Thinking About Eating Disorders

Allow me to tell you the story of a friend of mine.

A young teenage girl we know recently suffered through the death of her mother and consequently had to be faced with being raised by her father in whom she was petrified of. Did I mention she was to be in charge of raising her 6 younger brothers and sisters.

She was always thin, but now weighs 90 pounds. She doesn’t think she has a problem and her father doesn’t think she has a problem. There are many questions in this situation, the major one being does she have an eating disorder. If she does have an eating disorder, what type is it….anorexia, bulimia?

It’s clear she needs help, others have tried, however her father prevents any intervention. The question becomes, what is causing the eating disorder? That’s why I assembled this collection of articles and ebooks on eating disorders. Hopefully, you…the reader, might see yourself or someone you care about in the articles to come. Perhaps you might see that you are experiencing the symptoms discussed for anorexia or bulimia. Maybe you binge eat.

In a society that is increasingly placing standards of beauty upon the youths of our population, people are at more of a risk than ever when it comes to developing an eating disorder. The celebrities in television and the media display stick-thin figures which can create a high standard of beauty that can lead to many problems with an individual’s self esteem. When coupled with the fact that an obesity epidemic is overtaking much of the modern world, it’s important to have a full understanding of the eating disorders which are prevalent in society today in order to be able to catch the warning signs when an individual you know is afflicted.

This truly is a life and death discussion. Admitting you might have an eating disorder of some type is the first step in finding a solution to your problem. I pray that you might listen to the voice inside your head as you read the following material.

 

All About Anorexia

When it comes to the culture that we are experiencing today, high standards of beauty are pressured upon everyone in order to make them feel important. This is done simply for the fact that sex sells, and advertisers know it. By projecting impossible images for one to model their body after, companies can more accurately market to individuals who feel that they have a problem with the way that their body is. To that end, many feel such pressure to maintain a perfect body form that eating disorders may arise. One of the most commonly occurring eating disorders is known as anorexia nervosa, and in this article, we'll discuss the disorder in-depth in order to help you to understand it and so that you'll be able to see when someone you know is exhibiting warning signs.

Anorexia is a disease in which people basically starve themselves in order to lose weight. It's a mental disorder that most often occurs in adolescents, who feel added social pressure to fit into the 'norms' of society, which are often unachievable. A common aspect of those who are anorexic includes a body weight that is less than eighty five percent of what it should be for a healthy individual. Sufferers may resort to many different methods in order to lose weight, including over-exercising, the use of laxatives to decrease the calories that their body intakes, and extreme dieting, sometimes coupled with the use of weight-loss supplements. Those that are afflicted with anorexia are often never satisfied with the state of their body, and even those who are stick-thin may still feel fat.

When you are looking for the warning signs that one may have anorexia, there are a few things to consider. For one, a drastic amount of weight loss will be present within the individual. They may decline eating when in a public circumstance as to lead friends and family to believe that they simply aren't hungry. Girls who suffer from anorexia will experience a loss of their menstrual period, and when it occurs for at least three months in a row, anorexia is probably evident. A sufferer may also exhibit signs of weakness such as anxiety, a weakness of the body, and a shortness of breath.

The health effects that anorexia can have on an individual are quite drastic. Those who are afflicted often experience an amount of bone loss and mineral loss. They exhibit a lowered body temperature, and an irregular heartbeat can develop from the body's lack of nutrition. Growth may permanently cease after a period of time, and osteoporosis may occur. It's a relatively common problem within society, with one out of a hundred teenage girls in America developing a case of anorexia. Ten percent of these girls will die due to the disease's effects on the body, clearly illustrating the damage that it can do. Those with anorexia require a high level of support, and you may want to suggest your friend or family member who may be afflicted with the problem to discuss it with an eating disorder therapist. Doctors and counselors can be of great assistance when it comes to conquering an eating disorder such as anorexia.

Written by: Scott Parat