Eating Disorders

Throughout the last few centuries, eating disorders have become very popular for not only teenage girls, but people of all ages and gender. Many doctors compare having eating disorders to abusing alcohol; alcoholic uses alcohol to relieve mental pain, just as a person with an eating disorder can use eating, purging, laxatives or excessive exercise to accomplish a personal goal of theirs. According to the Publishers of electronic Eating Disorders, Rader Programs, some of the underlying issues that are associated with eating disorders include low self esteem, depression, feelings of loss of control, feelings of worthlessness, identity concerns, family communication problems and inability to cope with emotions (Eating Disorder, n. d.). Eating disorders are usually divided up into three different categories: Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Compulsive Overeating.

Every year millions of people are affected with one of these sometimes life-threatening eating disorders and more than 90 percent of these suffering are adolescent and young women. (Avalon, n. d.)

Anorexia is a disorder where the victim restricts food and starve themselves in order to keep a low body weight. Weight loss is usually a whole 15 percent below the person’s body weight. The writers of MAMAS HEALTH (Anorexia n. d.) web page say that only one percent of teenage girls in the United States develop anorexia nervosa and up to 10 percent of those may die from starvation, cardiac arrest, other medical complications in the heart and brain, and suicide as a result. People suffering from this disorder are extremely skinny, but are convinced that they are overweight. To keep this low body weight, anorexics have a restricted diet, compulsive exercise, and the use of laxatives. Anorexic people keep thinking that they are overweight even after they become extremely thin and ill, even close to death. Most people with anorexia feel the need to be skinny because of being in the public eye such as dancers, actresses/actors and distance runners.

Many people suffering from anorexia refuse to believe that they really have a problem. They refuse to believe that they are dangerously skinny. Here are some symptoms of anorexia: not wanting or refusal to eat in public, anxiety, weakness, brittle skin, shortness of breath, obsessive ness about calorie intake and loss of at least three consecutive menstrual periods.

In order to have a healthy child, the average pregnant woman should gain between 25 and 35 pounds. Telling this to a person with anorexia is like telling a normal person to gain 100 pounds. If you are an anorexic, you may have trouble conceiving and carrying a baby to term. Irregular menstrual cycles and weak bones make it more difficult to conceive. If you are underweight and do not eat the proper variety of foods, you and your baby could be in danger. (Anorexia, n. d.)

When our bodies don’t get the food and nutrients that it needs, everything begins to shut down and stop working. Some of these risks include shrunken bones, mineral loss, low body temperature, irregular heartbeat, permanent failure of normal growth, development of osteoporosis and bulimia nervosa.

Bulimics on the other hand don’t have the refusal to eat. People suffering from bulimia binge eat, or eat large amounts of food at one time, and then purge, or vomit it back up. They also use laxatives, diuretics, diet pills, strict diets, fasts, chew-spitting and vigorous excersise. Binge eating is usually done secretly. In bulimia, binge eating can occur for several times daily for months at a time. After the bulimic realizes what he/she has been doing, they have a feeling of self discust and might make themselves vomit or exercise excessively.

Just like anyother eating disorder, bulimia comes with an endless amount of risks and hazards. Serious damage could be done to the esophagus (the tube from the mouth to the stomach) from the constant vomiting. The acid in the vomit will begin to eat away and rot major organs in the stomach, throat, and mouth. The enamel of the teeth will also begin to erode away because of the excessive vomit. Other complications include pancreatitis, dental cavities, inflammation of the throat, electrolyte abnormalities, dehydration, constipation, hemorrhoids, and esophageal tears and ruptures.

This behavior is usually very secretive, yet there are still some clues that lead to this disorder such as over activity, peculiar eating habits or rituals and frequent weighing. Over time, most bulimics begin to not be able to control the vomiting after each meal. Their bodies get so used to vomiting after every meal that even when bulimics decide that they want to end this obsession, it is really hard. Many even teach themselves how to throw up very quietly so hopefully no one will notice.

Many people confuse anorexia with bulimia, but the truth is, they