Eating disorders can present themselves in a number of ways, but all of them negatively affect the relationship with food and can cause serious health problems if left untreated. To be able to understand if you suffer from an eating disorder, try to learn more about the effects they cause on behavior, emotions and physical health. If you suspect that you are affected, seek help as soon as possible. If you don't follow proper care, know that your situation could worsen.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Recognizing an Eating Disorder
Step 1. Recognize the most common psychological symptoms of eating disorders
Very often, those with bad eating habits have strong concerns about shape, weight and physical appearance. Among the behavioral and emotional symptoms most common among people suffering from eating disorders are:
- Depression or anxiety
- Strong fear related to the idea of gaining a few pounds or gaining weight;
- Desire to get away from friends and family
- Excessive attention to food and calorie intake;
- Fear of eating certain foods, such as those containing sugar or fat
- Avoid situations involving food;
- Denying having eating problems or being subject to weight changes
- Attempting to eliminate consumed food by exercising, vomiting, or taking laxatives;
- Weigh yourself every day.
Step 2. Look out for symptoms of anorexia nervosa
Anorexia sufferers are unwilling to achieve a healthy body weight. He is also afraid of gaining weight and sees himself as portly, even if he is thin or even underweight. An anorexic person can fast for days or follow an uncompromising diet, characterized by a very low daily calorie intake. Generally, he feels a sense of gratification when he respects the food restrictions he imposes.
- You may have very strict food rules, such as avoiding food of a certain color, refusing to eat at certain times of the day, or sticking to strict calorie restrictions.
- If you have anorexia, you may fear that you are fat or consider yourself physically stout, even if you are several pounds underweight. Despite the extreme thinness, you are never satisfied with your appearance and believe that by losing weight you will be able to feel better about yourself.
- Ask yourself if your parents or friends comment on your build or when you lose weight.
- Ask yourself if you base your personal worth on weight, clothing size, or what you eat.
Step 3. Know the symptoms of bulimia nervosa well
Bulimia sufferers indulge in massive food binges and then take an elimination course in an attempt to get rid of what they just consumed before gaining weight. Even though she knows she should avoid gorging herself so as not to gain weight, she can't stop eating or binging frequently. Once his craving is satisfied, he may desperately try to dispel the fear of gaining weight by vomiting or using laxatives or diuretics.
- Even if you don't eliminate what you eat immediately after ingesting it, you may still suffer from bulimia if you tend to fast for days after a binge, exercise more than usual, or follow a drastic diet to avoid putting on pounds.
- If you are a bulimic person, you may try to eat right and eat a healthy (or restrictive) diet for a while, but you will still be overwhelmed by tension or compulsion to give in to the desire to satisfy the irrepressible craving for food.
Step 4. Recognize binge eating disorder
Sufferers eat huge amounts of food in a short amount of time and feel unable to control themselves during these episodes. Binge eating does not give him any pleasure and, while he eats, he can experience a flood of negative sensations, which can continue even once he has finished gorging. Subjects do not follow food elimination practices after ingesting it.
- People with binge eating disorder may feel depressed, disgusted, and guilty after succumbing to a compulsive binge.
- They can gain many pounds in a short span of time if they compulsively indulge in food.
Part 2 of 4: Managing the Psychological Factors
Step 1. Analyze the sense of control
Some people refuse to eat to stay in control and feel stronger. On the other hand, bulimia sufferers usually feel helpless and out of control. Even those with binge eating disorder may feel that they lack control over what they eat.
- If you feel like you can't manage your life, you may refuse food to fuel the feeling of control over your life and feel gratified when you "get" fast.
- Ask yourself about your need for control and ask yourself how satisfied you are. Are you satisfied with the control you have in your life or would you like to have more? Do you think you can handle it or, to compensate, do you try to control your appetite?
Step 2. Identify the sense of shame for your behaviors
You will likely be ashamed of your eating habits, especially if you indulge in large bites of food. Maybe you try to binge or sneak out what you eat or steal food discreetly so that no one notices. Even if you try to hide your compulsions with this behavior, a sense of shame may lurk behind such behavior that leads you to perpetuate your eating disorder.
If you are ashamed of your eating habits, your discomfort is very likely to indicate an eating disorder
Step 3. Consider your perception of the body
Those who dislike themselves physically are more likely to develop an eating disorder. Contempt for your body can lead to feeling fat, ugly, undesirable, or feeling ashamed or embarrassed about a particular physical feature, such as a scar. These feelings can also be amplified by the models of success embodied by celebrities or the influence exerted by the people who date each other on a daily basis.
- You will probably get the impression that the only way to physically accept yourself is to lose weight and you will think: "When I lose weight, I will finally be happy".
- Reflect on your beliefs about weight and body satisfaction and ask yourself if losing pounds or "being thin" is the only solution that allows you to accept your appearance.
