An eating disorder is a serious mental illness, characterized in that eating, exercising, and weight or body shape become an unhealthy concern of a person's life.
Eating disorders
are a group of related conditions that involve extreme eating and weight problems, but each disorder has unique symptoms and diagnostic criteria. Here are six of the most common eating disorders and their symptoms. The likelihood of recovery increases the sooner an eating disorder is detected.So it's important to be aware of some of the warning signs of an eating disorder. This is not meant to be a checklist. Usually, a person struggling with an eating disorder doesn't have all of these signs and symptoms at once, and the warning signs vary by eating disorder and don't always fit into clear categories. Rather, these lists are intended as an overview of the types of behaviors that may indicate a problem.
If you have any concerns about yourself or a loved one, contact the NEDA Helpline and seek professional help. COMMON SYMPTOMS OF AN OTHERWISE SPECIFIED EATING DISORDER EATING OR EATING DISORDER (OSFED) Because OSFED encompasses a wide variety of disordered eating behaviors, any or all of the following symptoms may be present in people with OSFED. RESTRICTIVE AVOIDANT FOOD INTAKE DISORDER (ARFID). Eating disorders are a variety of psychological conditions that cause severe and persistently abnormal eating behaviors.
People suffering from these disorders often associate deviation from their eating patterns with distressing thoughts and emotions. Eating disorders are serious mental and physical illnesses that involve complex and harmful relationships with food, diet, exercise, and body image. These disorders affect approximately 20 million women and 10 million men in the United States and are found in all populations, regardless of age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, religion, sex, gender, etc. Eating disorders are serious, complex and life-threatening mental illnesses.
They are characterized by alterations in behaviors, thoughts and attitudes towards food, diet, and weight or body shape. Eating disorders have a detrimental impact on a person's life and cause serious medical, psychiatric and psychosocial consequences. Symptoms may appear very similar to those of subtypes of anorexia nervosa due to binge or purge. We welcome all applicants for help and strive to create a safe place for all people, regardless of size, shape, age, abilities, gender, sexuality, cultural background, language, economic status, profession or location.
Taken together, eating disorders affect up to 5% of the population, most often they develop in adolescence and early adulthood. For example, they usually eat unusually large amounts of food in relatively short periods of time and feel a lack of control during binge eating. Medical evaluation and treatment of any concurrent psychiatric or medical condition is an important component of the treatment plan. Although it may begin simply as eating a little more or less than usual, the behavior can get out of hand and take over the person's life.
Most specialized programs are effective in regaining weight and normalizing eating behavior, although the risk of relapse in the first year after discharge from the program remains significant. Talking to a professional will provide you with the right treatment that will get you on the road to recovery. If you have an eating disorder or know someone who might have it, you can seek the help of a health professional who specializes in eating disorders. There are many genetic, environmental and sociological factors that contribute to the development of eating disorder.
National Eating Disorders Collaboration is an initiative of the Australian Government's Department of Health. Seeking professional help specific to your personal needs will help you if you have an eating disorder. .
