Types of Eating Disorders
While the idea of eating disorders is mostly common knowledge, most people are not aware of the details involved in each type of eating disorder. In general, eating disorders are mental illnesses wherein a person develops eating behaviors that negatively impact their lives. The negative eating behavior is usually linked with emotional disturbances, and people who are living with eating disorders report having a sense that eating behavior is out of their control. Anorexia nervosa is probably the most well-known out of all the eating disorders. Often developed during adolescence, anorexia is most often expressed by a significant weight loss, although it is not always the case. People with anorexia restrict themselves from eating, and they have an intense fear of gaining weight. Due to their food intake restriction or compulsive exercise, their body is not receiving the nutrients it needs, and it is imperative that they eat to stay at a healthy level. There’s often a denial of having an eating disorder, too, which contributes to a skewed self-perception and impaired recognition that the challenges they face have serious medical consequences. Bulimia can be less easy to spot, as many people who suffer from this disorder are adept at keeping up an appearance of ‘normal eating.’ Also likely developed in adolescence, bulimia nervosa is characterized by episodes of binge eating followed by purging. While eating, people with bulimia report not being in control of how much they eat, and they end up eating until painfully full. To compensate for the caloric intake, those with bulimia will often make themselves throw up or use laxatives. While individuals with bulimia often maintain their typical weight, they still fear gaining weight and might deal with problems stemming from their purgings such as tooth decay or dehydration. Binge eating disorder (BED) can also be incredibly dangerous. Like individuals with bulimia, people with BED engage in binge eating behavior. However, they do not take part in purging behaviors like vomiting or using laxatives, causing people with BED to be overweight or obese. People with BED also report feeling out of control when eating, along with feelings of shame or guilt after each binge eating episode. Suppose a person doesn’t meet the criteria for a diagnosis of the disorders above. In that case, they are often diagnosed with OSFED, which stands for other specified feeding or eating disorder. OSFED includes several eating disorders (like orthorexia) that are not yet considered eating disorders independently. For instance, individuals with orthorexia develop an obsession with healthy eating to the point where it disrupts their entire lives. While perhaps not as immediately dangerous as other eating disorders, this still represents a potential issue that may cause strain in any relationship. Eating disorders are like a gun that’s formed by genetics, loaded by a culture and family ideals, and triggered by unbearable distress.- Aimee Liu
