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Eating disorders may not be so common as other psychiatric conditions, but they are far more common than you might think.
Research shows that globally, around 10% of people will experience an eating disorder during some point in their lifetime.
This means that while you may not have experienced an eating disorder yourself, it is likely that you know more than one other person who has.
Eating disorders may be common, but there are still some fundamental misconceptions about them that make them notoriously difficult to treat.
So ,what exactly is an eating disorder? The term covers a range of conditions that are characterized by certain harmful eating behaviors.
Bulimia nervosa, by contrast, is normally characterized by binge eating and then eliminating, or purging, the calories later by vomiting.
Another misconception about eating disorders is that we can get rid of them by changing our eating patterns. That is to say, by eating differently.
People who develop eating disorders tend to be severely critical of themselves. When asked, they can normally name many self-perceived flaws.
One theory is that they may use their eating habits to try and gain a sense of control because they have an internal sense of chaos.
Experts are not sure what exactly causes eating disorders, either. It is likely that there are a number of genetic and environmental factors at play.
Social factors, too, seem to bear some relevance. These might include internalized weight stigma, exposure to bullying, and limited social networks.
Eating disorders are more commonly associated with women, but people of all genders can be affected.
The fact that these disorders deeply affect the development of a person’s identity and self-image makes individuals particularly vulnerable to developing them as teenagers.
Eating disorders may be notoriously difficult to treat, but there are options out there. Many people who receive treatment for an eating disorder make a full recovery.
Treatment is more likely to succeed if the disorder is caught early, but unfortunately less than 50% of people suffering with an eating disorder will actually seek treatment.
In terms of the actual treatment, there are lots of options out there. Eating disorders have a complex effect on both the body and the mind.
The talk therapies help people build the skills to handle the underlying psychological problems that caused their eating disorder to develop.
In some cases, patients do not respond to traditional treatment. Researchers are therefore investigating other treatments, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation.
The success of treatment for eating disorders does vary, but it’s important to remember that proper treatment can be life-saving in serious cases.
Eating disorders can be very destructive to those who suffer from them and those around them. Debunking the myths around eating disorders helps to erode stigma, improving access to treatment.
Sources: (TED)
See also: The warning signs of an eating disorder
The reason this does not help is that, fundamentally, eating disorders are psychiatric conditions. From what we know, sufferers tend to have a skewed self-perception.
When it comes to eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, they are far more common that we might think. In fact, it is estimated that 10% of the global population will suffer with an eating disorder at some point in their lives.
With such high numbers, our understanding of eating disorders is far from where it should be. In particular, there are a number of misconceptions about eating disorders that make them difficult to treat. To find out exactly what those are, click through this gallery.
Why are eating disorders so difficult to treat?
Behaviors include restricting calories or eating excessive amounts of food
HEALTH Mental health
When it comes to eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, they are far more common that we might think. In fact, it is estimated that 10% of the global population will suffer with an eating disorder at some point in their lives.
With such high numbers, our understanding of eating disorders is far from where it should be. In particular, there are a number of misconceptions about eating disorders that make them difficult to treat. To find out exactly what those are, click through this gallery.