Thinking About Eating Disorders

As health and wellness editors with young kids we worry about whether our kids are eating right or not, especially our daughters.  Society seems to place an unwritten rule on women that they must be thin or they are not attractive, sexy, successful etc… the list could go on and on.

Our Eating Disorders Information Portal is designed to contain all of our research we’ve done on eating disorders for your use and reference.  We all know someone who is too thin, or starves themselves to fit into the small clothes sizes. Most don’t think they have a problem and relatives sometimes don’t recognize it as a problem. There are many questions in the situation, the major one being do they have an eating disorder? If they do have an eating disorder, what type is it….anorexia, bulimia?

The interesting thing we found is it’s not just women who have eating disorders; men also have eating disorders and it is much hard for them to get the help they need. If you yourself have an eating disorder, or your helping a friend recognize they have an eating disorder, spend the time going through this information portal and start a plan today to find a solution to your problem, your life literally depends on it.

 

You May Have An Eating Disorder Without Noticing It.

Thousands of women and increasing number of men look in the mirror everyday and hate what they see. The image that stares back at you in that mirror is not real as fairy tales are not real. You see in that mirror what your eating disorders want you to see as you are not seeing the true picture. Millions of people are made miserable by eating disorders while thousands will die from them yearly. The good news is that eating disorders can be beaten and be a prisoner no more to this. You have the power to beat such disorders and you will for sure. Although recovery may take lots of time and hard work, it is all worth doing. Finally, you will be free and you will love yourself. After the recovery, you will be able to look yourself in the mirror and it will be obviously the real you.

Many people misunderstand what causes their eating disorders and how dangerous it is and they deny that they even have a problem. When people hear of someone with eating disorders, they almost automatically assume the person has a problem with food. Eating disorders are not a sign that a person has a problem with food, to a certain extent disorders are actually only the symptoms of underlying problems in that person's life. With proper treatment, that person may recover from the disorder.

While it has been found that some eating disorders sufferers have imbalances in certain chemicals in the brain that control hunger, appetite and digestion, potential biochemical or biological causes of eating disorders are still being examined by researchers In addition to biochemical or biological factors, several psychological factors, socio-cultural and interpersonal factors can be attributed as causes of eating disorders. A significant risk factor for the development of eating pathology appears to be represented by low self-esteem. The tendencies to be perfectionist and setting rigid standards for oneself may lead to some eating disorders. Depression, anxiety, emptiness or loneliness, anger and feelings of lack of control in life or feeling of inadequacy are other psychological factors that greatly cause eating disorders.

Socio-cultural factors could be cultural pressures placing extreme value on "thinness" and obtaining the "perfect body". The cultural norms placing emphasis on physical appearance and not on inner strengths and qualities as well as defining beauty as extremely narrow including specific body weights and shapes greatly contributes to the development of eating disorders. Furthermore, media messages encouraging dieting likely lead to high rates of chronic dieting also has some part being played for the risk of having disorders. Eating disorders develop from a variety of causes and they are creating self-perpetuating cycle of physical and emotional destruction. Moreover, all eating disorders require professional help.

Some individuals who have difficulty expressing one's feelings and emotions may add up to other causes that leads to eating disorders. Interpersonal relationships, family disharmony, history if being ridiculed based on body size or weight, history of sexual abuse and/or physical abuse and family factors such as obesity in the family, parental preoccupation with eating and weight, unrealistic expectations achievement are all interpersonal factors that develop eating disorders.

Lastly, the number one stepping stone to eating disorders is dieting and it is important that you put your bad dieting on trash. You have to be real by freeing your body from the possible impact that your dieting is about to give you after. Better off spend your money and your passion on something that really matters to your without you risking your health.

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For more information please visit the Eating Disorders Info center.

Written by: Michael Sampson