their stringent diet. Their need to control their eating overwhelms them and they lose any ability to choose what to eat. They become obsessed with food and can’t think of anything else. People with this eating disorder will plan their entire schedule around when/where/how and what they will eat. The orthorexic will engage in a daily battle to keep themselves in line with their stringent rules that define what they allow themselves to eat. If they fail to adhere to this routine they will engage in harsh self criticism that drives them to again engage in their strict eating patterns.

People with orthorexia eating disorder focus on the quality of their food rather than the quantity as is the case with anorexia nervosa or bulimoa nervosa. For some people orthorexia develops as a result of having to eat a special diet in order to address health problems such as allergies. Their eating disorder develops as they become fixated on their dietary restrictions. Orthorexics will often refuse to eat food that they themselves have not prepared and insist on taking their own food wherever they go.

Orthorexia is an eating disorder that can make it difficult for the patient to socialize. The obsession with food subsumes every aspect of their life and they start to withdraw from social situations. The orthorexic may begin to suffer from malnutrition because they become so stringent in what they allow themselves to eat. They would rather starve to death than “contaminate” themselves with “impure” food.

Scientists have not yet established the root cause of orthorexia eating disorders. There is an ongoing debate between schools of thought that favour genetic reasons and those that attempt to explain it through situational factors such as the family environment. It is also thought that eating disorders arise out of a need to exercise control. This is particularly possible for young people who feel out of control of their lives. Eating disorders are very much more prevalent in females than in males.

Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder identified by an “obsession” for thinness, generally sought through self-starvation. Characteristic features include drastic weight loss resulting from dieting and/or intense exercise, poor body image, a drive for thinness and an accompanying fear of weight gain.

Anorexia nervosa afflicts as many as one in every 100 girls and young women. It typically starts in the teenage years but in recent years has been seen in pre-pubertal teens who refuse to maintain a healthy body size. Its victims can literally starve themselves to death. People with anorexia nervosa don’t maintain a normal weight because they refuse to eat enough, often exercise obsessively and sometimes use laxatives or force themselves to vomit as well.

Anorexia the beauty of a beast

Psychiatrists diagnose anorexia nervosa when a patient weighs at least 15 percent less than expected. Marked by excessive dieting and obsessive weight inhibitions, Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by severe and persistent weight loss, a distorted body image and intense fear of becoming fat. Diagnostic criteria also includes cessation of the menstrual cycle. Denial of the seriousness of the disorder is a primary barrier to treatment.

Over time, those with anorexia nervosa develop all the symptoms of starvation. As their bodies conserve resources, monthly menstrual periods stop. With the stop of menstrual periods the body also starts to lose calcium from the bones. If anorexia nervosa becomes severe, its victims will develop osteoporosis (thinning of the bones), an irregular heartbeat and heart failure. Breathing, pulse and blood pressure rates fall. Victims’ hair and nails become brittle, their skin dries, yellows and they may develop a layer of soft hair called “lanugo.” Others may suffer from cardiac arrest as a result of malnutrition, while still others commit suicide

Without adequate amounts of water, the victims will suffer from constipation. As their bodies lose fat, their internal temperature falls, making them less tolerant of cold weather. Mild anemia and swollen joints often develop and muscles waste away. As their bodies struggle to survive, people with anorexia nervosa can suffer from lethargy, loss of interest, increased feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness and other symptoms of depression that discourage them from seeking treatment.

Bulimia Nervosa is a syndrome of chaotic eating behavior identified by cycles of binge eating during which there is a feeling of lack of control, followed by purging in order to prevent weight gain. Purging methods include: self-induced vomiting, fasting, excessive exercise and abuse of laxatives, diuretics or diet pills. Individuals with bulimia may display frequent changes in weight, initially losing weight but then gaining it back, due to the ineffectiveness of purging. The cycle of dieting, bingeing and purging also reinforces one’s feelings of guilt, failure, being out of control and of low self-esteem.

The term “Bulimia” means ox appetite and is the primary characteristic of this eating disorder. It is marked by recurrent episodes of bingeing and purging. The purge may take the form of self-induced vomiting, obsessive exercise or use of laxatives. Fasting may also be a means to compensate for eating. The bingeing is often secretive. Sufferers of this disorder often appear at normal weight and can hide their condition. Most importantly, bulimics will experience feeling “out of control” over their eating.

Bulimia and the problem

As with anorexia, bulimics suffer with self-deprecatory feelings and obsession with food and weight. They may or may not have a distorted body image, but there is always an intense fear of becoming fat. About four times as many women suffer from bulimia than anorexia and it had been estimated that upwards to 20% of female college students regularly engage in bulimic behaviors.

The destructive process of purging can cause serious medical complications, which can lead to death. Electrolyte imbalance is the most serious for this can lead to cardiac complications. Also, there is a risk of certain ulcerations in the gastrointestinal system that can lead to rupture. Gland infections, dehydration and dental erosion are also common. Many bulimic women also suffer from anxiety disorders and depression, leading to suicidal behavior. Substance abuse is frequently seen as well.

