"Perfection is just an illusion."
- Sally Hayward-Young
What is an Eating Disorder?
Eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder include extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues. In most cases an eating disorder means consuming little to no food at all, or an excessive amount.
Eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder include extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues. In most cases an eating disorder means consuming little to no food at all, or an excessive amount.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss. One is unwilling to maintain a normal and healthy weight and live constantly in the fear of gaining extra pounds. A distorted body image for most females can lead to lack of menstration
Binge Eating Disorder
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is a type of eating disorder not otherwise specified and is characterized by recurrent binge eating without the regular use of compensatory measures to counter the binge eating
Anorexia Nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss. One is unwilling to maintain a normal and healthy weight and live constantly in the fear of gaining extra pounds. A distorted body image for most females can lead to lack of menstration
Binge Eating Disorder
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is a type of eating disorder not otherwise specified and is characterized by recurrent binge eating without the regular use of compensatory measures to counter the binge eating
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by a cycle of bingeing (eating mass amounts of food) and compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting designed to undo or compensate for the effects of binge eating.
Bulimia Nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by a cycle of bingeing (eating mass amounts of food) and compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting designed to undo or compensate for the effects of binge eating.
Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS)
A person does not have to be diagnosed with anorexia, bulimia, or BED to have an eating disorder. An eating disorder can include a combination of signs and symptoms but not meet the full criteria.
A person does not have to be diagnosed with anorexia, bulimia, or BED to have an eating disorder. An eating disorder can include a combination of signs and symptoms but not meet the full criteria.
Orthoexia
It is not an officially recognized disorder, but it is similar to other eating disorders - those with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa obsess about calories and weight while orthoexics obsess about healthy eating (not about being 'thin' and losing weight). They become more and more consumed on what and how much to eat. They also self punish themselves if temptation wins.
It is not an officially recognized disorder, but it is similar to other eating disorders - those with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa obsess about calories and weight while orthoexics obsess about healthy eating (not about being 'thin' and losing weight). They become more and more consumed on what and how much to eat. They also self punish themselves if temptation wins.
Diabulimia
This is not a recognized medical diagnosis, but is a condition in which an individual with an eating disorder, who also has diabetes, manipulates insulin levels to manage weight.
This is not a recognized medical diagnosis, but is a condition in which an individual with an eating disorder, who also has diabetes, manipulates insulin levels to manage weight.
According to the National Eating Disorder Association, "In our clinical practice we surveyed over 1,000 people with clinically diagnosed eating disorders. We found that people with anorexia nervosa report 90 to 100 percent of their waking time is spent thinking about food, weight, and hunger; an additional amount of time is spent dreaming of food or having sleep disturbed by hunger. People with bulimia nervosa report spending about 70 to 90 percent of their total conscious time thinking about food and weight-related issues. In addition, people with disordered eating may spend about 20 to 65 percent of their waking hours thinking about food. By comparison, women with normal eating habits will probably spend 10 to 15 percent of waking time thinking about food, weight, and hunger."
Common Myths and Misconceptions
- Eating disorders are a choice. -People do not choose to have eating disorders. They develop over time and require appropriate treatment to address the complex medical/psychiatric symptoms and issues.
- Eating disorders occur only in females. -Eating disorders occur in males. Few statistics are available on the prevalence of eating disorders in males, but the disorders are believed to be more common than currently reflected in statistics because of under-diagnosis. Males rarely seek treatment because they believe it is a diagnosis for only females.
- Eating disorders are an attempt to seek attention. -People who experience eating disorders often go to great lengths to conceal it due to feelings of shame. Eating disorders are often symptomatic of deeper psychological issues such as low self esteem and the desire to feel in control. The behaviors associated with eating disorders may sometimes be interpreted as "attention seeking”; however, they indicate that the affected person has very serious struggles and needs help.
- You can tell if a person has an eating disorder simply by appearance. -You can’t. Anorexia may be easier to detect visually, although individuals may wear loose clothing to conceal their body. Bulimia is harder to “see” because individuals often have normal weight or may even be overweight. People can be good at hiding signs and symptoms, therefore disorders can be undetected for months, years, or a lifetime.
- A person with anorexia never eats at all. -Most anorexics do eat; however, they tend to eat smaller portions, low-calorie foods, or strange food combinations. Some may eat candy bars in the morning and nothing else all day. Others may eat lettuce and mustard every 2 hours or only condiments. The disordered eating behaviors are very individualized. Total closure of all food intake is rare and would result in death from malnutrition in a matter of weeks.
- People who are overeat are lazy. -Overeating, or binging, is a serious medical and psychological condition -- not laziness. It stems from a compulsive need to push down overwhelming emotions and emptiness with food. A common symptom of overeating is gaining weight. Many binge eaters are physically active and care about their diet, but are unable to stop themselves during binging episodes.
Illinois State University - Spring 2012
Mary Cate Hansen & Michelle Sanders & Janelle Reichardt
Created: March 8, 2012
Last Modified: March 29, 2012
Mary Cate Hansen & Michelle Sanders & Janelle Reichardt
Created: March 8, 2012
Last Modified: March 29, 2012