Step 4. Think about how you justify yourself
Do you tend to hide your eating behavior? When someone asks you about your diet choices, do you lie about why you don't eat? What do you respond to when people comment on your weight changes? If you justify your behaviors, you may be suffering from an eating disorder.
By hiding the truth, you are likely to try to live with your disorder so that no one finds out. Do you find excuses for your diet? Do you devise various ways to avoid eating out or having coffee with others?
Step 5. Observe yourself carefully
You don't necessarily have to look in the mirror, but think about how you perceive your body. There are different ways of understanding the body image. For example, you may see yourself overweight, when you are actually underweight, as your doctor has also warned you. Then reflect on the sensations you feel looking at your body: ask yourself if they are positive or negative and how you see your figure and your personal abilities. Thoughts and behaviors also affect your physical image: for example, you may believe that you are too fat and isolate yourself due to the way you perceive your appearance.
Think about the perception of your body and ask yourself if you are objective. Ask yourself how you view your flaws and if having them isn't a big deal
Part 3 of 4: Managing the Physical Symptoms
Step 1. Learn about the risks of anorexia
Anorexia puts a strain on the body. If you begin to notice changes in your body's functioning, you are probably suffering the consequences of an anorexic type of eating behavior. A rather restrictive diet can not only lead to dangerously low body weight, but can also cause other negative side effects, such as:
- Constipation or bloating
- Damaged teeth and gums
- Dry and yellowish skin;
- Brittle nails
- Headache;
- Fainting and dizziness
- Decrease in bone density;
- Growth of fine hair all over the body and face
- Memory problems and slow thinking
- Depression and mood swings.
Step 2. Pay attention to the physical effects of bulimia
Those who suffer from bulimia tend to experience some physical symptoms typical of this disorder, especially if they forcibly eliminate the food they ingest (for example, by vomiting). If you vomit after meals, you may experience:
- Abdominal pain or swelling
- Weight gain
- Swollen hands or feet
- Sore throat or hoarse voice
- Rupture of blood vessels in the sclera
- Feeling of weakness and dizziness;
- Lesions inside the mouth
- Swollen cheeks (from vomiting)
- Caries due to gastric juices that go up into the oral cavity;
- Amenorrhea;
- Stomach problems, such as constipation, ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux.
Step 3. Note the changes related to binge eating
Although the most obvious effect of overeating is obesity, other health risks can occur. To fully understand the health risks associated with this dietary problem, go to your doctor and get a prescription for blood tests. Binge eating disorder can have the following consequences on the body:
- Type 2 diabetes;
- High cholesterol
- Hypertension;
- Joint and muscle pain
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Sleep apnea;
- Heart disease;
- Some types of tumors.
Part 4 of 4: Getting Help
Step 1. See your doctor
An eating disorder can cause damage to the body, so it's best to see a doctor and undergo some tests to determine your general health condition. Get regular medical check-ups while treating your ailment.
Don't be fooled by the idea that eating disorders are not serious. When left untreated, the death rate is higher than for any other mental illness. An analysis of 35 studies showed that out of 12,800 subjects with anorexia 639 died. An analysis of 12 studies found that out of 2585 patients suffering from bulimia 57 died, while another of 6 studies found that out of 1879 people with an unspecified eating disorder 59 died
Step 2. Consult a psychotherapist
It is really difficult to recover from an eating disorder without help. Then, work with a professional who specializes in treating eating disorders. It can help you cope with your relationship with food and your body, reframe negative thoughts, and resolve self-esteem issues. Since some difficulties related to control and eating habits are transmitted or experienced in family relationships, family therapy can also be very useful in combating eating disorders.
- See the therapist as someone who can question and support you during your healing process.
- To find a good professional, read the article How to Choose a Psychologist.
Step 3. Consider hospitalization
If your eating disorder is very serious or life threatening, consider admitting yourself to an eating disorder center. Care in a healthcare facility gives you the opportunity to monitor your mental, psychological and physical health in one place. Treatment requires a certain amount of effort, which means that eating problems are addressed every day. Hospitalization at these centers is more suitable for people who are in urgent need to recover physically because they cannot manage their disorder on their own.
If you are very good at hiding your eating problems and giving the impression that your life is proceeding "normally", when in reality you are not physically or psychologically healthy, admission to a specialized hospital could be a good choice
Step 4. Don't give up
In addition to relying on the help of everyone around you, try never to throw in the towel. Believe in yourself and the healing process. It may seem impossible at first, but don't give up. Many people have fully recovered from eating disorders, so you can do it too.
For more information, see How to Treat an Eating Disorder
Step 5. Surround yourself with friends
Don't think about enduring all the discomfort and discomfort caused by your eating disorder alone. Surround yourself with friends and family who want to see you overcome this disease and know that you are happy. Avoid those who do not make you feel good about yourself, do not believe in you or negatively affect you to the point of preventing you from healing. You need time to recover and recovery will be very difficult if you are subject to this kind of conditioning.
