by Evgeniya Pavlova
Vth Language School "John Ekzarch" - Varna, Bulgaria

“I can’t go there! I’m too fat! Nobody likes me!”- Phrases, every one of us, have heard from at least one of his friends. Nowadays our appearance is the most important thing for us. There is a special image in which most of us want to fit. To look good, now, means to look like a model-perfect measures in every dimension. Image, that isn’t achievable for a normal human being. Unfortunately, today’s young generation longs for this figure and is ready to give everything to make its desires come true. The general ways to get the figure that’s wanted is to forsake the food we are eating. But most of us don’t understand how dangerous this is and that this even can cost our life.

Eating disorders aren’t new illnesses. They have been noticed centuries ago in different forms, but in the past century attempts were made these problems to be understood.

It’s assumed that only teenage girls and young women are having eating disorders, but resent observations show that more and more males have eating disorders too. Other laxity is saying that only young people have this problem. The truth is that eating disorders can occur among people of all ages, both genders, all cultural and economical backgrounds. Some common features among the people who suffer from these illnesses are low self esteem, need to seek the approval of others, difficulties in expressing needs and feelings, including anger and anxiety, perfectionism, difficulties being assertive with others, diets.

When most people hear of someone with an eating disorder they almost automatically assume the person has a problem with food. Eating disorders are not a sign that a person has a problem with food, rather eating disorders are actually only the symptoms of underlying problems in that person's life. The eating disorders are four different types separated in two kinds-weight loss eating disorders-; and weight gain eating disorders-binge eating disorder and compulsive eating. These are really dangerous “diseases”, but with proper treatment, people can fully recover.

The first kind of eating disorders are weight loss disorders which include Anorexia nervosa and Bulimia nervosa. These two illnesses are built on the base of starvation. Here are more detailed reports on Anorexia nervosa and Bulimia nervosa. The first discovered eating disorder was Anorexia nervosa, discovered in 1873, then Bulimia nervosa-about 1970.

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by a significant weight loss resulting from excessive dieting. Most women and an increasing number of men are motivated by the strong desire to be thin and a fear of becoming obese. Anorexics consider themselves to be fat, no matter what their actual weight is. Often anorexics do not recognize they are underweight and may still "feel fat" at 80 lbs. Anorexics close to death will show you on their bodies where they feel they need to lose weight. In their attempts to become even thinner, the anorexic will avoid food and taking in calories at all costs, which can result in death. An estimated 10 to 20% will eventually die from complications related to it.

Anorexics usually strive for perfection. They set very high standards for themselves and feel they always have to prove their competence. They usually put the needs of others ahead of their own needs. A person with anorexia may also feel the only control they have in their lives is in the area of food and weight. If they can't control what is happening around them, they can control their weight. Each morning the number on the scale will determine whether or not they have succeeded or failed in their goal for thinness. They feel powerful and in control when they can make themselves lose weight. Sometimes focusing on calories and losing weight is their way of blocking out feelings and emotions. For them, it's easier to diet then it is to deal with their problems directly. Anorexics usually have low self-esteem and sometimes feel they don't deserve to eat. The anorexics usually deny that anything is wrong. Hunger is strongly denied. They usually resist any attempts to help them because the idea of therapy is seen only as a way to force them to eat. Once they admit they have a problem and are willing to seek help, they can be treated effectively through a combination of psychological, nutritional and medical care.

There are many signs and symptoms that can help you in finding out if your friend is afflicted with anorexia: noticeable weight loss; becoming withdrawn; excessive exercise; fatigue; always being cold; muscle weakness; obsession with food, calories, recipes; excuses for not eating meals (i.e. ate earlier, not feeling well); unusual eating habits (i.e. cutting food into tiny pieces, picking at food); noticeable discomfort around food; complaining of being "too fat", even when thin; cooking for others, but not eating themselves; restricting food choices to only diet foods; guilt or shame about eating; depression, irritability, mood swings; evidence of vomiting, laxative abuse, diet pills or diuretics to control weight; irregular menstruation; wearing baggy clothes to hide weight loss; frequently checking weight on scale; fainting spells and dizziness; difficulty eating in public; very secretive about eating patterns; pale complexion (almost a pasty look); headaches; feelings of self worth determined by what is or is not eaten; skin problems; dehydration; shortness of breath; irregular heartbeats; bloating; constipation; hair loss; stomach pains; decreased metabolic rate. The most important thing you must know is that there is no illness that causes very sudden loss of weight.

