| An eating disorder is an illness that badly affects all facets of each sufferer's life, is triggered by various emotional factors and influences, and has strong effects on sufferers and their loved ones. In this article we will focus on Anorexia and Bulimia. Those who are suffering from these illnesses are characterized as having a low self-esteem and often a great need to take strict control over their emotions and surroundings.
Anorexia is a unique reaction to a variety of external and internal conflicts, such as tension, concern, unhappiness and feeling as if life is uncontrolled. An Anorexic may be exceedingly sensitive about being perceived as overweight, or have a massive fear of becoming fat - though not all Anorexia sufferers have this fear. They may be afraid of losing control of the quantity of food they consume, coupled with the desire to control their emotions and reactions to their emotions. With a low self-esteem and need for acceptance they will turn to obsessive dieting and starvation as a means to control not only their weight, but what they feel and how they react. Some also believe that they do not deserve pleasure out of life, and will avoid situations connected to pleasure (including eating).
Common behavioral signs are: calorie and fat gram counting, starvation and restriction of food, obsessive physical exercise, self-induced vomiting, the use of weight loss medications, laxatives or diuretics to attempt controlling body weight, and a constant concern with the body image.
Men and women who suffer from Bulimia seek binge and purge episodes - they cannot stop themselves from eating too much and then vomit to control their weight - since they feel overwhelmed in dealing with their emotions, or to punish themselves. This can be directly related to how they feel about themselves, or how they feel about a particular event or series of events in their lives. Those having Bulimia may seek binge and purge episodes to avoid and let out feelings of tension, anger, anxiety or depression.
Recurring episodes of binging followed by tremendous guilt and purging (laxatives or self-induced vomiting), a feeling of losing control over eating behaviors, engaging in stringent diet plans and exercise on a regular basis, the misuse of diuretics or laxatives, and/or weight loss solutions and a persistent concern about the body image can all be warnings somebody is having Bulimia.
The two eating disorders have many similarities, the commonest being the trigger. They are complex emotional issues. Though they may seem to be nothing more than a dangerously obsessive body weight concern on the surface, for most sufferers there are more profound emotional conflicts to be resolved. |
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