Eating Disorders
Abigail Pace
What is an Eating Disorder?
Any range of psychological disorder characterized by abnormal or disturbed eating habits.
Anorexia Nervosa
Self-Starvation and excessive weight loss.
Bulimia Nervosa
Bingeing and purging of food. Eating excessive amounts of food in a short period of time and then getting rid of the food/calories by vomiting, enemas, laxative abuse, or over exercising.
Binge Eating Disorder
Periods of compulsive, uncontrolled, continuous eating, beyond the point of feeling uncomfortably full. Sporadic fasts or repetitive diets, often feelings of shame, self-hatred after a binge. Body range can be from normal to mild, to moderate, to severe obesity.
Symptoms:
- Chronic dieting even though dangerously underweight
- Constant weight fluctuations
- Engaging in ritualistic eating patterns
- Continued fixation with food, may cook food but not take part in eating it
- Depression
- Withdraw from social events
- Isolated
- Switching between overeating and fasting
Quick Stats&Facts:
- Anorexia has the highest fatality rate of any mental illness
- Only 1/3 of people struggling with anorexia obtain treatment
- Estimated 4% of females will have bulimia in their lifetime
- Eating disorders are a daily struggle for 10 million women and 1 million men in the U.S.
- 4/10 people personally experienced an eating disorder or know someone who has.