Eating Disorders Mental Health

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Eating disorders often typically long-term illnesses that will require treatment over an extended period. Additionally, eating disorders frequently occur with other mental disorders such as depression, substance abuse and anxiety disorders. Three of the most common eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.

Obesity may also be included as an eating disorder and can affect individuals of all ages, including children, adolescents, and adults.

Having an Eating Disorder is more than just being on a diet. An Eating Disorder is an illness that can be all consuming in a person's life that can be caused by a range of factors and influences that often has major effects on the people suffering, families and friends..

The first goal for the treatment of anorexia is to ensure the person is in good overall physical health and wellbeing which primarily involves restoring a healthy weight achieved by having a balanced diet. Reaching this goal, it should be noted, may require lengthy periods of hospitalisation.

Once the physical condition is stable, treatment usually involves individual psychotherapy and family therapy during which parents help their child learn to eat again and maintain healthy eating habits on their own. behavioural therapy has also been shown to be an effective treatment for helping a person return to healthy eating habits. Supportive group therapy may follow, and self-help groups within communities and families is also important as a way of providing ongoing support.

The signs and symptoms of eating disorders vary with the particular type of eating disorder, which include:

• Anorexia nervosa

Basically self starvation, this disorder involves a refusal to maintain a minimally normal body weight. In severe cases, anorexia can be life-threatening.

• Bulimia nervosa

This involves repeated episodes of binge eating, followed by ways of trying to purge the food from the body or prevent expected weight gain. People can have this condition and be of normal weight.

• Binge eating disorder

This is characterised by frequent episodes of overeating without purging.

Anorexia nervosa
The signs and symptoms of anorexia include:

• Weight loss, sometimes achieved by self-induced vomiting, abuse of laxatives, use of diuretics or excessive over exercising
• Refusal to maintain normal body weight, sometimes weighing 15 percent or more below normal body weight
• Fear of weight gain
• Negatively altered body image
• In females, menstrual changes or the absence of menstruation
• Anxious or ritualistic behaviour at mealtimes
• Fatigue
• Depression
• Irregular heart rate
• Mild anemia
• Brittle nails and hair
• Low blood pressure
• Bulimia nervosa
  

The signs and symptoms of bulimia include:

• Recurrent episodes of binge eating
• Feeling that you can't control your eating behaviour
• Eating much more food in a binge episode than in a normal meal or snack
• Following a binge with efforts to prevent weight gain such as self-induced vomiting, using laxatives or other medications, fasting or excessive exercise
• Unhealthy focus on your body shape and weight Dehydration
• Fatigue
• Depression
• Constipation
• Damaged teeth and gums from gastric acid contained in vomit
• Swollen cheeks from regular vomiting
• Irregular heartbeat

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