Avera Holy Family Hospital recently issued the following announcement.
Eating disorders are an addictive spiral that affects body, mind and spirit. At the core are false beliefs such as “I’m not good enough,” “I have to strive to be the best,” “I need to be in control” or “I’m not special.”
Too many people see a disorder as their means of controlling their lives. We must reach them and show them they can get that control back without using the false promises that go with an eating disorder.
Eating Disorder Facts
- At least 8 million to 10 million Americans face eating disorders – many of them young women.
- Between 5% and 10% of those who suffer from anorexia nervosa will die within a decade.
- Only one in 10 people with potentially fatal disorders seek treatment, and in many cases, they don’t get the level of care they need to turn things around.
“The best first step for any parent, friend or coworker to make is a private conversation where we express our concerns and really listen,” said licensed professional mental health counselor Mary Dressing, LPC-MH, LN, RD, with Avera Medical Group Internal Medicine Women’s. “Expressing concern and preparing yourself for a denying, defensive person can be a critical first step.”
Eating Disorder Causes
The causes of eating disorders may be genetic, cultural, or a combination. Dressing emphasizes that our culture and its focus on weight and looks is a big part of the problem, too.
“It can set people on a pathway that goes from normal eating to distorted eating to a full-blown eating disorder,” she said. While these disorders are seen more often in women and girls, they can strike within all genders. And the ages are skewing younger.
“The best means to stop it is with a team that includes family (especially parents), friends, dietitians, counselors, psychiatrists and physicians,” Dressing said.
The shame and guilt that accompanies this disorder are filtered through what is called “eating disorder brain.”
“You’ll see outgoing kids who begin to withdraw or younger women who stop coming to family functions and spend hours at the gym,” Dressing said.
There’s no quick fix and recovery is hard work.
“It’s much like alcohol or drug addiction, but unlike those diseases, we all have to eat, so the threat of relapse can be intimidating,” she said. “We all should know the warning signs and have the bravery necessary to help those in need.
They can regain that means of self-management and be themselves – but with a healthy approach toward food.
The Various Types of Eating Disorders
All eating disorders are serious and if you fear someone you care about has one, show them you care with a private conversation and then get professional help. Here’s a short look at the most common types.
Anorexia: This very-prevalent disorder is almost always the most serious. Intense fear of maintaining a healthy weight leads to self-starvation. People facing it will exhibit extremes in their eating habits.
Bulimia: People with this disorder will cycle between binging on food and later purging it out of their bodies with vomiting or laxatives, at least twice a week for three months. Sufferers usually do not lose as much weight, but tax their bodies due to the stress of these excesses.
Binge-Eating Disorder: This condition is like bulimia without the purging, and people who suffer from it may be overweight or normal weight. It’s used as self-punishment or to fill a void, and the condition is clinically official if it happens twice a week or more over six months.
Compulsive Overeating: In a country where many people are overweight or obese, this condition is commonplace, although this term isn’t used as much as it once was. The disorder revolves around using food as a compulsive means to cope with stress, low self-opinion or other issues.
Orthorexia: This condition often begins in efforts to “eat better” and becomes an obsession with restrictions, some of which can lead to extreme restrictions or a fixation on food purity.
If you or someone you know is currently struggling with an eating disorder, help is available. Don’t hesitate to reach out to an Avera Health professional.
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up