An Eating Disorder Is?

Subject: An Eating Disorder Is? Fri Dec 12, 2008 2:36 am

(HELL *cough*)

"You know when you get up in the morning? And you look in the mirror? And you turn your wrists around thinking about whether or not they're skinnier or fatter than they were yesterday? And you suck in your stomach, and wish you looked like that all the time? And then you curse yourself for that ice cream you ate yesterday? And then you promise yourself you're only going to eat x calories today? And then you eat that, and a little bit more? And then you hate yourself for that? And then you think, oh well I've fucked up today I might as well binge & make myself feel worse? And then you eat whatever you can find without even thinking about what it is? And then you find yourself on the bathroom floor hating yourself more because you can't seem to purge it successfully? And it brings tears into your eyes? And you look in the bathroom mirror and *still* hate yourself? And you cry on the bathroom floor for a while? And you feel sick? and then you do lots of sit-ups but it's still not good enough because you ate so much? And you promise yourself you'll be good from tomorrow onwards? And then you do the same thing over tomorrow? That is an eating disorder." B.U.S.

Anorexia Nervosa

commonly referred to as anorexia
initially begins dieting to lose weight
the weight loss becomes a sign of mastery and control.
The drive to become thinner is actually secondary to concerns about control and/or fears relating to one's body.
endless cycle
approximately 95% of those affected by anorexia are female, but males can develop the disorder as well
“an estimated 0.5% to 3.7% of women will suffer from this disorder at some point in their lives.” (U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH))

Bulimia Nervosa

Binge and Purge
Eat large amounts of food quickly and in one sitting
Expel food through the use of laxatives and/or vomiting, or fasting
Victims are usually female and in their early twenties (some even maintain a normal weight)
Becomes compulsive, uncontrollable, and pathological

Binge Eating

Binge eating is a serious problem in which one frequently consumes unusually large amounts of food.
When someone has a binge eating disorder, they may be deeply embarrassed about gorging and vow to stop. They feel such a compulsion that they cannot resist.

Emotional Eating

Comfort Foods are foods that a person will eat to obtain or maintain a feeling
75% of overeating is caused by emotions
Can be provoked by depression, boredom, loneliness, chronic anger, anxiety, frustration, stress, problems with relationships and poor self-esteem

EDNOS

Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified
Meets some but not all of the criteria for Anorexia or Bulimia

COE

Compulsive Exercising
Also called over-exercising or obligatory exercising
An individual engages in strenuous physical activity with to the point that is unsafe and unhealthy.
"To maintain cardiovascular health, 2,000-3,500 calories should be burned each week through aerobic exercises, such as running, dancing, cycling and the like. Thirty to forty-five minutes a day, five or six days a week is sufficient to acquire these health benefits. Exercise beyond 3,500 calories per week, however, leads to decreased physical benefits and increased risk of injury." VPUL
They will find ways to work out even if it means cutting school, taking time off from work, getting too little sleep, or missing social events.
Typically feel severe guilt when they cannot exercise
Rarely consider their workouts fun or enjoyable.

This is not a diagnostic tool. Do not self-diagnose! Seek a professional if you are concerned.

I'm worried about developing an eating disorder—What can I do?
* Identify and respect everything about yourself- the inside and the outside.
* Be yourself. Don’t try to look like models in magazines.
* Try not to think or talk about weight, calories, and food.
* Try to make eating a positive experience: eating fuels both your body and mind!
* Don't diet! Try to eat mostly healthy foods.
* Work on ways to cope with negative feelings, such as talking to friends or family, listening to music, playing a sport, or doing crafts. Practicing healthy ways to deal with stress may help you avoid using food to deal with emotions.
* Talk to your doctor