The resources in this section provide information regarding anorexia, bulimia, and eating disorders in general. These resources should not be taken as instructions or recommendations for treatment and are not intended in any way to substitute for clinical eating disorder treatment.
Eating Disorders
Dealing with a loved one who is suffering from an eating disorder is particularly difficult and may even be impossible if the individual refuses to admit that they have a problem. As with most mental illnesses, the first step toward recovery is admitting that there is a problem.
Common Bulimia Symptoms
People who suffer from bulimia are generally very secretive about their bingeing and purging, so others may not notice the signs and symptoms of this eating disorder. Some symptoms are so subtle that only a medical professional would notice them. For example, a person with bulimia may be underweight, overweight, or have a normal weight.
Helping a Loved One With an Eating Disorder
Helping a loved one who is suffering from an eating disorder is a difficult task. This is particularly difficult if the person suffering from the disorder has not yet admitted that she has a problem with her eating habits. Often friends and family members will worry about the weight loss or eating habits of a loved one, but are afraid to mention their concerns for fear of offending or upsetting the person.
Differences Between Anorexia & Bulimia
The distinctions between eating disorders can be confusing. While anorexia and bulimia may have some issues in common, other factors make them distinct. For parents, understanding the differences can be crucial, as early detection and proper treatment significantly improve the chances a child will recover.
Anorexia Nervosa Treatment
Children as well as adults can suffer from anorexia nervosa. Common symptoms could include vomiting, negative body image, overeating, binge eating, or other common eating disorder symptoms. You should consult a professional to asses the best treatment plan to combat this disorder.
Eating Disorders Can Affect Anyyone
It is a week away from the high school wrestling tournament and, once again, your son is refusing to eat dinner. You worry, but shrug it off, deciding that it is just stress about the wrestling tournament that has affected his appetite. Or maybe, you believe that his tendency to not eat can't possibly be a problem because he is a boy. Like many people, you may believe that eating disorders are a problem reserved for white, middle class, females. This erroneous thinking is a recipe for disaster!
How to Improve Your Body Image
There are many ways to define body image. It is "the three dimensional concept of one's self, recorded in the cortex by perception of everchanging body postures, and constantly changing with them." [Medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com - define body image], "The subjective concept of one's physical appearance based on self-observation and the reaction of others." [answers.com/dictionary], or "The mental representation one has of oneself which gradually develops in each individual." [answers.com/psychoanalysis].
Common Anorexia Symptoms
Often seen as an eating disorder reserved for white middle-class teenage girls, research has revealed that anorexia doesn't discriminate based on race, age, class, or gender. Though predominately a condition afflicting females, over 2.5 million Americans—boys and girls, men and women, rich and poor, Asian, Latino, Caucasian, and African American—suffer from anorexia, and it is now being seen in patients as young as 9 years old.
Bulimia Clinic
If you know someone who is suffering from bulimia then you realize that finding the right bulimia clinic is a crucial part of their recovery. Avalon Hills is a bulimia clinic located in Utah; they understand the needs of those who suffer from bulimia and they realize there is a need for an individualized bulimia treatment plan for each person.
Bulimia Treatment
Bulimia is a very serious eating disorder and should not be taken lightly. If you or someone you knows is suffering from the effects of bulimia we encourage you to seek professional advice and gather information from bulimia treatment centers.
Eating Disorder Clinic
According to the National Institutes of Health, about 0.5 to 3.7 percent of girls and women will develop anorexia nervosa over a lifetime, and around 1.1 to 4.2 percent will develop bulimia nervosa. Nearly 0.5 percent of anorexics die each year from the illness, making it one of the top psychiatric illnesses to cause death.
Individualized Eating Disorder Treatment Program
According to the National Institutes of Health, about 0.5 to 3.7 percent of girls and women will develop anorexia nervosa over a lifetime, and around 1.1 to 4.2 percent will develop bulimia nervosa. Nearly 0.5 percent of anorexics die each year from the illness, making it one of the top psychiatric illnesses to cause death.
Common Bulimia Symptoms
People who suffer from bulimia are generally very secretive about their bingeing and purging, so others may not notice the signs and symptoms of this eating disorder. Some symptoms are so subtle that only a medical professional would notice them. For example, a person with bulimia may be underweight, overweight, or have a normal weight.
Effective Bulimia Treatment
Young girls and women who struggle with bulimia know how difficult it can be to overcome. Often, it isn't enough to simply stop the behavior binging and purging. It takes a change in their outlook, the way they see themselves, they way they interact with others and they way they interact with food.
Eating Disorder Trends
In 2006, we saw a continuation of trends that have appeared in the past few years, particularly the use of the internet to learn about and maintain compensatory behaviors that lead to or continue an eating disorder. It is important to be aware of these trends, especially for parents and others that may be interacting with children/teens that could develop these disorders. By being aware of the trends, they can possibly help to prevent the disorder from occurring or from flourishing.
Eating Disorder Causes
It is a common mis-perception that eating disorders are all about weight, appearance, and food. While this may be the ultimate preoccupation that brings out the eating disorder, eating disorders are actually about much more than this. They are a complex, multi-faceted, psychological illness that can be triggered by a number of life events.
Binge Eating Disorder
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is characterized by periods of excessive caloric consumption, but not followed by purging as in Bulimia. Binge Eating Disorder is often not diagnosed and may be perceived as just a lack of willpower and habit of over-indulgence. In fact, Binge Eating Disorder is a very real and very serious psychological disease which can be treated if proper measures are taken.
Differences in Eating Disorder Treatment
A 17 year old girl surveys herself in the mirror. At 89 pounds she is considered by the rest of the world to be thin and wispy. However, in her mind she is fat and getting fatter. Her personal self portrait reflects a girl who is spiraling toward imperfection and ultimately obesity. She is therefore so obsessed that she will go days without eating any substantial meals at all. Because of her eating disorder her life is in jeopardy due to problems with her cardiovascular system and heart function.
Making Eating an Enjoyable Experience
Feeling comfortable and happy eating is a very important part of life. Parents need to foster and create an enjoyable experience for their children that help to promote healthy living and good choices in the future.
