What are eating disorders?
People with eating disorders are always busy with food. For example, do not you eat when you are hungry. Whether you eat too much if you are not hungry. Everything that has to do with eating and food is inconvenient for you. Also pleasant things, like a party or Christmas.
You are probably very dissatisfied with your body and your weight. You feel guilty about your eating disorder or maybe also your embarrassed you. Thereby you can feel pretty lonely.
Eating disorders are very common in young women, but women over 25 can also get an eating disorder yet. And eating disorders also occur in children between eight and twelve, and in boys and men.
The most common eating disorders are:
- Anorexia nervosa. People with anorexia are afraid of becoming fat, while they are dangerous lean.
- Bulimia nervosa. People with bulimia have regular binges. They try quickly to get rid of the calories by vomiting or laxatives to use.
- Binge eating disorder or binge eating disorder. People with binge eating disorder have also not eating binges, but trying to get rid of. They get so usually suffer from overweight.
- Orthorexia nervosa. People with this eating disorder are obsessed with ' healthy eating ' and thereby to unilaterally go eat.
Physical symptoms of eating disorders
With an eating disorder can have serious physical problems. These things can go wrong:
- You will no longer time periods, or not at all.
- You get constipated.
- You get an upset stomach.
- Give you a lot about it, then you get problems with your teeth. You become hoarse and your mouth hurts inside.
- Use your many laxatives, you get a lazy intestine.
- If you eat little, vomit or use laxatives much, you get anemic. You become dizzy, weak and tire easily.
- If you vomit or use laxatives much, you get a lack of sodium and potassium. Of these, get your heart rhythm disorders and diseases of the liver and kidneys.
Emotional and social problems in eating disorders
People with eating disorders often suffer from emotional problems. You may feel depressed or anxious, especially when you're dealing with other people. You may have trouble to concentrate and to remember things. And what is also very annoying: you can almost think of nothing else than to eat, your weight and how you look.
Many people with eating disorders have problems with the people around them: friends, colleagues, parents, family or partner. You do not want others to know of your eating disorder. Thus, you can always pull back. This can go so far that you almost do not have more contact with other people. Many people may at some time not even work or study.
Some people with eating disorders also have other serious psychiatric illness such as anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, social phobia and borderline personality disorder. It is important that you also get a treatment for that disease.
Medication use in eating disorders
Have you suffered from emotional problems alongside your eating disorder? Then it's tempting to use sleeping pills and sedatives. Therefore, the fear becomes less and get some rest. But there are drawbacks to using these types of resources. They help slow down, and they are addictive.
Even appetite suppressants are addictive. They have less and less effect. Therefore you should increasingly take.
A drug addiction is difficult to treat.
Appetite suppressants also ensure further that you can not sleep well. All such funds do not help to really solve the problems.
Antidepressants can help in some people but an eating disorder. But then, together with some form of therapy.
What causes eating disorders?
Most eating disorders begin in adolescence. Perhaps you recognize it: you are then very sensitive to what others think of you. And that just at a time when you as a woman, which thickens around your hips. That is quite normal, but some girls will go over lines. And lines can turn into an eating disorder.
It is not yet clear what exactly is the cause of eating disorders. In any case, there is not a single cause. These things can play a role:
- Lines disrupts hunger. Many people no longer pay attention to feelings of hunger when they go on a diet. At a certain point you do not know if it is really necessary to eat. You're going too much or too little food. For example, an eating disorder may occur.
- Character. Anorexia Patients often want to do everything right, but also have the feeling that they never succeed. They always compare themselves with others and find others always prettier, smarter, funnier ... Women with bulimia often have little control over himself. They do what quickly comes to mind.
- Venting with food. Perhaps you've never learned to express your feelings. Maybe you do not know how to solve your disputes. Eating or not eating can be a way to deal with bad feelings.
- Stressful events. An eating disorder can occur after trauma. For example, severe traumas as incest, abuse, or death of a loved one. But you can also get an eating disorder by a normal stressful event such as a broken relationship, go out of the house, a heavy exam or getting a child.
I need to get treatment for an eating disorder?
You may find that you can your eating disorder and must solve. But you have to do it alone. It's not your fault that you have an eating disorder. An eating disorder is a mental illness. It is important that you get help there as soon as possible. The chances that you will get better is bigger if you quickly do something about it. And without help cure an eating disorder that almost no one succeeds.
So it is wise to see your doctor. Then you can decide together what will seek for your help.
Where can I get a treatment for an eating disorder?
There are several places where you can get treatment for an eating disorder. Your doctor can give you a referral to a mental health center (MHC), a psychotherapist or psychiatrist, or a (psychiatric) hospital. They can also refer you to a special treatment center for eating disorders.
Usually outpatient treatment enough. Sometimes part-time treatment better or we need a shot. There are also treatments over the internet for certain eating disorders.
What is the treatment?
Most people with eating disorders receive cognitive behavioral therapy. Another possibility is schema therapy. You and your family receive education about the disease (psychoeducation). Step by step, you learn to eat normally. There is also focus on other important things, such as:
- How do you experience your body?
- Need more confidence? Social skills training might be a good idea.
- How do you deal with stress and grief?
The further following an eating disorder?
It is possible to cure of an eating disorder. Almost half of those with anorexia and bulimia after treatment better. About one out of three patients become much better, but not quite. And about one out of five patients remain ill. The binge eating disorder is still not known what effect a treatment precisely.
The eating disorder may recur. It is good at the first sign to look for all the help. Will not you straight to a professional counselor, you can also seek support from an aftercare group. Such a group is also suitable if you want after a therapy still like to support. Aftercare groups are led by people who have had an eating disorder. You'll find them on.
More and more eating disorder services also offer counseling for people who are not cured. The treatment is then less focused on healing and more on improving the quality of life.
Dealing with an eating disorder
It is not easy to admit that you have an eating disorder. Yet it is important that you go to your GP. To support the treatment, you can teach yourself the best possible way to deal with your eating disorder. Here are some tips:
- Read more about your eating disorder.
- Be honest with yourself and accept that you have problems.
- Do not think you have to solve everything alone. Take someone in confidence and tell them what you're going through. Go on in there if someone want to talk about your problems. Contact with people who have similar eating disorder can be a great support.
- All kinds of courses are given that are meant to gain confidence or to learn social skills. Chances are that such a course you do well.
- Eat with others.
- Keep track of what you accomplished. Write it down as you go forward, however slowly it in your eyes goes.
- Failed there something? Better luck next time.
Dealing with someone who has an eating disorder
If you have a child, partner or friend with an eating disorder? Then you want to help her probably like. But you are not helping her by telling her what to think and do. How do you help it?
Realize that the person is really sick. They did not lie deliberately about her eating. She worries a lot and is afraid.
Force the person not to eat. Then she goes invent more excuses, giving you trust each other less and less.
Try not to be overly concerned. It feels threatening for the person.
Accept the person and show that you are trying to understand her.
Listen to the person and talk about the things that bother her.
Set limits well as the eating disorder too much influence on your life or your family.