Eating disorders are complicated mental Illnesses that oftentimes result in physical consequences. The following is a guide between various types of eating disorders that will help you better understand each of them and recognize their differences.
Eating disorders are characterized by disturbances in day-to-day life due to thoughts and behaviors having to do with food, body image, exercise, eating, and more.
Often times eating disorders are portrayed as the classic “anorexic, underweight, white, teenage girl”. Of course, there are definitely people who struggle that fall under all these categories and their struggle is very real and legitimate.
There are different types of eating disorders and people who struggle can be from any and every race, nationality, gender, age, or social status. Mental illnesses don’t discriminate and eating disorders aren’t any different.
I will be showing you beyond the stigma and bringing light to some of the lesser-known parts of these illnesses.
I am not a doctor or medical expert and this information is from my personal research and experience.
1. Anorexia Nervosa-
This type of eating disorder is often referred to as just “anorexia”.As you might already know this ED is characterized by food restriction which in many cases also comes with excessive exercise and fear of weight gain.
Contrary to popular belief you do not have to be underweight to struggle with anorexia. This disorder affects people of all ages, genders, weights, and body types. The causes for anorexia change from person to person and usually this disorder forms due to multiple factors.
Societal standards and pressures to look a certain way, sudden life changes, and other mental health issues can all play their part in developing anorexia. Genetics also have an impact on many types of eating disorders and are a major factor, especially in anorexia cases.
Anorexia often forms due to a feeling of lack of control. Often times one uses food restriction as a way to feel that their life and body are in their hands. A combination of this feeling and genetics or societal standards can lead to a full-blown deadly eating disorder.
On top of the physical consequences that anorexia usually leads to there are many mental and emotional outcomes as well. People will usually develop other mental health issues besides anorexia, become emotionally distant, lose touch with friends and family and basically get to the point in which the disorder takes over their life to the point that it is all they have left.
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2. Binge Eating Disorder ( BED) –
BED is characterized by episodes of binge eating followed by intense feelings of guilt and shame afterward. Binge eating is consuming large amounts of food in a short period of time well over the point that you feel satisfied or full. People struggling with this disorder are commonly “overweight” or “obese”, but this is not always the case.
People with all types of eating disorders are hesitant to reach out for help but with BED this could not be more true. Although binge eating disorder is the most common ED in the united states and in general a very common eating disorder it is still overlooked and people struggling are often thought to be lazy. It is very important to remember that ED’s are not a choice and BED is not any different.
Although BED behaviors may seem opposite to those with anorexia the route of these symptoms is often very similar. This is part of the reason that people with binge eating behaviors sometimes also struggle with restriction behaviors and vise versa.
Most people with BED struggle with at least one other mental disorder. In addition, emotional trauma and body weight can also contribute to developing binge eating disorder. High body weight is not only a symptom of BED but in many cases a binge eating disorder cause.
BED is no joke and it can have very severe mental and physical outcomes. Physical outcomes include heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or even death. Mentally it may lead to depression, anxiety, body dysphoria, low body image, and self-esteem in general.
3. Bulimia Nervosa-
Bulimia is one of the most common types of eating disorders. It is characterized by episodes of binging followed by purging behaviors afterward. Purging behaviors may include self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, misuse of laxatives, and more. People with bulimia often go through consistent shifts in weight, both up and down.
Personally, I’ve struggled with this disorder for years and the amount of misinformation around it drives me nuts. In spite of the fact that bulimics are usually portrayed in the media as severely underweight individuals, this is very far from the truth. Of course, people of all body shapes and sizes can struggle with this disorder but most who do are in the “normal” or “overweight” weight category.
Eating disorders are complicated illnesses and can form due to many factors. When it comes to bulimia on top of the genetic and societal pressures that can lead to the development of this disorder there are also other major causes. A lot of studies suggest that childhood abuse and trauma have a very big impact on the development of bulimia in a later stage in life.
In my case I developed bulimia due to sexual trauma, I tried to “purge” out all the negative emotions and feelings having to do with the trauma specifically regarding my body.
There is also a direct link between other specific mental disorders and bulimia. Those who struggle with borderline personality disorder, depression, and anxiety are more likely to also get diagnosed with bulimia.
Bulimia has many mental and emotional risks. Besides the extreme mood swings, self-isolation, low body image, and self-hatred those who struggle are also more prone to self-harm behaviors, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts and tendencies.
Bulimia is also one of the deadliest types of eating disorders, after anorexia. It can cause electrolyte imbalances, digestive issues, and many severe heart-related problems. There are cases in which it causes sudden, unexpected death due to cardiac arrest and electrolyte imbalances.
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