Eating Disorder Treatments
Eating disorder treatments deal exclusively with mental conditions where problems are caused by
abnormal eating habits focusing on weight or food intake such as anorexia or bulimia that can cause medical and health problems. Some of the most common eating disorders include
anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating.
Some causes of eating disorders are attributed to
biological factors, psychological or emotional factors, or pressure from society and media. Those prone to having eating disorders are usually female teens to adolescents usually either during a transitional period in life or under family influences. The cases of eating disorders can range from being mild to severe. In some cases, the decline of health could be so severe that it could lead to death.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder in which a person feels that they are too fat or is obsessed with being thin and tries to
starve themselves. Symptoms of anorexia includes a fear of gaining weight, over-exercising, dizziness, menstrual irregularities, dry skin, low blood pressure, dehydration, or fainting, having skin and bone appearance, and refusing to eat or refusing to admit to hunger.
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa is a condition where a person
binge eats and then regurgitates or other methods of trying to purge it all out. It involves eating a huge portion of food in a very short time and then trying to get rid of it by vomiting. Symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa includes laxative use, over-exercising, damaged teeth or gums, self-caused vomiting, swollen salivary glands of the cheeks, sores in the throat and mouth, menstrual irregularities, dehydration, or abnormal bowel functioning.
Binge-Eating
Binge-eating is when a person eats an
excessive amount of food and continues to do so even after they are full. Symptoms of binge-eating includes eating to the point of being bloated uncomfortably, eating out of control, feeling depressed or disgusted with self after the episode of eating over the amount of food eaten, and eating very fast.
Causes of Eating Disorders
Some causes of eating disorders are attributed to biological factors, psychological or emotional factors, or pressure from society and media.
Biological Factors
Some biological factors that could contribute to eating disorders may be due to biological factors. Sometimes this could be genetics or sometimes the brain could have a disorder or conditions where there is an imbalance in the brain chemical such as an imbalance in the amount of serotonin level a person produces.
Psychological and Emotional Factors
Psychological and emotional factors such as being stressed out or using food as a solution to compensate for other problems could be factors that cause eating disorders. Low self-esteem, impulsive behaviors, family issues, or anger management difficulties could all contribute to eating disorders.
Society/External Factors
Social pressure emphasizing on the value of a certain physical ideal can also mentally cause a person to be pressured into engaging in eating disorders. In the medias of some culture, being thin is valued and sometimes the ideals portrayed in the media create an unrealistic image in the minds of the viewers of what their body should be like and cause pressure on them to be the same way to be accepted.
Risk Factors of Eating Disorders
- Female gender
- Teens to adolescents
- Family history
- Family influence
- Emotional disorders
- Dieting
- Transitional period in life
- Engaging in sports or artistic activities
Risks and Complications of Eating Disorders
The cases of eating disorders can range from being mild to severe. A person engaging in such behavior can be prone to depression, suicidal thoughts, bone loss, stunted growth, seizures, heart diseases, digestive problems, bowel irregularities, kidney damage, tooth or gum decay, Type 2 Diabetes, abnormal blood pressure, or gallbladder diseases. In some cases, the decline of health could be so severe that it could lead to death.
Eating Disorder Treatment
Psychotherapy
In psychotherapy, the focus of treatment, whether short termed or long termed, is based on monitoring the eating habits of a patient, helping them to eat well, and accept themselves to improve their mental image of self and improve as well as to resolve relationship issues with others. Some sub-treatments under psychotherapy include cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, psychodynamic treatments, family therapy, and group therapy.
Nutrition Education and Weight Restoration Programs
Nutrition education ad weight restoration programs focus on educating a patient about what to eat in order to stay healthy and have a good eating healthy habit. The focus is also on helping the patients that are underweight to gain back a healthy amount of weight. The programs usually involves meal planning, education on nutritional value of food and how the body is affected by what you eat, steps to maintain a healthy self without dieting, and establishing an eating pattern for the patients. This could be conducted alongside psychotherapy.
Medication
Medication is usually not a sole cure for eating disorder but it is usually used alongside with other treatments to help in managing eating disorders. Some medication can help with mentally uplifting the mood of a patient or cure other symptoms associated with eating disorders such as anxiety or depression. Medication can also help control the urge to binge or deal with a patient who is obsessively concerned about food and diet. Some of the medications used to deal with eating disorders include antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, or antipsychotic medications.