Who is at Risk of Developing an Eating Disorder?

admin — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 21:19:30 +0000

Just one glance through a women’s magazine and it’s easy to see that “thin is in.” Many supermodels and actresses of the day are literally waif thin and relish in the fact that they are all but skin and bones. It is no surprise that many young women choose to emulate these highly successful and famous people which can often lead them down a dangerous path of an eating disorder. Let it be said, however, that certainly not all thin women are suffering from an eating disorder as some simply have a high metabolism and any dieting or exercise they do has a dramatic affect on their thin frame. But for those women who are suffering from a variety of psychological issues, the horror of an eating disorder may take hold and work too seriously harm their health.

Let’s look at some of the characteristics that people may have that can lead to an eating disorder.

Those that suffer from Insecurity-Anyone that feels insecure about themselves is often more likely to become affected by an eating disorder. They often feel that nothing they do or say is truly good enough for others and this can often relate to how they feel about the way they look as well. They may feel some sense of gratification when they lose weight and get thinner to help battle these feelings of insecurity which if, left unchecked, can spiral out of control and lead to incredibly harmful health situations.

Those that are impressionable-Some folks are more interested in what others are doing and tend to be followers rather than leaders. These people may see those such as the supermodels and actors we mentioned before and assume that they should try to follow in their footsteps. This can lead them to choose the quick path to a skinny body which could certainly turn into an eating disorder.

People who lack discipline-If someone is looking to lose weight very quickly but they lack the discipline necessary to follow a consistent plan of diet and exercise that may take some time to achieve, they may instead choose shortcuts such as throwing up meals they have eaten so as not to gain weight from the calories they consume. While this individual practice may not be an eating disorder itself, it certainly can lead to one if the practice is continued. In addition, such eating disorders as anorexia can occur if the same people choose to quit eating altogether in order to reach their weight loss goals. Those with the discipline will choose a safe and healthy path of weight loss and physical fitness that, while it may take longer, is truly the healthier plan of action.

Those that suffer from depression-Depression can be a serious illness that can result in a variety of negative outcomes including even death. People that suffer from depression may manifest their feelings by engaging in such harmful practices as not eating and binging and purging. They may have an unhealthy attitude towards food because of their overall negative outlook on life. An eating disorder is certainly not the most severe thing that can befall one with depression so if it is ever suspected that someone you know or love or even you may be affected with depression, treatment should be sought immediately.

Tags:Eating Disorders

Drug Addiction and Eating Disorders

admin — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 20:25:18 +0000

As eating disorders and various types of addictions have been diagnosed and studied for some time, interesting correlations are being made between that of drug addiction and eating disorders.

At one time, it was thought that eating disorders we simply related to unhealthy attitudes about food and various psychological conditions, but now other relationships are being discovered. For instance, it is theorized that some eating disorders are caused by drug addiction. This is not to say that the reasons for the drug addiction are not similar in nature to those that cause eating disorders, only that there may not be a direct causal relationship. There may be other cause and effect relationships that occur. Here is an example.

It has been discovered that some folks who are addicted to certain types of opiates don’t eat as much because the food interferes with the effects of the drugs. This lack of eating can continue and eventually lead to a full blown eating disorder. Another scenario that can exist is that of purging. Some narcotics have the effect of making a person nauseous and therefore lead to them throwing up. This throwing up constantly leads to them losing weight. They may like how they look and continue the practice of purging whether or not the drugs are in their system.

Another interesting and potentially incredibly harmful connection between drugs and food addiction has to do with the prescribing of medications to those suffering from eating disorders. Sometimes, doctors feel the need to prescribe medications to curb certain symptoms of eating disorders. Because of the patients weakened state both mentally and physically, they can often become addicted to these drugs. This leads the patient to CONTINUE to exhibit some of the traits associated with the disorder so as to try to keep getting the prescription of drugs. This can be incredibly hard to diagnose if it seems the patient is making some progress with the use of the drugs. If the drugs are taken away, the patient (sometimes knowingly, sometimes not) begins to exhibit more increasing practices of eating disorders leading the doctor to put the patient back on the drugs. It is therefore incredibly important that any physician or facility that you or loved ones seek to deal with this problem be well versed in the fine line that must be walked with acting to treat eating disorders through the use of drugs.

In addition, It is equally important for drug specific treatment facilities to understand the symptoms and signs of eating disorders as sometimes patients coming off drugs develop eating disorders to deal with latent psychological issues and the fact that they don’t have drugs in their system that before, acted to suppress their issues.

The exact relationships between drugs and eating disorders is not completely known at this time, but ongoing research should help paint a much clearer picture for both doctors and patients and lead to much more effective treatments for both conditions over time.

Tags:Drug Addiction,Eating Disorders

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Who is at Risk of Developing an Eating Disorder?

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