Habits DisordersHabits Disorders

What are eatingWhat are eatingDisorders?Disorders?

An eating disorder is marked by extremes. It An eating disorder is marked by extremes. It is present when a person experiences is present when a person experiences severe disturbances in eating behavior, severe disturbances in eating behavior, such as extreme reduction of food intake such as extreme reduction of food intake or extreme overeating, or feelings of or extreme overeating, or feelings of extreme distress or concern about body extreme distress or concern about body weight or shape.weight or shape.

The two main types of eatingThe two main types of eatingdisordersdisorders

The two main types of eating disorders are The two main types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. A third anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. A third category is “eating disorders not otherwise category is “eating disorders not otherwise specified which includes several variations of specified which includes several variations of eating disorders. Most of these disorders are eating disorders. Most of these disorders are similar to anorexia or bulimia but with slightly similar to anorexia or bulimia but with slightly different characteristics. Bingeeating disorder, different characteristics. Bingeeating disorder, which has received increasing research and which has received increasing research and media attention in recent years,is one type of media attention in recent years,is one type of EDNOS.EDNOS.

AnorexiaAnorexianervosanervosa

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by Anorexia nervosa is characterized by emaciation, a relentless pursuit of emaciation, a relentless pursuit of thinness and unwillingness to maintain thinness and unwillingness to maintain a normal or healthy weight, a distortion a normal or healthy weight, a distortion of body image and intense fear of of body image and intense fear of gaining weight, a lack of menstruation gaining weight, a lack of menstruation among girls and women, and extremely among girls and women, and extremely disturbed eating behavior. Some people disturbed eating behavior. Some people with anorexia lose weight by dieting and with anorexia lose weight by dieting and exercising excessively; others lose exercising excessively; others lose weight by self-induced vomiting, or weight by self-induced vomiting, or misusing laxatives, diuretics or enemas.misusing laxatives, diuretics or enemas.

Treating anorexiaTreating anorexia

Involves three components :Involves three components : 1. restoring the person to 1. restoring the person to

a healthy weight;a healthy weight; 2. treating the 2. treating the

psychological issues psychological issues related to the eating related to the eating disorder;disorder;

3. reducing or eliminating 3. reducing or eliminating behaviors or thoughts that behaviors or thoughts that lead to disordered eating, lead to disordered eating, and preventing relapse.and preventing relapse.

BulimiaBulimianervosanervosa

It is characterized by recurrent and It is characterized by recurrent and frequent episodes of eating frequent episodes of eating unusually large amounts of food unusually large amounts of food and feeling a lack of control over and feeling a lack of control over the eating. This binge-eating is the eating. This binge-eating is followed by a type of behavior that followed by a type of behavior that compensates for the binge, such as compensates for the binge, such as purging fasting and/or excessive purging fasting and/or excessive exercise.exercise.

Unlike anorexia, people with bulimia Unlike anorexia, people with bulimia can fall within the normal range for can fall within the normal range for their age and weight. But like their age and weight. But like people with anorexia, they often people with anorexia, they often fear gaining weight, want fear gaining weight, want desperately to lose weight, and are desperately to lose weight, and are intensely unhappy with their body intensely unhappy with their body size and shape. Usually, bulimic size and shape. Usually, bulimic behavior is done secretly, because behavior is done secretly, because it is often accompanied by feelings it is often accompanied by feelings of disgust or shame. The binging of disgust or shame. The binging and purging cycle usually repeats and purging cycle usually repeats several times a weekseveral times a week

TREATMENT FOR BULIMIATREATMENT FOR BULIMIA

To reduce or eliminate binge and To reduce or eliminate binge and purge behavior, a patient may purge behavior, a patient may undergo nutritional counseling undergo nutritional counseling and psychotherapy, especially and psychotherapy, especially cognitive behavioral therapy , cognitive behavioral therapy , or be prescribed medication. or be prescribed medication. Some antidepressants, such Some antidepressants, such as fluoxetine (Prozac), which is as fluoxetine (Prozac), which is the only medication approved the only medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating Administration for treating bulimia, may help patients who bulimia, may help patients who also have depression and/or also have depression and/or anxiety. It also appears to help anxiety. It also appears to help reduce binge-eating and reduce binge-eating and purging behavior, reduces the purging behavior, reduces the chance of relapse, and chance of relapse, and improves eating attitudes.improves eating attitudes.