Helping News May, 2011 Issue 34
Eating Disorders:
Eating disorders can be treated and sufferers can return to a healthy weight. The sooner these disorders are diagnosed and treated, the better the outcome will likely be.
Eating disorders are complex, and treating them involves development of a comprehensive plan that involves medical care and monitoring, psychological support and interventions, nutritional counseling, and, when necessary, medication.
People with eating disorders often do not recognize or admit that they are ill. As a result, they may strongly resist getting and staying in treatment. As many as 5-8 percent of females in America suffer from these disorders.
Family members and trusted friends individuals can be helpful in ensuring that the person with an eating disorder receives needed treatment and rehabilitation. For some people, treatment may be long term.
Binge-eating episodes are associated with the following symptoms:
•
excessive eating in a fixed timeframe
excessive eating in a fixed timeframe •eating much more rapidly than normal
eating much more rapidly than normal •eating until feeling uncomfortably full
eating until feeling uncomfortably full •eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry
eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry •eating alone because of being embarrassed by how much one is eating
eating alone because of being embarrassed by how much one is eating •feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, or very guilty after overeating
feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, or very guilty after overeating •marked distress about the binge-eating behavior
marked distress about the binge-eating behavior The binge eating typically occurs, on average, at least 2 days a week for 6 months
Symptoms of bulimia nervosa include:
•Recurrent episodes of binge eating,
Recurrent episodes of binge eating, characterized by eating an excessive
amount of food in a short amount of time,
and a feeling of lack of control over eating
during the binging episode
•Repeated behavior to compensate
Repeated behavior to compensate for the binging and prevent weight gain,
such as self-induced vomiting, misuse of
laxatives, diuretics, enemas, or other medications (purging), fasting, or excessive exercise
•Binging and purging, on average, at least 2 times a week for 3 months or more
Binging and purging, on average, at least 2 times a week for 3 months or more •Self-image is unduly dependent on body shape
Self-image is unduly dependent on body shape Symptoms of anorexia nervosa include:
•Resistance to staying at a body weight that is at or above the minimum healthy weight for age and height
Resistance to staying at a body weight that is at or above the minimum healthy weight for age and height •Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though underweight
Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though underweight •Disturbance in the way in which one's body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight
Disturbance in the way in which one's body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight •Delayed onset of first menstrual period
Delayed onset of first menstrual period •Infrequent or absent menstrual periods (in females who have reached puberty)
Infrequent or absent menstrual periods (in females who have reached puberty) More information coming...
