ANOREXIA BULIMIA | BULIMIA NERVOSA
BINGE EATING DISORDER /COMPULSIVE OVEREATING
COMPULSIVE EXERCISE | OTHER EATING DISORDERS | POSSIBLE CAUSES

What Are Eating Disorders?

Eating disorders -- such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder -- include extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues. Eating Disorders are serious emotional and physical problems that can have life-threatening consequences for females and males.

BE AWARE:
A victim DOES NOT need to appear underweight or even "average" to suffer ANY of these signs and symptoms. Many men and women with Eating Disorders appear NOT to be underweight... it does not mean they suffer less or are in any less danger.

ANOREXIA NERVOSA (top)

Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss.

Symptoms Include:

• Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for height, body type, age, and activity level
• Intense fear of weight gain or being "fat"
• Feeling "fat" or overweight despite dramatic weight loss
• Loss of menstrual periods
• Extreme concern with body weight and shape

BULIMIA NERVOSA (top)

Bulimia Nervosa is characterized by a secretive cycle of binge eating followed by purging. Bulimia includes eating large amounts of food--more than most people would eat in one meal--in short periods of time, then getting rid of the food and calories through vomiting, laxative abuse, or over-exercising.

Symptoms include:

• Repeated episodes of bingeing and purging
• Feeling out of control during a binge and eating beyond the point of comfortable fullness
• Purging after a binge, (typically by self-induced vomiting, abuse of laxatives, diet pills and/or diuretics, excessive exercise, or fasting)
• Frequent dieting
• Extreme concern with body weight and shape

BINGE EATING DISORDER (BED) / COMPULSIVE OVEREATING (top)

Binge Eating Disorder (also known as Compulsive Overeating) is characterized primarily by periods of uncontrolled, impulsive, or continuous eating beyond the point of feeling comfortably full. While there is no purging, there may be sporadic fasts or repetitive diets and often feelings of shame or self-hatred after a binge. People who overeat compulsively may struggle with anxiety, depression, and loneliness, which can contribute to their unhealthy episodes of binge eating. Body weight may vary from normal to mild, moderate, or severe obesity.

COMPULSIVE EXERCISE (A.K.A. Exercise anorexia) (top)

Exercise anorexia involves low food intake with compulsive exercise behaviors. The person with this eating disorder often goes undetected due to the lack of information about the harmful effects of over exercise behaviors. Furthermore, the compulsive exerciser may eat an average amount of food, disregarding others from being alarmed. However, compulsive exercise behaviors cause bodily harm much like anorexic and bulimic consequences and likewise, exercise anorexia can be fatal.

OTHER EATING DISORDERS (top)

Other eating disorders can include some combination of the signs and symptoms of anorexia, bulimia, and/or binge eating disorder. While these behaviors may not be clinically considered a full syndrome eating disorder, they can still be physically dangerous and emotionally draining. All eating disorders require professional help.

WHAT CAUSES AN EATING DISORDER? (top)

Eating disorders are complex conditions that arise from a combination of long-standing behavioral, emotional, psychological, interpersonal, and social factors. Scientists and researchers are still learning about the underlying causes of these emotionally and physically damaging conditions. We do know, however, about some of the general issues that can contribute to the development of eating disorders. While eating disorders may begin with preoccupations with food and weight, they are most often about much more than food. People with eating disorders often use food and the control of food in an attempt to compensate for feelings and emotions that may otherwise seem over-whelming. For some, dieting, bingeing, and purging may begin as a way to cope with painful emotions and to feel in control of one's life, but ultimately, these behaviors will damage a person's physical and emotional health, self-esteem, and sense of competence and control.

Psychological Factors that can Contribute to Eating Disorders:

• Low self-esteem
• Feelings of inadequacy or lack of control in life
• Depression, anxiety, anger, or loneliness

Interpersonal Factors that can Contribute to Eating Disorders:

• Troubled family and personal relationships
• Difficulty expressing emotions and feelings
• History of being teased or ridiculed based on size or weight
• History of physical or sexual abuse

Social Factors that can Contribute to Eating Disorders:

• Cultural pressures that glorify "thinness" and place value on obtaining the "perfect body"
• Narrow definitions of beauty that include only women and men of specific body weights and shapes
• Cultural norms that value people on the basis of physical appearance and not inner qualities and strengths

Other Factors that can Contribute to Eating Disorders:

• Scientists are still researching possible biochemical or biological causes of eating disorders. In some individuals with eating disorders, certain chemicals in the brain that control hunger, appetite, and digestion have been found to be imbalanced. The exact meaning and implications of these imbalances remains under investigation.

Eating disorders are complex conditions that can arise from a variety of potential causes. Once started, however, they can create a self-perpetuating cycle of physical and emotional destruction. All eating disorders require professional help.

*some of this information comes from www.edap.org