What are Eating Disorders?

When life feels like one trial after another, whether it be external stressors, poor self-esteem, or mental health struggles, we look to find an outlet. 

Food offers temporary relief, and, let’s face it, it tastes good. Reaching for a dozen donuts may seem harmless compared to other coping mechanisms such as drugs or alcohol. The reality is that although some forms of coping seem innocent, they can have disastrous, even terminal, consequences.

The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders reports that 28.8 million Americans will have an eating disorder in their lifetime. 

In this blog, we’ll look at the following questions about eating disorders:

• What is an eating disorder?
• What are the different types of eating disorders?
• What is the most common eating disorder in the world?
• What happens while having an eating disorder?
• How serious is disordered eating?
• How can you tell if someone has an eating disorder?
• What can lead to disordered eating?
• Is disordered eating an addiction?

What is an Eating Disorder?

An eating disorder is a group of mental illnesses associated with an individual’s eating habits, negative behaviors, and perceptions of themselves and food.

What are the Different Types of Eating Disorders?

The term “eating disorder” is an umbrella term for various mental illnesses linked to unhealthy behaviors, thoughts, and eating patterns. The three most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, binge eating disorder (BED), and bulimia nervosa. 

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is a serious mental illness categorized by low BMI, food restriction, an intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted body image. Individuals with this disorder are typically malnourished due to having a restrictive diet, sometimes choosing to restrict food entirely. 

Along with weight loss, anorexia leads to complications such as:

• Absence of menstruation
• Heart palpitations
• Constantly being cold or fatigued
• Abnormal blood count
• Low blood pressure
• Eroded teeth
• Limb swelling
• And digestive problems, among other health issues

From 2018 to 2019, 2,680 people in the U.S. died from anorexia nervosa. Along with starving oneself, excessive exercise, abusing laxatives or diuretics, and bingeing or purging (bulimia nervosa) commonly coincide with anorexia.

Binge Eating Disorder (BED)

BED is a category of eating disorder where an individual takes part in episodes of eating large amounts of food in a specific timeframe. Bingeing is typically accompanied by the following behaviors:

• Rapid eating
• Feelings of shame or guilt
• Hiding food and eating habits
• Eating alone or in secret
• Feeling a lack of control over eating behaviors
• Stress eating
• Eating until you’re uncomfortably full
• Eating to the point of feeling sick or needing to throw up
• Frequent dieting

Constant bingeing has many negative impacts on health and puts individuals at high risk for complications such as diabetes and heart disease. More than 6 million Americans suffer from BED, making it the most common eating disorder in the U.S.

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is when an individual induces vomiting to “get rid of” calories, generally after a binge eating session. Vomiting after eating eliminates less than 50% of the calories consumed. Along with purging, people with bulimia may exhibit strict dieting, excessive exercise, and an obsession with body weight.

Although bulimia is its own disorder, its behaviors can coincide with other conditions, especially binge eating disorders. While the “goal” of purging food is to lose weight, it doesn’t quite work out that way, as people with this disorder commonly gain weight.

Other Eating Disorders

• Pica occurs when the individual eats or chews non-nutritional objects like paper, grass, starch, or clay. Usually, this disorder stems from nutritional deficiencies and most commonly affects children, pregnant women, and people with mental health conditions.
• Rumination Disorder is the act of spitting up (regurgitating) undigested or partially undigested food. Spitting up is usually followed by rechewing the food, swallowing it, or spitting it out. Rumination disorder is not always intentional and can stem from abdominal pressure.
• Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). Once referred to as Selective Eating Disorder, ARFID is characterized by extreme pickiness and little to no interest in eating. ARFID typically occurs in children. Having limited food preferences, this condition can lead to poor growth, nutritional deficiencies, and malnutrition.
• Night Eating Syndrome (NES) is precisely what it sounds like. People with this condition will wake up throughout the night and feel the urge to eat to help them fall back asleep. NES occurs alongside sleeping problems like insomnia, which contribute to bingeing. Although separate disorders, NES and BED share similar characteristics.

What is the Most Common Eating Disorder in the World?

The most common eating disorder is binge eating disorder (BED). BED isn’t talked about as often as anorexia and other disorders despite being a prevalent and problematic condition. 

People with binge eating disorder may not be aware of the serious condition. Due to having symptoms that are viewed as less serious than things like starving or purging,  “BED is incredibly underrecognized and undertreated.”

BED affects approximately 1.25% of women, 0.42% of men, and 1.6% of teenagers in the United States. It affects three times the number of people with anorexia and bulimia combined.

What Happens While Having an Eating Disorder?

The effects of an eating disorder range from mild to severe. The longer the condition continues, the greater the health risks become. When a person is either bingeing, limiting caloric intake, or forcing themselves to purge, it takes a toll on their mental, physical, and emotional health. The lack of nutrition impacts bodily functions that need essential vitamins to stay healthy.

