What is an Eating Disorder?

“Eating disorder” is a phrase that describes conditions in which individuals engage in disordered eating. Eating disorders are not simply poor eating habits but are recognised mental health disorders in which emotional issues manifest in harmful eating habits.

The three most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa (anorexia), bulimia nervosa (bulimia), and binge eating disorder. Though each of these disorders result in different eating behaviours, each occurs when sufferers can not separate their emotions from their eating habits and this skews the way, and the amount, that they eat. Eating disorders can strike young or old, male or female, any race and any income level. However, eating disorders are, by some estimates, eight times more likely to affect women than men and are also more frequently found among younger women.

Anorexia

Anorexia is an eating disorder in which the sufferer is terrified of gaining weight and decreases the amount of food that (s)he will eat in an attempt to limit weight and body fat. If left unchecked, some anorexics decrease their daily food intake to the point that they literally starve themselves. Even when they are physically wasting away, anorexics perceive themselves as heavy and continue eating as little as possible. Without proper nutrition an anorexic’s internal organs can become damaged and in extreme cases death can result.

Bulimia

Bulimia is an eating disorder marked by consuming a great amount of food in one sitting and then purging this food by inducing vomiting or taking laxatives and/or diuretics. Often this binging and purging is conducted in secret and the food and laxatives/diuretics are kept hidden. This binging and purging becomes a cycle, but bulimics may never lose, or gain, enough weight to make their eating disorder obvious. Bulimia also brings a host of associated health concerns, particularly due to the constant purging that can damage the digestive tract, mouth, teeth and salivary glands. The cycle of binging and purging may also result in vitamin and mineral deficiencies that could eventually lead to heart damage and/or heart attacks. Some bulimics may not purge after a binge but instead fast or exercise excessively to burn off calories. These behaviours are also detrimental to physical health and can lead to anorexic tendencies or a “switch” in eating disorders to anorexia.

Binge Eating Disorder

Similarly to bulimics, those suffering from binge eating disorders consume vast amounts of food at one sitting. However, unlike bulimics, they do not follow this by purging or ridding themselves of this food afterwards. Binge eaters can suffer from side effects such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease and are also at risk of developing bulimic tendencies to investigate methods of purging and anorexic behaviours such as avoiding food and severely limiting calories. Unfortunately, because many binge eaters are severely overweight, these behaviours are not often discovered until a significant amount of weight has been lost through unhealthy means.

Eating disorders are both physically and mentally harmful, but it is very rare that someone suffering from an eating disorder will recognise these risks and ask for help on their own. Instead, it is often family and friends who will need to intervene and find help for anorexics, bulimics and binge eaters. For further information on eating disorders, visit your GP or contact the National Centre for Eating Disorders or the Eating Disorders Association.

What causes an Eating Disorder?

Eating disorders are multi-causal and therefore very complex. They have biological, socio-cultural and intrapsychic (personal psychological) causes.

What are the behavioral signs of someone with an ED?

Though these eating disorders manifest themselves in different ways, they are each based on the underlying idea that the individuals who suffer from them can not separate their emotions from their eating habits, or in fact choose to use their eating habits to express their emotions, and this skews both the way and the amount that they eat.

Behavioral Signs of Anorexia

Anorexia is an eating disorder that manifests itself through an intense fear of gaining weight and body fat, and results in behaviors such as extreme dieting, outright fasting and excessive exercising to burn calories. Most anorexics do not recognise their behaviors as dangerous and may be so rigid in their regimes that they are unwilling to consider acting in a different way. Many anorexics engage in behaviors such as:
  • Obsessively counting calories.
  • Skipping meals.
  • “Playing” with or pushing food around a plate rather than eating it.
  • Hiding food (in a napkin, under a plate, etc.) to avoid eating it.
  • Lying about having eaten in an attempt to avoid a meal or snack.
  • Avoiding social events which require eating or involve food.
  • Eating only a limited number or type of food.
  • Exercising excessively, particularly after or “to make up for” eating.
  • Dramatically losing weight.
  • Showing excessive interest in weight, body image and fasting.
  • Hiding behind loose or baggy clothing.
  • Displaying low energy levels.
  • Frequently falling ill.
  • Sleeping excessively, including during the day.
  • Showing low or no sex drive.

Behavioral Signs of Bulimia

Bulimia is an eating disorder that manifests itself through binge eating followed by purging behaviors such as vomiting or taking laxatives. Many bulimics engage in behaviors such as:
  • Binging, or eating a great amount of food in one sitting.
  • Purging, or attempting to get rid of eaten food by inducing vomiting or taking laxatives or diuretics.
  • Hiding the reserved for binges including bread, pasta, sweets, desserts, crisps and ice cream.
  • Lying about what has been eaten.
  • Purging in secret.
  • Hiding items such as laxatives or diuretics.
  • Displaying concern for body weight, body shape and overall image.
  • Frequently complaining of sore throats (brought on by repeated vomiting).
  • Frequently complaining of dental problems (also brought on by repeated vomiting).
  • Hiding behind loose or baggy clothing.
  • Showing low or no sex drive.

Behavioral Signs of Binge Eating Disorder

Those suffering from binge eating disorder will consume large amounts of food at one sitting but will not purge or rid themselves of this food afterwards. Many binge eaters engage in behaviours such as:
  • Ingesting an excessive amount of food, even if they are not hungry.
  • Eating until they feel uncomfortable or sick.
  • Hiding their eating habits due to shame or embarrassment.
  • Hiding secret stashes of food for binges.
  • “Grazing” for as long as food is available.
  • Emotional eating, or eating when they feel stressed out or overwhelmed.
  • Feeling out of control, ashamed and/or guilty both during and after a binge.
  • Expressing disgust at their eating, weight, body or appearance.