Appendix J: Eating Disorders
What are Eating Disorders?
In the past few years, eating disorders have received widespread attention in the national media. There are two primary categories: ANOREXIA NERVOSA AND BULIMIA. Both involve preoccupation with weight gain and both predominantly affect adolescent or young females.
The origins of these disorders are complex. One contributing factor has been shown to be the emphasis today's society places on appearance and being thin. Slender people tend to be viewed as being more attractive and desirable. Other factors contributing to this disorder may include family problems, issues of control and autonomy, conflicts about femininity, and ambivalence about growing up.
While the syndromes are similar, they can be differentiated. Some individuals find they experience symptoms that include a combination of the two disorders.
Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa
• Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat
• Abnormal weight loss of 15% or more with no known medical cause
• Reduction in food intake, denial of hunger and decrease in consumption of fat-containing foods
• Prolonged exercise despite fatigue and weakness
• Distorted body image
• Peculiar patterns of handling food
• Preoccupied with body size
• Amenorrhea in women – Some experience bulimic episodes of binge eating followed by vomiting or laxative abuse
Symptoms of Bulimia
• Exhibits concern about weight and make attempts to control weight by diet, vomiting, or laxative and/or diuretic abuse
• Eating patterns may alternate between binges and fasts
• Most are secretive about binges and vomiting
• Food consumed during binge has high caloric content
• Feels a loss of control over eating during binges
• Over concerned with body shape and weight
• Majority of individuals are within a normal weight, some may be slightly underweight or overweight
• Depressive moods may occur
Characteristics of Persons with Eating Disorders
While there are many individual exceptions to what follows, many clinicians report that the people with whom they work often exhibit the following characteristics.
1. They are adolescent or young adult females whose appetite before the onset of the eating problem was normal.
2. A few were slightly overweight but most were never fat.
3. Many are good students.
4. Several had been beauty queens, cheerleaders, athletes, and/or student leaders.
5. They are frequently persistent and perfectionistic (qualities that enabled them to diet successfully). Many report having dieted rather successfully before their problem began. At some point things began to go wrong, the diet took a wrong turn, and eating and possibly purging habits began and became difficult to stop.
6. They have a tendency to think in all-or-nothing terms.
How To Help A Friend
If you want to help a friend who has an eating disorder, here are some things to consider:
• Show your support by being available. Listen. Remember that first you are friends-the eating concerns are secondary.
• Don't try to monitor their eating behaviors. That could increase the level of stress for both of you.
• Encourage them to get help. Professionals can provide nutritional and medical information along with psychotherapy.
[Indiana University Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) Resource Materials on Counseling Topics]