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OVERVIEW
Eating Disorders have the power to severely impact the lives
of sufferers and families. Psychological features of these
disorders can leave individuals depressed, anxious, socially
isolated, deeply fearful, and unable to cope with the daily
tasks posed by work, school or relationships. Over time,
physical health can deteriorate due to the persistent use of
disordered eating behaviours, with potential effects including
heart, renal and liver dysfunction, impaired immunity and
electrolyte balance, diabetes, respiratory dysfunction,
osteoporosis and death.
WHAT IS AN EATING DISORDER?
 It is a
disorder where young people use food in order to try to cope
with their lives, which to them have become too painful and
unmanageable. Concentration on food, and control over eating
or not eating, enables them to sideline the painful and
difficult problems in their lives. Eating or not eating then
becomes the only control which they have over their lives,
having lost control in most, if not all, other areas.
An eating disorder is for the
most part a potentially fatal psychological disease.
WHAT AN EATING DISORDER IS NOT
It is not a disease of the
appetite. Food (or as in the case of an alcoholic, alcohol) is
not the issue. It merely underlies a deeply wounded, often
damaged and hurt personality, clutching at eating or not eating
in endeavouring to cope with life which has become unmanageable.
It is not a slimmer's
disease. Super waif models do nothing to help promote
nutritional normality, it is true, but they have no doubt triggered
many young people into anorexia, as has the current emphasis on
dieting.
DETECTING THE SIGNS
a) Anorexia Nervosa
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30% body
weight loss due to refusal to eat / varied excuses for missing
meals
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Wanting
to lose weight when normal weight, or under weight
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Intense
fear of eating
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Obsession
about food or calories
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Excessive
exercising
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Period
problems leading to amenorhorrea
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Moodiness
and sleeping problems
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Fainting
and dizzy spells
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Wearing
baggy clothes to disguise weight loss
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Increasing isolation and loss of friends
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Always
feeling cold, poor circulation
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Growth of
fine downy hair all over body
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Reduced
libido
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Reluctance to admit to having a problem
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Death
b) Bulimia Nervosa
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Consuming
enormous numbers of calories at one sitting
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Disappearing to lavatory after food consumed: to vomit up same
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Secretive
behaviour, mood swings
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Feeling
out of control, helpless and lonely
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No
energy, generally unwell
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Sore
throat
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Digestive
problems
-
Erosion
of tooth enamel, caused by vomiting stomach acids
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Salivary
gland enlargement in cheeks
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Poor skin
condition
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Dehydration
-
Reluctance to admit to having a problem
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Death
c) Compulsive overeating
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