Worried about your weight?
An article exploring the causes and effects of eating disorders
R
ecently the nation seems to be realising that eating disorders affect a much wider spectrum of people than commonly thought and cases of eating disorders amongst males are growing. I hope that this article will encourage you to think about the causes and effects of eating disorders. Whether you are a sufferer, survivor or you know somebody else who is, it is important to understand the many different causes and complications that eating disorders can have.
Having fought with bulimia myself I understand that any degree or type of eating disorder is very serious and must be treated as such. Noticing and admitting to symptoms early on can be a lifesaver. There are two common types of eating disorders, Anorexia nervosa and Bulimia nervosa, and these are the two that this article is focused around.
Eating disorders are often considered an addiction. Addiction is a loss of control, in this instance over how much and what we eat. Many food addicts also need help with issues of control, depression, low self-esteem, isolation, guilt and disappointment. As I did, many bulimics may maintain a normal weight or it may fluctuate within the normal range. About 4 out of every 100 women suffer from bulimia at some time in their lives. Anorexia currently affects 1 fifteen-year-old girl in every 150 and 1 fifteen-year-old boy in every 1000 and so often people blame the media and social pressure for the high number of sufferers in this country. It is true we live in a society that idolises thin people and our surroundings undoubtedly affect our behaviour but I am reluctant to believe that this can be the sole cause of an eating disorder.
Anorexia and Bulimia - what are the signs?.
There is a whole host of different reasons that somebody can develop a disorder. I was 13 when I first began to develop symptoms and at the time I lived in a very secluded countryside village with no TV and was rarely exposed to girly mags or high street shops. Self - Control, growing up, depression, traumatic experience, abuse and low self-esteem are all common triggers of an eating disorder.
Some people feel that their weight is the only part of life over which they have any control and can become overly obsessed. Some people are afraid of growing up and find the reversal of physical changes (facial hair, breast development & menstruation) that can result from anorexia or bulimia comforting. Some doctors think that there may be a physical cause that we don’t yet understand. What makes an eating disorder so dangerous?
Sufferers will do everything to keep their addiction a secret from the people closest to them. The more they allow their addiction to take over their lives the better they become at deceiving others. I managed to keep my condition a secret for six years before I finally realised it had gone too far.
Overcoming anorexia or bulimia involves changing your whole approach to food and adopting a new lifestyle and eating patterns for the long term. Recovery can be a slow process. I finally admitted to myself that I had a problem when I was 18 but it took another 2 years to fully recover from my condition. If you think you may be suffering from an eating disorder or suspect somebody you know is then please seek help. There are lots of different ways you can get help but in most cases confiding in a friend or family member is a valuable first step. Help is never far away.
For more information or advice on how to get help go to:
www.disorderedeating.co.uk
www.bbc.co.uk/health
www.youngminds.org
Eating Disorders Association Youthline: 0845 634 7650
Anorexia Nervosa - What are the signs?
You find that you:
- worry more and more about your weight
- eat less and less
- exercise more and more, to burn off calories
- can’t stop losing weight, even when you are well below a safe weight for your age and height
- smoke more or chew gum to keep your weight down
- lose interest in sex In girls or women – monthly menstrual periods become irregular or stop In men or boys – erections and wet dreams stop, testicles shrink
Bulimia Nervosa - What are the signs?
You find that you:
- worry more and more about your weight
- binge eat
- make yourself vomit and /or use laxatives to get rid of calories
- have irregular menstrual periods
- feel tired
- feel guilty
- stay a normal weight, in spite of your efforts to diet
