Tw: eating disorder
Our previous blog “good girls swallow” covered almost everything about eating disorders but the types of this blog is a further series to explain the types more in detail.
Eating disorder mainly consists of overeating or under-eating but these are just the overviews of several other symptoms
It is very important to build a positive self-image to fight against any kind of eating disorder as it is important to be patient with yourself and to communicate with people so you can get the support you need <3
Some eating disorders are as follows:
Anorexia nervosa
A.k.a. anorexia or as I like to call it in my “starving myself era”
Anorexia consists of the fear of gaining weight, food restriction, low self-esteem, desire to be thin, being underweight, etc. Anorexia can easily lead to malnourishment
Signs and symptoms
1. Purging for weight control
2. Mood swings
3. Avoiding eating
4. Extreme weight loss
5. Dizziness
6. Feeling cold
Starving yourself and looking and feeling good about is a very temporary thing you need to understand the actions you take right now will have severe consequences later; and of course, it’s not a one-day thing it’s a process, respect it and be consistent.
Bulimia nervosa
Aka bulimia or in simple terms when you try to undo something you did maybe impulsively
Bulimia consists of overeating excessively and having no control over how much excessively you eat and then purging or trying to get rid of the calories that you took in an unhealthy way.
Signs and symptoms
1. Fear of gaining weight
2. Fasting
3. Eating abnormally large amounts of food
4. Forcing yourself to vomit
5. Negative body image
6. Swelling in the hands and feet
You may judge yourself every day and you may think that these feelings are invalid but as a matter of fact, these are your feelings and they are as real as you want them to be. It’s okay to feel a certain way about oneself but what you should focus is on doing better.
Rumination disorder
Let’s just say you are a cow.
In this disorder, a person spits up food from the stomach, re-chews it, and swallows it or spits it out.
Rumination mainly happens after every meal or soon after eating.
Signs and symptoms
1. A feeling of fullness
2. Bad breath
3. Nausea
4. Weight loss
5. Abdominal pain
6. Malnutrition
It is necessary to get a professional's help in this case cause if not many complications may occur. You know what’s best for you so take the further steps <3
Pica
Pica is a disorder where a person eats things that are not considered food or edible
Substances like ice, dirt, chalk, soap, glue, detergent, etc.
It increases the risk of poisoning, and infections, as these materials, are not meant to be consumed in the first place.
Personally, I would debate that chalk does taste good but whatever.
Binge eating disorder
This disorder is commonly found among adolescents, it is also very closely related to anorexia.
In binge eating disorder a person eats unusually big amounts of food in a short period of time (called binging) and does not have control over it. Feelings of distress, such as shame, disgust, or guilt are common after an episode.
There is no use of purging behaviors, such as calorie restriction, vomiting, excessive exercise, or laxative or diuretic use, to compensate for it.
Signs and symptoms
Eating when you are full
Rapidly eating
Frequently dieting
Feeling depressed
Over exercising
Feeling guilty
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
This disorder is more than usually dismissed if as picky-eating in children.
It is also usually seen in children but if it is not treated it may progress well into adulthood as well.
Individuals with this disorder experience disturbed eating due to either a lack of interest in eating or a distaste for certain smells, tastes, colors, textures, or temperatures.
It extends more than just not being attracted to certain foods and may cause a person to starve themselves if they cannot find foods they are comfortable with even if they are extremely hungry.
Signs and symptoms
Is underweight
Doesn’t eat as frequently or as much as they should
Often seems irritable and cries frequently (in children)
Seems distressed or withdrawn
Appears tired and sluggish
Vomits frequently
Lacks age-appropriate social skills and tends to shy away from others
Other eating disorders
In addition to the six eating disorders above, other uncommon eating disorders that exist.
Purging disorder: Individuals often use purging behaviors, such as vomiting, laxatives, diuretics, or excessive exercising, to control their weight or shape. However, they do not binge.
Night eating syndrome: They eat excessively at night, often after awakening from sleep.
Other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFED): This category includes any other conditions that have similar symptoms of an eating disorder but don’t fit any of the abode disorders above.
One disorder that may fall under OSFED is Orthorexia.
Individuals with orthorexia tend to have an obsessive focus on healthy eating to an extent that disrupts their daily lives. They compulsively check ingredient lists and nutritional labels and obsessively follow “healthy lifestyle” accounts on social media.
Someone with this condition may eliminate entire food groups, fearing that they’re unhealthy. This can lead to malnutrition, severe weight loss, difficulty eating outside the home, and emotional distress.
Individuals with orthorexia aren't all that focused on losing weight. Instead, their self-worth, identity, or satisfaction is dependent on how well they comply with their self-imposed diet rules.
That's all for now.
Please remember that it is important to establish a good relationship with the one thing that gives you life (other than air, water, and love). If you think you might have any of these disorders please seek help from the nearest health professional.
Recovery is more than possible. Recovery is something everyone deserves. Your disorder does not bring you shame but instead a pride that you are strong enough to still function and even more so as you have taken one step ahead in your journey to getting help.
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