Eating Disorders - Signs Your Daughter Has One

Is your daughter looking thinner than usual? Has she been dieting excessively? Does she visit the bathroom immediately after each meal? Does she seem depressed? These could all be signs of an eating disorder.

There are three eating disorders that affect men and women. In anorexia nervosa people starve themselves because they think they are too fat. Bulimia nervosa involves overeating, then purging immediately after. Binge eating is out-of-control eating, regardless of whether one if hungry or not.

People who are anorexic have an extreme fear of becoming fat. As a result, they starve themselves until they are severely underweight. They also tend to exercise excessively. Ironically, the word anorexia means loss of appetite. Anorexics, however, have a great deal of hunger that they control. There are several techniques that anorexics take to control their eating. They might cut their food into tiny pieces or prepare large meals for other to satisfy their own desire for the food. They also might drink a lot of coffee and tea, use diet pills and smoke to help limit their food intake. Anorexics make excuses to avoid eating or hide food to hide the fact that they aren't eating. Generally women between the ages of 14 and 25 suffer from anorexia, although some men have this eating disorder as well. Many anorexics suffer from bulimia as well.

Bulimics binge eat then purge everything they have eaten. After an episode of binge eating, bulimics feel guilty and ashamed, as well as afraid of gaining weight. This lead to purging. Laxatives are also commonly abused by bulimics. There are several health risks associated with bulimia. Bulimics tend to have more dental problems such as decay and loss of enamel from the extra acid in their mouth from the vomiting. Frequent purging can also damage the esophagus. Bulimic women who are pregnant have an increased risk of complications. Other health concerns are increased risk of infections, permanent organ damage, muscle spasms and heart attack.

Binge eating involves eating large amounts of food while feeling out of control and helpless to stop. The difference between binge eating and bulimia is that binge eaters do not purge afterwards or take laxatives. Binge eaters tend to eat faster than usual. They generally eat alone out of shame and embarrassment. They will eat until they are uncomfortably full and they will eat when not hungry at all.

The causes of eating disorders are not completely understood yet. People who suffer from eating disorders usually feel out of control with some aspect of their lives. Eating is the one thing that can be controlled. Many times, anorexics are starving to be perfect. Controlling their eating helps satisfy that hunger. Bulimics may be out of control while bingeing, but they regain control by purging immediately after. Eating disorders may be brought on as a result of a traumatic experience that leaves a person feeling helpless and vulnerable.

The first step in overcoming an eating disorder is admitting you have a problem and seeking help. Talk to people about it and seek counseling. Eating disorders are harder to overcome the longer they have been present. With the right treatment, it is possible to beat an eating disorder.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Eating Disorders [http://eating-disorders-guided.com]

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Eating Disorders Warning Signs

Eating disorders are serious behavior problems. Eating disorders can cause heart and kidney problems and even death. Eating disorders are not a sign that a person has a problem with food, rather eating disorders are actually only the symptoms of underlying problems in that person's life. Eating disorders involve serious disturbances in eating behavior, such as extreme and unhealthy reduction of food intake or severe overeating, as well as feelings of distress or extreme concern about body shape or weight. Researchers are investigating how and why initially voluntary behaviors, such as eating smaller or larger amounts of food than usual, at some point move beyond control in some people and develop into an eating disorder. Dieting to a body weight leaner than needed for health is highly promoted by current fashion trends, sales campaigns for special foods, and in some activities and professions. Eating disorders frequently co-occur with other psychiatric disorders such as depression, substance abuse, and anxiety disorders. These are also the three most common eating disorders. All three have severe consequences to a person's immediate and long-term health and can cause death.

Eating disorders are characterized by an abnormal obsession with food and weight. Eating disorders are much more noticed in women than in men. Environmental factors have a large influence on developing eating disorders but more research is being performed on hormonal imbalances, brain lesions and their effects on eating disorders. Many types of eating disorder such as , anorexia nervosa , starvation diet ,binge eating disorder , bulimia nervosa , diabulimia and night eating syndrome. Girls and women are 10 times more likely than boys and men to suffer from anorexia or bulimia. However, eating disorders do seem to be getting more common in boys and men. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are more commonly known as anorexia and bulimia. The two disorders can be difficult to distinguish from each other because they have similar characteristics. Anorexics consider themselves to be fat, no matter what their actual weight is. Often anorexics do not recognize they are underweight and may still "feel fat" at 80 lbs. Anorexics close to death will show you on their bodies where they feel they need to lose weight.

