Do you ever feel that you don't have control over your eating habits?
That you can't stop eating or that you're dieting despite the fact that you shouldn't?
It's possible that you have an eating disorder. Every year, millions of people are affected by eating disorders, which are serious mental health illnesses.
In this post, we'll go over five different forms of eating disorders that you can be dealing with without you realizing it.
What is the definition of an eating disorder?
An eating disorder is a mental condition that leads to the development of unhealthy eating behaviors. Eating disorders can cause a wide range of medical and emotional issues that can have a significant impact on your life. There are a few different kinds:
- Binge Eating Disorder (BED):
It's a condition in which a person binges on food.
This type of eating disorder is marked by frequent bouts of binge eating and a lack of control over the amount of food ingested. After eating, people with BED frequently feel guilty and disgusted with themselves, so they diet and exercise excessively in an attempt to lose weight.
Obesity, heart disease, type II diabetes, and other health concerns are all common in those with BED.
- Anorexia nervosa:
Anorexia nervosa is an illness in which people, even if they are already thin, excessively diet and exercise in order to lose weight. Anorexics have a distorted perception of their bodies and believe they are overweight despite the fact that they are not.
Anorexics frequently deprive themselves of food to the point that they are dangerously underweight and malnourished. If left untreated, anorexia can cause infertility, heart problems, muscle loss, osteoporosis (weak bones), kidney failure, and even death.
- Bulimia nervosa:
Bulimia nervosa patients, unlike BED and Anorexia nervosa, maintain a normal or slightly overweight weight. In order to regulate their weight, people with this disease experience frequent periods of binge eating and purging (throwing up) to get rid of the food they have just consumed.
Bulimia patients typically feel guilty and disgusted after eating, which can lead to a difficult-to-break cycle of bingeing and purging. Bulimia can lead to a variety of health issues, such as dehydration, dental damage, electrolyte imbalances, and even death.
- Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID):
Consider how difficult it would be to eat. Eating can be a chore, and you might not enjoy it at all. Eating is something you have to do so you don't go hungry, but it's not something you like doing.
Unless they seek therapy, this is what people with ARFID go through every day of their lives. People with this disease eat a limited variety of foods and frequently have difficulty swallowing or digesting food.
ARFID patients can be underweight, average weight, or even overweight, but their health is nonetheless jeopardized by their restricted diet. They might also have issues like constipation, diarrhea, and malnutrition.
- Orthorexia nervosa:
Yes, we must always incorporate nutritious greens into our meals, but if you find yourself fixated with only eating "healthy" foods, it's time to seek help. Eating is more than just a survival essential; we should also enjoy the process of cooking and eating!
Orthorexia nervosa patients have an unhealthy concern with healthy eating, and they will only eat items that they consider to be "healthy." This can result in an uneven and unhealthy diet, as well as issues like constipation, diarrhea, and malnutrition.
Please seek professional help if you are suffering any of the signs of these eating disorders. Eating disorders are major mental health problems that require treatment to improve.
