Symptoms Of Eating Disorders

The weight loss business is a billion dollar industry in the United States. In fact, dieting as one of the means of weight loss has now already been taken to extremes from a simple practice to obsession. With thinness as a yardstick of beauty, people take dieting to limits that a considerable number of them have eating disorders. People with eating disorders normally begin experiencing these problems as early as their teenage life only that it is not until later that they are noticed as the physical symptoms set in. In fact, most people with eating disorders refuse to recognize their condition.

Treatments for eating disorders vary for each type. Information on these treatments is available through books on eating disorders and websites offering anorexia, binge eating and bulimia self-help. Other than finding the causes of eating disorders, it is also important to spot them as early as possible because treatment is faster and more effective when the effects of the condition have not yet adversely affected the health of the patient. To identify an eating problem, it is then important to know what the symptoms of eating disorders are and are not.

Myths About Symptoms of Eating Disorders

There are several known symptoms of eating disorders according to popular belief. However, not all of these are true as these are just preconceived notions about eating disorders. Below are some of the myths about the symptoms and signs of eating disorders.

Myth No. 1. People with eating disorders are underweight.-Being underweight is not one of the general symptoms of eating disorders. This can only be true in anorexia when starvation has already taken its toll on a person's weight and body mass. However, in other cases of eating disorders, most patients have a normal weight and some are even overweight.

Myth No. 2. Vanity is one of the symptoms of eating disorders.-Although most people with eating disorders have a strong desire to diet and even attain thinness, reasons why they do it supersedes vanity reason alone. In most cases, such conditions are brought about by psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and shame.

Myth No. 3. The symptoms of eating disorders appear physically alone.-Because eating disorders are also psychiatric problems, signs also manifest themselves other than physiological changes. The first social and mental symptoms are shying away from social circles, feeling constantly ashamed, over-concerned about weight and compelling desire to lose weight at whatever cost.

Myth No. 5. Only young women can have eating disorders.-Eating disorders can affect people of all ages. Although these conditions are more rampant in women, men too can have eating disorders. In fact, it is reported that more men have binge eating disorders compared to women.

Common Symptoms of Each Eating Disorder

There are there common types of eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating behavior. The symptoms of each of these irregular eating patterns vary although they overlap in some instances. Discussed below are the physical and mental symptoms of eating disorders symptoms of each of them.

Anorexia Nervosa.-Due to lack of proper nutrition brought about by extreme starvation due to anorexia eating disorders, anorexics most often experience the effects of malnutrition. Physical signs that may appear are as follows:

o    brittle nails, dry skin and thin hair;

o    constipation or dehydration;

o    dizziness, fatigue and frequently cold feeling;

o    irregular heart rhythms, low blood pressure and abnormal blood counts;

o    irregular or loss of menstruation and

o    thin appearance.

Behavioral signs include the following:

o    complaining about being fat;

o    refusal to eat and hunger suppression;

o    repeated weight measurement and

o    when eating, only consuming low fat and low calorie foods.

Bulimia Nervosa.-The bingeing and purging eating pattern cycle of bulimics can lead to several health problems. Among these are as follows:

o    bloating, dehydration and abnormal bowel functioning;

o    damage to teeth and gums due to frequent contact with gastric acid;

o    digestive problems especially to the stomach and esophagus caused by vomiting;

o    dry skin;

o    electrolyte imbalance;

o    fatigue and irregular heartbeat;

o    loss or irregular menstruation;

o    swollen salivary glands in the cheeks and

o    throat and mouth sores.

Behavioral signs for bulimia include:

o    frequent binge eating;

o    eating secretly and uncontrollably and

o    compensatory acts such as induced vomiting, use of laxatives or diuretics, fasting and extreme exercising.

Binge Eating Disorder.-Other than digestive complications such as bloating and bowel movement problems, it takes a long time before overeating can have effects on the body. Long-term binge eating can lead to obesity and also cause obesity-related medical conditions. Its behavioral signs are below:

• binge eating until feeling discomfort;
• eating quicker, alone and with loss of control and
• hoarding food.