EATING DISORDERS
WHAT IS AN EATING DISORDER?
The American Psychiatric Association defines eating disorders as mental illnesses in which people experience severe disturbances in their eating behaviors and related thoughts and emotions. Some believe that the cause of developing any kind of eating disorder is due to either innate or acquired factors. For instance, Mayo Clinic believes that certain genes could increase the risk of developing eating disorders, as well as other biological factors such as changes in brain chemicals. However, another common theory relating to the development of eating disorders is one's environment; psychologists have ruled eating disorders as the result of past psychiatric disorders like anxiety, panic, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and alcohol and drug abuse problems.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF EATING DISORDERS
The following are the most commonly suffered eating disorders in Canada and the United States:
1) Anorexia Nervosa
2) Bulimia Nervosa
3) Binge Eating Disorder
It may come as a surprise to some that these three are not the only existing eating disorders suffered by people in society today. Although they are less common than the previously stated, it is important to remember that illnesses such as disordered eating, orthorexia, PICA, rumination disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, and Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder(OFSED), not only exist but should be taken just as seriously as those most common.
WHO ARE AFFECTED BY EATING DISORDERS?
Eating disorders can affect people of any age, gender, or sexual orientation. There are no specific criteria for people suffering from an eating disorder. It's fairly common to believe that eating disorders only have an impact on girls and women. By believing this, a stigma is created towards all other people, especially men and boys, who suffer from the same mental illnesses.
SOURCES
“Eating Disorders - Symptoms and Causes.” Mayo Clinic, 2018, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/eating-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20353603.
“Introduction.” Kelty Eating Disorders, keltyeatingdisorders.ca/.
“What Are Eating Disorders?” Psychiatry.Org, 2017, www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/eating-disorders/what-are-eating-disorders.