The rising prevalence of eating disorders in today's society

Open a magazine or watch any commercial and pictures of thin women and men are presented as the norm in today's society, especially from the perspective of Madison Avenue. However, the average man or woman simply doesn't fit this image. Women are more likely to wear a size 14, than a size two. However, many men and women, and a growing number of children and teens, still strive to fit this fabricated ideal. It is little surprise that the number of men, women, teens and children diagnosed with eating disorders is on the rise, and has been rising for the past four decades. Learning more about anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorder can help more people understand the seriousness of these eating disorders and seek treatment for them.

Anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is sometimes referred to as the starvation disease because men and women affected by anorexia severely restrict the amount of food they will consume. They may measure their portions carefully and may only eat certain foods. Generally, people affected by anorexia are fixated by the amount they weigh and will likely check the scale several times a day. Even as they drop below a healthy weight, they continue to view themselves as overweight or chubby. They may also suffer from a poor self-image which affects their ability to nurture themselves physically or emotionally. The physical effects of anorexia can be devastating. More people die from anorexia than any other mental illness.

Bulimia nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is very different from anorexia. Men and women affected by bulimia nervosa go through recurrent episodes of eating large amounts of food. This usually occurs frequently and is then met by guilty emotions about their lack of control. As a means of regaining control, a person affected by bulimia would typically pressure themselves to vomit, or be driven to exercise excessively, or take laxatives to purge themselves of this binge-eating. Even occasional purging can be damaging to a person’s body, resulting in serious medical issues and complications.

Binge-eating disorder

Binge-eating disorder is in some ways similar to bulimia. The biggest difference between these two disorders, is that in contrast to a person affected by bulimia, a person affected by binge-eating disorder does not try to rid themselves of the food they consumed during a binge. Maintaining a healthy weight is difficult and if perceived as being overweight, may drive a cycle of guilt-induced binge-eating. The health effects related to binge-eating disorder include heart problems and high blood pressure.

While every person is different, the route of treating all three of these eating disorders starts off with an evaluation by a specialist who is trained to treat eating disorders. But for lasting change to occur, the person must be willing to receive help and remain focused on recovering from their eating disorder and other co-occurring disorders, including depression or severe anxiety. A major component in treating all three of these disorders is psychotherapy and counseling, which tackle the thoughts behind a person's disordered behaviors.

Although eating disorders are more prevalent in our society than they used to be, it doesn't have to stay that way. By becoming more educated about the different types of disorders and therapeutic options, people affected by eating disorders can get the help they need before becoming yet another statistic.

Rogers Memorial Hospital is the author of this article on Anoreixa Eating Disorder. Find more information, about Bulimia Treatment here.