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Causes And Treatments For Eating Disorders
In today's society eating disorders are far too prevalent. Here's a suggestion: make more information about the effects of eating disorders available to youth. We teach children about safe sex and why they shouldn't do drugs- why not explain to them that the effects of an eating disorder are just as devastating? The following is an example of the kinds of information that could be shared with people to help them understand the full repercussions of eating disorders.
Personal and social effects are an easy place to start. When the everyday life of someone is affected, this shows up as ripples in their social circles. Perhaps it is an unwillingness to eat with other people, isolating co-workers or schoolmates that eat lunch together, or avoiding family dinners or holiday functions. It may result in increasing isolating behavior- shutting out friends and family. Seeking like company may well land a person among people who enable their eating disorder and possibly even introduce other unhealthy behaviors or coping mechanisms. This can be extremely alarming for family members whose attempts to reach out are often rejected.
It is extremely rare for an eating disorder to exist without other psychological issues. Often they are manifestations of or co-exist with mood, personality and anxiety disorders. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is commonly associated with the eating disorder anorexia nervosa, while bulimia nervosa is often tied to substance abuse problems. Even in the absence of other psychological disorders, the disruption of a person's self-image is only the beginning. Depression is extremely common in individuals with eating disorders, often with a positive correlation between the depression and the eating disorder. Many people experience their emotions in a way they cannot handle and mistakenly channel this into their eating habits which can create a cyclical pattern of emotions and unhealthy eating.
Finally, the potential medical effects of overeating, starving or purging are important to understand. It may not make sense, but many suffering from anorexia or bulimia are somehow able to overlook the fact that they might die in order to attain their goals. Damage to the digestive system is a given- from a ruptured esophagus or stomach to long-lasting disruption of bowel function. Cardiac issues are common among many types of eating disorders. Little remains untouched- skin, hair, nails, internal organs, even the brain itself can be affected. The time to learn these consequences is NOT after the damage has already transpired. It is before. Forewarned is forearmed.
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