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.

 

Determining Anorexia

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that many know about but few talk about. It's a disorder that can be very shameful, and difficult to conquer. Many anorexics may be in denial of their condition, and it can be tough to determine how serious one's feelings are towards their self image. In this article, we'll give you a basic idea of what anorexia is and help to explain when you might have a problem with the disorder.

Anorexia is, above all, a form of mental illness. That's not to say that anorexics are crazy; it simply alludes to the fact that the brain functioning of someone with the disorder is unhealthy. For that reason, it can be very difficult for anorexics to simply stop anorexic behaviors without outside help. To that end, here are some of the things that doctors look for when it comes to diagnosing anorexia. If you think that some of the criteria fit the situation that you are in, you may want to seek outside help for dealing with your nutrition.

Most doctors diagnose anorexia first and foremost by the weight that an individual is. If you are 85 percent or less of your recommended body weight due to a refusal to gain weight, a problem with anorexia might be present. This level of weight is extremely unhealthy, and it can result in serious damage to one's body. Another thing that doctors look for is a noted fear within the individual when it comes to gaining weight. They may be unnaturally fearful of being overweight, and these signs can really help to determine if one's obsession with weight is unhealthy. Also, if you tend to deny the fact that your body weight is insufficient, and you have low feelings of self worth, doctors may recommend treatment. Remember, anorexia is a problem that is rooted psychologically, and physically changing behavior patterns alone will not be a sufficient solution. If you feel that you may be facing a problem with anorexia, you should at least give yourself the privilege of speaking with a doctor or an eating disorder counselor about your problem.

If you think that a friend may be anorexic, there are some warning signs that you may be able to note. Those with the disorder will often avoid questions about their weight as well as they can, and may get angry if you try to discuss the issue with them. Also, they may avoid eating in public as to disguise their diet. If you see some of these warning signs, do your best to get your friend to a physician. If you wait too long, the damage that the disorder does to the body can become so severe that it can be tough to recover from them, and the use of an IV may be employed to try to bring your loved one back to health. The danger that eating disorders present are many, so addressing the problem is paramount to keeping your friend in proper health.

Written by: Scott Parat