Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are psychiatric conditions characterized by serious disruptions in eating habits, body image issues, and unhealthy behaviors aimed at weight control.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is characterized by a person seeing themselves as overweight despite being significantly underweight and refusing to eat. Behaviors such as extreme calorie restriction, excessive exercise, and laxative use are observed. Anorexia nervosa has a mortality rate of approximately 10%, making it one of the deadliest psychiatric disorders.
Bulimia Nervosa
In bulimia nervosa, a person experiences binge eating episodes followed by compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, laxative use, or excessive exercise. Since the person's weight is usually within the normal range, the disorder may go unnoticed.
Binge Eating Disorder
In binge eating disorder, a person experiences uncontrollable eating episodes but does not engage in compensatory behaviors as seen in bulimia nervosa. This typically leads to weight gain and obesity.
How Common Are Eating Disorders?
Eating disorders are more common in women. They usually begin during adolescence and young adulthood. Social pressures, media influence, and idealization of thinness play significant roles in the prevalence of the disorder.
Causes
Biological, psychological, and social factors combined play a role in the development of eating disorders. Risk factors include genetic predisposition, low self-esteem, perfectionism, history of trauma, family problems, and societal beauty standards.
How to Recognize It?
- •Significant decrease or increase in meal portions
- •Habit of going to the bathroom after eating
- •Excessive preoccupation with body image
- •Avoiding social activities and meals
- •Rapid weight loss or fluctuations
- •Hair loss, dry skin, brittle nails
Physiological Effects
Eating disorders can lead to serious physical complications such as cardiac arrhythmias, electrolyte imbalances, osteoporosis, kidney problems, dental erosion, hair loss, and hormonal irregularities.
Treatment
Eating disorder treatment should be coordinated by a psychiatrist. Psychotherapy forms the foundation of treatment. Family therapy, nutritional counseling, and medication when necessary are also applied. Family participation and support in treatment is very important.