3 Common Types of Eating Disorders and Who is at Risk

Eating disorders are mental illnesses marked by a persistent obsession with food or body image, or simply a strange relationship with food and irregular eating patterns. They have an impact on people of all ages. Interestingly, personality traits like impulsivity and perfectionism could be the result of social pressure or a change in brain biology. Also, It can be a symptom of PTSD, a sign of chronic depression or anxiety, or the result of extreme stress and low self-esteem. Now, I'll go over the three most common disorders I see in my clinical practice in this article.

3 Common Types of Eating Disorders:
 
   1.   Anorexia: Dieting, fasting, or excessive exercise are the only ways for people with the restricting personality type to lose           weight. They look noticeably underweight and strongly refuse to eat around people. Unfortunately, This is a serious                     condition, they could be at severe risk for multi-organ failure if they maintained restrictive eating habits for a long time. 

        Tip: If anyone you know going through this, please seek immediate multidisciplinary health care to avoid sudden death.

   2.   Bulimia: People with bulimia usually maintain a healthy weight. They go through recurrent episodes of binge eating with a sense   of  loss of control then purge or vomit to avoid weight gain. Due to their constant feeling of guilt, they tend to eat and relapse in   therapy,   with periods of motivation followed by periods of dark thoughts and bingeing. Moreover, They are at risk of losing calcium   and electrolytes, which can harm their bones and hearts. 

          To maintain their normal weight for long periods of time, they should seek CBT, cognitive behavioral therapy, and follow a single-   eating well calculated routine daily.

        Tip: Since people with this type of disorder aren't usually easily spotted, it's suggested that you pay close attention to                         your loved ones and listen to carefully to what's between the lines to be able to help.

   3.    Purging:  This condition falls somewhere between bulimia and anorexia. It is distinguished by People with purging                       disorder frequently use behaviors such as vomiting, laxatives, diuretics, or excessive exercise to control their weight or shape. However,   they do not binge. They can be underweight or normal weight, and they mostly affect women.

Who is at Risk?

Athletes, actors, dancers, models, and television personalities are all members of a community  driven by appearance as a status symbol are at greater risk of having eating disorders. By stressing on ideal measurements and pushing towards unhealthy quick weight loss, coaches, parents, and experts in these fields may contribute to an eating disorder that lasts for a long time and impacts the entire course of life.

Bottom Line:

Eating disorders are tricky, because of the fact that those who suffer from these diseases are often ashamed and may be reluctant to seek help. Therefore, adequate education on these diseases and continuous support from close family members and loved ones is almost obligatory. Furthermore, there is no shortcut cure so a series of ups and downs is totally okay.