Eating disorders, it would be wrong of us to think that this condition only affects young girls and boys, but that is untrue, it can affect older people as well.

So what is an eating disorder, it is abnormal habits that negatively affect a person’s physical or mental health. They constantly worry about their body weight and shape, this habit can form in eating too much or not enough,

Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge………..They can affect male and female

Anorexia – The person suffering from this condition will be terrified of gaining weight, they refuse to keep a healthy weight size for their build, they will see an unrealistic body image and they limit their intake of food and see themselves as overweight. Anorexia – can bring on brain damage, multi-organ failure, bone loss, heart difficulties and infertility.

Bulimia – This involves binge eating, vomiting, excessive exercise laxatives and diuretics, they again worry about weight gain, they are very unhappy people, it all evolves around weight body and shape, but a person with Bulimia will keep it a secret, which eventually fills them with shame, guilt and lack of control. They can find themselves with gastrointestinal problems, severe hydration, again heart difficulties due to electrolyte imbalance.

Binge – They totally lose control over eating, they may suffer from obese and increased risks of other conditions. Cardiovascular disease and will also suffer from guilt, distress and embarrassment.

The exact Complex cause is unknown, but it can be associated to biological, physical and enviromental factors.

Irregular hormone functions, Nutritional deficiencies – Biological

Negative body image, Poor self esteem – Psychological

Dysfunctional family dynamics, Professional careers (ballet etc.,), Family chilhood trauma’s, Cultural or peer pressure, Stressful transitions or life changes – Enviromental.

Signs and sympton’s – Constant dieting, weight flactuations, unusual eating patterns, cutting food into tiny pieces and eating alone, fixation with food, depression, isolation and to be withdrawn .Treatment – This must be always with no exception under Professional Treatment Team, medical doctors, nutritionists, therapists and psychotherapy.

A person suffering with Binge eating for example, usually eat to cope with feelings, it is a nasty circle you feel bad about yourself and therfore eat to feel better, and for a little while you do. Then reality sinks in and you start to hate yourself for what you have done and that nasty circle starts all again. Anyone suffering from these conditions will know that we are dealing with a chronic disorder, it takes time to recover, its a day at a time, they will learn what triggers the eating or no eating, with professional help, they can’t do it alone, when you work through recovery, the fact that you can share your urge with someone is very important, when they do this, they automatically take the POWER away from themselves and pass it to someone else. It is a condition that can be treated, the symptons and consequences can be detrimental if not addressed. Eating disorders can be associated to other conditions, anxiety, substance abuse and depression. 

You need to live in the moment, not the past, leave it behind and concentrate on the future, and they must know and be reassured that they can do it. They must love who they are, take care of themselves and know a thousand times………THEY CAN DO IT !!

There is much more that can be added to this, please take this as a guide.