Types of Eating Disorders

Studies show that eight million Americans have an eating disorder. Furthermore, it is thought that on the average, 70 million people worldwide suffer from some form of eating disorder or another. Of the types of eating disorders that exist, some people deprive themselves of food, while others binge on food and then try to purge themselves of the food that they consume by causing themselves to vomit or by taking laxatives.

Whatever form of eating disorders that people suffer from, it is a very serious problem that, if left untreated, can lead to fatality.

In recent times, some studies indicate that there may be a link between eating disorders and obesity in some people. Recent studies show that dopamine - often referred to as the "feel good hormone" - which is transmitted by the brain, is decreased in the brains of obese people. Scientists believe that this may be a contributing factor in obesity. Studies are currently being conducted to compare change in brain dopamine of obese people who suffer from eating disorders.

Anorexia

People who suffer from Anorexia eat as little as possible. This type of eating disorder claims the highest death rate of any psychiatric illness. Often, anorexics develop strange eating patterns such as eating only one type of food, or eating without chewing. Additionally, anorexics deny they feel hunger; however, they are often preoccupied with food. The long term effects of people who suffer from anorexia can be devastating. Often, as the body is starved, the menstrual cycle stops, hair loss begins to occur, osteoporosis sets in, and the heart slows down and can eventually lead to heart failure as the body begins to waste away. In extreme cases, doctors can use force feeding; however, this is only a temporary solution as an anorexic often returns to their dieting once they have been released from the hospital.

Bulimia

Bulimia is characterized by out of control eating in a short amount of time followed by some form of purging. Purging that is characteristic of bulimia may be excessive use of laxatives or diuretics, vomiting or exercising. Often, the constant vomiting will cause the cheeks to swell, the throat to become sore and the mouth to develop ulcers. Additionally, women with bulimia often develop irregular menstruation. Furthermore, many bulimics suffer from dehydration and an imbalance of electrolytes and irregular heartbeats that can lead to heart failure.

Binge Eating Disorder

Binge eating disorder is very similar to bulimia, in that it is also characterized by excessive eating, however, binge eaters do not force themselves to purge. Inevitably, this will lead to huge amounts of weigh gain which may lead to obesity. When the problem becomes bad enough, binge eaters may organize their day around their bingeing - often missing work or school to binge. Binge eaters often suffer from stomach pains, food cravings, headaches, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, stroke, osteoporosis, kidney failure and certain types of cancers.

The Connection Between Eating Disorders And Obesity

It's important to understand that eating disorders and weight related disorders share many similarities. Both issues include unhealthy eating or dieting practices. And, in fact, one issue sometimes leads to the other as dissatisfaction with body image often develops into even deeper problems. Often, these attitudes about body image will lead to problems such as depression which, in turn, can cause eating disorders. Studies show that a significant number of obese people have trouble with binge eating.

Treating Eating Disorders

Eating disorders can have devastating and sometimes fatal effects. The most successes with the treatment of eating disorders result from early diagnosis of the illness. Often, people with eating disorders may need to receive some form of counseling to help them come to grips with their illness. If you are a family member of someone that may be going through any of the symptoms of the illnesses mentioned here, try to get help for that person as soon as possible. It's not uncommon for many people to be in denial about eating disorders, so family counseling may be imperative to save their life. If you are reading this and suspect that you may be suffering from a form of eating disorder, it's important that you understand that you are not alone and that millions of people around the world suffer from the same disease.

More importantly, however, it's important that you seek counseling as soon as possible.