Eating disorders are serious and often fatal illnesses caused by persistent eating habits that have a detrimental influence on an individual’s health, emotions, and capacity to function in essential aspects of one’s life.
The symptoms of an eating disorder differ depending on the type. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder are the most prevalent eating disorders. Other eating disorders include rumination disorder and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. An eating disorder can be identified by preoccupation with food, body weight, and form.
People of all ages, racial/ethnic origins, body weights, and genders are susceptible to eating disorders. The onset of eating disorders is most common in adolescence or early adulthood, although it can also occur in childhood or later in life. Both men and women are affected by these diseases, however women’s rates are greater. Men, like women, have a distorted sense of body image. Eating disorders are caused by a complex combination of genetic, biochemical, behavioral, psychological, and social variables, according to researchers.
Early treatments for eating disorders is critical. Suicide and medical problems are more common among those with eating disorders. Extremely poor eating habits can have a huge impact on the body’s capacity to acquire enough nutrients. Eating disorders can affect the heart, digestive system, bones, teeth, and mouth, among other organs, and can lead to further illnesses. Other mental diseases (such as anxiety or depression) and drug abuse issues are common in people with eating disorders. It is possible to fully recover. Individualized treatment programs may include one or more of the following components:
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Nutritional counseling
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Individual, group and/or family psychotherapy
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Medical care, in patient treatment and monitoring
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Medications
Although there is no permanent way to avoid eating disorders, the goal of prevention is to encourage healthy development before eating problems emerge. It also aims to detect eating disorders early on, before they become untreatable. Even young children, ages 5–7, are aware of societal messages about body image and diets. Bringing these concerns to light is the first step towards prevention. One may assist a child to develop healthy eating habits by using the following strategies:
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Body talk
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Introducing healthy eating habits
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Saying no to teasing and making hurtful comments about other’s body sizes
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Discussing about emotion regulation and avoiding emotional eating
Recovery from an eating disorder is difficult and requires determination and courage, but with the appropriate support system in place, it is achievable. Early detection and seeking profession help/support is essential in treating eating disorders.
Importance of Professional Counseling: A friend or family member may listen to you, but they aren’t professionally, technically qualified or experienced to offer you professional advice. If you wish you can contact us at MindTribe to receive help from our team of expert psychologists.
About MindTribe.in.
MindTribe Founder Dr. Prerna Kohli, India’s eminent psychologist, established the company to leverage the strength of the online to make counseling affordable and accessible to everyone. MindTribe provides counseling, workshops, support groups, forums, and eLearning.
About the Author.
Chanchal Yadav is a counsellor at MindTribe.in. You can learn more about her by clicking here
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of MindTribe.in, the Founders, or management team.
Acknowledgement: All images used are open source and from Unsplash.