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Caused by a variety of emotional, physical and sociological
factors, eating disorders can have profound effects
on not only the people suffering from eating disorders,
but also their loved ones. While eating disorders can
take many different forms, the following are the most
common:
Anorexia Nervosa
People with anorexia nervosa are obsessed with becoming
thin, often starving themselves in pursuit of an impossible
ideal. Anorexics can be irrational about their weight,
regardless of how emaciated they appear. Low self-esteem
fuels the notion that acceptance equals thinness; people
with eating disorders like anorexia tend to be perfectionists
and high achievers, depending upon others for approval.
Side effects of anorexia nervosa include increased heart
rate, cessation of menstruation, starvation and death.
Bulimia
Bulimia causes sufferers to eat large portions of food,
and then purge their body of the food by forcing themselves
to vomit or taking laxatives. People with eating disorders
like bulimia might spend long periods in the bathroom
and run water to hide their activities, especially after
a meal. Bulimia can cause damage to the body from dehydration,
tooth decay and hormonal imbalance.
Compulsive Eating Disorders
Eating disorders also involve the over-consumption of
certain types of food. Low self-esteem, secrecy about
food intake, depression and food paranoia are characteristic
of these eating disorders.
· Binge eating, which is becoming increasingly
common, is characterized by frequent overindulgence
in high-calorie food, such as fast food, sweets and
snacks. Unlike bulimia, however, binge eaters do not
purge themselves and instead become overweight.
· Compulsive eaters can be characterized as
having an addiction to food, using food and eating
as ways to hide from their emotions, fill a void they
feel inside and cope with daily stresses and problems
in their lives.
· Relatively new in the classification of eating
disorders, "Bigorexia," an eating disorder
in which sufferers are compelled to overeat, is thought
to be the opposite of anorexia nervosa. People suffering
from this eating disorder rapidly put on too much
weight, putting themselves at risk for obesity-related
health complications.
If you or a loved one is suffering from any of these
eating disorders, it is important to seek help from
trained medical professionals in a recovery setting.
Treatment Referral provides referrals to centers that
effectively treat eating disorders while addressing
the behavior and thinking patterns that directly contribute
to the individual's disease. Onsite and referred counselors
treat the psyche, while trained medical personnel treat
the body.
If you suspect that you or someone you love has a problem
with eating disorders, please contact Treatment Referral
today and explore the different treatment options available.
800.399.3612
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