Though it may accompany anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa can strike alone. Patients with bulimia nervosa repeatedly diet or vigorously exercise. People with bulimia nervosa differ from those with anorexia nervosa in that they frequently have severe eating binges at least twice a week for at least three months in a row.

Each year millions of people in the US are affected by serious and sometimes life-threatening eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and obesity.   The vast majority – more than 90% – of those afflicted with eating disorders are adolescent and young women.

The consequences of eating disorders can be severe. One in ten cases of Anorexia nervosa leads to death from starvation, cardiac arrest, other medical complications or suicide. Patients with Anorexia can suffer damage to vital organs such as the heart and brain.

Eat or not to eat

While many people are aware of the physical side of eating disorders, many fail to realize that many also suffer from other mental health and psychiatric illnesses… ranging from clinical depression, anxiety, personality or substance abuse disorders and many are at risk of suicide.

An eating disorder is more than just disordered eating. The symptoms are just the tip of the iceberg, concealing underneath them a host of feelings and thoughts the person may have hidden or ignored, perhaps for years. Most people with an eating disorder have a painfully intense sense of themselves as inadequate, unworthy and inferior. Sometimes they are aware of these feelings. Sometimes they are not. They push these strong and painful feelings away with frantic behavior and a preoccupation with food and body weight.

All of this takes real teamwork between the patient and the therapist. However, there really is hope for people struggling with an eating disorder. Although it often appears to be a perplexing and frustrating problem, it can be defeated! It may take time. It will certainly require courage to change. But the freedom and contentment that accompany successful treatment make all the hard work worth it.

What is eating disorder? There are different grades of eating disorder. That is why it can be difficult to give a general definition of what eating disorder is. One way of saying it is when the relation to food, body and weight becomes a problem that it stops one from living a normal life. “Eating disorder is when a person eats and pukes out the food. Also known as bulimia. Performing dualified actions is insanity. Stopping food is not a disease itself as it can be a path towards ghostly condition, but when stopping food is done to increase honour and beauty then it is a disease. This is cause originally the thin and beautifull are not choosing to be marketed, to be seen. So to perform an action to be seen whilest attaining a detached condition is not reality.

Theories of reasons of eating disorder

There are many theories of why eating disorders develop. Some claim that is a diet plan that has come out of control, other believe it is a reaction of bad memories of ones childhood or not having developed the ability to deal with difficult emotions and situations. What we know for sure is that it developes from a reaction of individual birth born qualities and those persons and enviourment around is. Even if most persons affected by this disorder are between 12-23 eating disorder developes both at younger boys as with girls and elderly men and women.

Developing fases.
To develope an eating disorder takes sometimes long time whilest other times small. There are also variations of how severe the eating disorder is.

1. Fase: Symptoms are starting to develop, many experiment with diets and workouts to become healthier, thinner or achieve better achievments. Focusing the thoughts on food can distract them from other more difficult emotions and situations one can handle. As a result of this eating disorders developes. If the experiment bears fruits in form of weight loss, grater attention and increased achievements naturally many do not follow others advices on quitting.

2. Fase: Symptoms and denial. Often more and more time goes planning when one will eat, what one will eat or when to work out. Keeping the weight done is the most important thing of all. One experiences ones problems beeng only centered around food, weight and work out and denies to others having underlying psychological needs.

3.Fase: Loss of control and increase knowledge. The relation to food and weight becomes so much of a problem that it keeps one from living a normal life. One is only occupied of how much one eats and one feels a loss of control from food and life itself. After a while a strong desire of getting back control over ones life comes so that one seeks out for information about this disease known as eating disorder. In this fase it is important to that one comes in contact with ones doctor and other help teams. Right information at the right time can be what makes one realize the problem and increase ones chances of well beeng.

Different types of eating disorders.
To get a diagnose one has to fulfill different criterias. What is written here is based on international diagnose criterias (DSM IV). Experience shows that sometimes it can be difficult to make a diagnose because many live in the boarderline between different types of eating disorders. One starts out for ex. with one type eating disorder for then later to move over to another. The problems must be taken anyhow serious.

Many have a periode where they “mess with the food”, but this goes over after a while. In other cases where eating disorder maybe is because of a bad childhood and difficult experiences it might take longer time to get out of it. Ones own motivation for becoming healthy is a big factor. If one does not seek for help it can lead to the problems developing to a cronical condition, loss of work ability and life quality. Eating disorder can be a deadly disease. Every year more people die from eating disorder than meningitis.

Treatment is the same for all until weight is stable, the goal for the treatment is:
* Reestablish nutrition and balance to ones body and also normal food habits.
* Build a defence from social performance anxiety.
* Develope healthy alternatives on emotional problems.

Medical treatment:
As a general rule one can say that if one has one or more of the carecteristic symptoms of eating disorder one should see a doctor. In conversation with the doctor one has to give correct and deep informations as best as one can. The doctors main task is to eliminate that the problems are caused by other physical or mental diseases.