Eating disorders can also shrink the brain, including gray and white matter, hurting cognitive processes like problem-solving, prioritization, and judgment. Along with this, eating disorders affect the parts of the brain that manage emotions, leading to mood swings, depression, and irritability.

A common cause and effect of eating disorders is body dysmorphia. As an eating disorder continues, body dysmorphia can cause a person to become hyperfocused on parts of the body they dislike, believing these “flaws” are more noticeable than they really are.

How Serious is Disordered Eating?

An eating disorder is incredibly dangerous. Because this condition surrounds an individual’s daily dietary intake, it impacts all bodily functions. People with eating disorders risk harming their body’s physical, behavioral, and mental well-being.

Physical Effects

• Extreme weight gain or weight loss
• Heart problems (palpitations, abnormal rhythm, heart failure)
• Slowed brain function
• Fatigue and passing out
• Blocked intestines
• Bacterial infections
• Stomach pain and bloating
• Fluctuating blood sugar levels
• Teeth deterioration
• Loss of muscle mass and bone (leading to osteoporosis and risk of fractures)
• Digestive and gastrointestinal problems (constipation, vomiting, nausea, bloating)
• Decreased testosterone in males
• Absence of period in females
• Blue-tinged fingers
• Hair loss and breakage
• Dry or yellowish skin
• Swelling of arms or legs

Emotional and Behavioral Effects

• Mental illness (depression, anxiety, mood swings)
• Excessive exercise
• Hiding food, feeling shame or guilt
• Restrictive dieting, meal skipping
• Abusing medications or supplements (laxatives, enemas, diuretics, etc.)
• Self-isolation
• Social withdrawal and anxiety
• Body dysmorphia
• Avoiding public eating
• Apathy
• Insomnia and sleep problems
• Decrease in libido

How Can You Tell If Someone Has an Eating Disorder?

Feelings of shame or guilt commonly accompany eating disorders. People may isolate themselves and attempt to keep the problem a secret to avoid embarrassment or judgment. This can prevent them from seeking help and avoiding the grave health risks of long-term eating disorders. 

While a loved one may not confess to having an eating disorder, there are signs of developing or existing eating disorders to look for, including:

• Fluctuations in weight
• Increase in self-isolation
• Not taking part in social events
• Depression or anxiety
• Mood swings
• Excessive talk about body image
• Wearing baggy clothing to hide their body
• Self-harm (cutting, self-inflicted burns, etc.)
• Excessive exercise
• Using laxatives, diet pills, or diuretics
• Not wanting to eat in public
• Obsession with calories, fat, and dieting
• Withdrawing from activities they once enjoyed (hobbies, friendships, outings, etc.)
• Making excuses or skipping meals
• Bingeing foods and sweets

If you suspect a loved one may be dealing with an eating disorder, don’t treat them differently from before. Love them, continue inviting them to social activities, and don’t pressure them to eat. 

Most importantly, find an appropriate and safe space and time to talk with them about your concerns. Encourage them to search for information and seek professional help. Let them know they aren’t alone and that you’re here to support them.

What Can Lead to Disordered Eating?

Eating disorders tend to stem from stress and unhealthy coping. Low self-esteem can also trigger an eating disorder. Other sub-risk factors of eating disorders include:

• Having a family history or exhibiting a family member with an eating disorder
• Existing mental health disorders (depression, mood disorders, OCD, etc.)
• Dieting and starvation

What Age is Most Likely to Have an Eating Disorder?

An eating disorder most commonly develops between the ages of 12 to 25. Those most at risk of developing an eating disorder are teen girls between 13 to 19 years of age and women in their early 20s.

Can Eating Disorders Happen Unintentionally?

People don’t practice the habits of eating disorders to develop a mental illness. Like other mental illnesses such as depression or OCD, people don’t choose to have an eating disorder. Rather, the repetition of these behaviors turns the situation into an actual condition.

People can develop eating disorders unintentionally while taking part in the associated behaviors, including dieting, skipping meals, and turning to food to cope with stress or mental illness.

Is Disordered Eating an Addiction?

Eating disorders share the same addictive behaviors and impacts on the brain that other substances, such as drugs or alcohol, have. Addiction has to do with changes in the brain, interfering with communication between neurons by damaging the cells. 

As a result, the brain’s perception of pleasure becomes associated with the feel-good chemicals that come from either overeating, purging, or other unhealthy eating habits. The distorted reward system creates cravings and, in turn, an addiction to eating habits.

Luxury Eating Disorder Treatment in Scottsdale, Arizona

Eating disorders are isolating conditions. They make you feel alone and hopeless. Our team of experts at Soul Surgery wants you to know you’re not alone and recovery is genuinely possible.

Contact us to learn more about how we can serve you or your loved one. Our programs are tailored to your individual needs and goals. We hope to hear from you soon.