Most people with eating disorders will try to avoid conflicts at all costs, so they usually don't express negative feelings and try to wear a happy face all the time to try and please people. Treatment can include medical supervision, nutritional counseling, and therapy. Treatment of anorexia calls for a specific program that involves three main phases: (1) restoring weight lost to severe dieting and purging; (2) treating psychological disturbances such as distortion of body image, low self-esteem, and interpersonal conflicts; and (3) achieving long-term remission and rehabilitation, or full recovery. These medications also may help prevent relapse. The treatment goals and strategies for binge-eating disorder are similar to those for bulimia, and studies are currently evaluating the effectiveness of various interventions. Many parents worry about how to get their kids a healthy diet, and prevent them from becoming obese or overweight without giving them anxiety about food that might lead to an eating disorder. Take an active role in creating a healthy lifestyle for your child. Involve your child in the preparation of healthy, nutritious meals on a regular basis.

Eating Disorders Treatment Tips

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - emphasizes the relationship between thoughts and feelings by focusing on a person's thought processes.

2. Interpersonal therapy - focuses on addressing difficult relationships with others

3. Rational Emotive Therapy - focuses on a person's unhelpful beliefs

4. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy - focuses on a person's past experiences.

5. Family therapy usually involves those who live with the person with the eating disorder, such as parents, siblings, and partner or spouse.

6. Group therapy provides a supportive network of people who have similar eating disorders.

7. Support groups are led by trained volunteers or health professionals.

Juliet Cohen writes articles on diseases and conditions and women health care. More information on health related topics visit our site at http://www.healthatoz.info.

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Compulsive Eating Signs

What Is Compulsive Eating?

Compulsive eating involves episodes of uncontrolled eating or binging, that feel frenzied or out of control. Eating occurs even past the point of being uncomfortably full. Unlike individuals with bulimia, compulsive over eaters do not attempt to compensate for their overeating with vomiting, laxatives, fasting, or purging. However, there may be intervals of repetitive diets. While compulsive eating may eventually result in weight gain, body weight can range from normal to severe obesity.

What Causes Compulsive Eating?

Although there is no one known exact cause of compulsive overeating, there are several likely options. Compulsive eating is a behavior used to fill a void, cope with stress, suppress uncomfortable emotions, deal with problems, or to create a state of numbness to difficult situations or feelings. Triggers can be anxiety, depression, stress, boredom or loneliness, dieting, and low self-esteem. Compulsive eating is a behavior driven by a desire to manage hidden issues rather than by feelings of hunger. The eating activity provides temporary relief, but is typically followed by further distress in the form of guilt, shame, or disgust. A perpetual cycle of eating occurs to relieve anxiety, then feeling badly for overeating, often leads to a vicious cycle of binge eating and depression.

Why Is It So Hard To Stop?

When you compulsively overeat, you may try every diet or plan to stop. At first, you may experience some weight loss success. But, in the long run diets or tightly controlled eating don't address or remedy the primary reasons for your overeating. In addition, with the hunger and restriction eventually comes a binge response. This overeating episode brings in feelings of failure and even more depression. Compulsive overeating is a coping behavior that can be overcome by learning and incorporating other behaviors that are at least as effective as eating.

Symptoms of Compulsive Overeating

This is not a complete list of signs and symptoms. Nor must a person have every symptom on the list to have compulsive eating behaviors.

* Eating normally in front of others and compulsively overeating alone.

* Binging, or eating uncontrollably

* Eating late at night or while others are asleep.

* Hiding a private stash of junk food.

* Unhappy with body weight.

* Always thinking about food.

* Eating to feel better.

* Not enjoying the food being eaten.

* Feeling out of control and unable to stop eating during binges.

* Continuing to eat even after feeling full.

* Becoming anxious while eating.

* A history of diet failures.

* Depression.

* Feels guilty and ashamed of binge eating.

* Worrying while eating.

* Eating frantically, barely chewing food.

* Hiding food.

* Eating secretly.

* Binging after a diet.

* Hunger creates a feeling of vulnerability and uneasiness.

If you recognize yourself as a compulsive eater - take heart! There is hope and there is healing. Author Thomas Moore wrote, "When the soul is neglected, it doesn't just go away, it appears symptomatically in obsessions, addictions, violence and loss of meaning. I believe that people with addictive eating behaviors are unique, creative, caring and sensitive individuals who are searching for a deeper connection to their true inner spirit. Recovery occurs as you develop a sense of your own spirit, self, and body... and when you develop a belief that your emotions are valid, important, and worth noticing.

If you're not living the life of your dreams or getting the results you want, it's probably your beliefs holding you back. Inspirational author and personal growth expert Dr. Annette Colby, RD can help. Whether you are trying to take the pain out of life, turn difficult emotions into joy, release stress, end emotional eating, or move beyond depression, you can achieve success. Annette breaks it down step-by-step so anyone can achieve the life they are wanting to live, no matter how tough life was before. To access hundreds of content filled articles and sign up for an inspirational Loving Miracles newsletter visit www.LovingMiracles.com

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