The consequences of anorexia vary from very little to very dangerous. If averted in the beginning there are almost no damages, but if it’s not stopped the consequences are as follows: amenorrhea (loss of menstruation), loss of bone mass, kidney and liver damage, osteoporosis, insomnia, anemias, infertility, depression, cardiac arrest and death.

The statistic shows that one in every 200 girls becomes anorexic-50% of them recover, but their attitude towards food isn’t good; 45% of them have an on going problem with food; 5% die from medical complications or suicide. (1994)

Anorexia is the most fatal of all psychiatric illnesses. The average length of the suffering period is about five years and if the anorexic person isn’t medically treated, the end is death.

Bulimia nervosa is another very dangerous eating disorder. It’s characterized by a cycle of binge eating followed by purging to try and rid the body of unwanted calories. A binge is different for all individuals. For one person a binge may range from 1000 to 10000 calories, for another, one cookie may be considered a binge. Purging methods usually involve vomiting and laxative abuse. Other forms of purging can involve excessive exercise, fasting, use of diuretics, diet pills and enemas.

Bulimics are usually people that do not feel secure about their own self worth. They usually strive for the approval of others. They tend to do whatever they can to please others, while hiding their own feelings. Food becomes their only source of comfort. Bulimia also serves as a function for blocking or letting out feelings. Unlike anorexics, bulimics do realize they have a problem and are more likely to seek help.

Here are some signs and symptoms of bulimia: binge eating; secretive eating (food missing); bathroom visits after eating; vomiting; laxative, diet pill or diuretic abuse weight fluctuations (usually with 10-15 lb range); swollen glands; broken blood vessels; harsh exercise regimes; fasting; mood swings; depression; severe self-criticism; self-worth determined by weight; fear of not being able to stop eating voluntarily; self-deprecating thoughts following eating; fatigue; muscle weakness; tooth decay; irregular heartbeats; avoidance of restaurants, planned meals or social events; complains of sore throat; need for approval from others; substance abuse; ipecac abuse.

And these are the consequences of suffering from bulimia: fatigue; amenorrhea (loss of menstruation); dizziness; headaches; dehydration; constipation and diarrhea; shortness of breath; irregular heartbeats; depression; tears of esophagus; hair loss; stomach pain and bloating; erosion of teeth enamel; chronic sore throat; kidney and liver damage; parotid gland enlargement; electrolyte imbalances; cathartic colon (caused from laxative abuse); edema (swelling of hands and feet); low blood pressure; chest pains; development of peptic ulcers and pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas); gastric dilation and rupture; abrasions on back of hands and knuckles; anemias; cardiac arrest and death.

Statistics from 1998 show, that 3 to 10% of the women suffer from bulimia nervosa. A common feature is that people with bulimia can hide their illness about 8-10 years, which shows that the suffering period is much longer than that for Anorexia. About 70% of the bulimics fully recover. The other 30% continue having some kid of eating disorder and very small number die due to medical complications or suicide.

As you can see these diseases have almost one and the same symptoms and consequences. They are usually encountered among teenage girls, but boys aren’t exception. Through them weight is really easily lost, but we may also lose our life. We’ve got to be very careful with people affected by anorexia and bulimia. If you notice that your friend has any of them, consult a doctor, but do not try to do anything alone. Don’t try to persuade your friend to confess his illness-he won’t, because he consider it as something normal that makes him feel good. We must not make them eat, but make them believe they don’t need starving to look good and be accepted by the other. We must be by their side so that they can see they’re not alone and have somebody who cares for them.

The other kind of eating disorders are weight gain eating disorders, which are no less dangerous than the weight loss disorders. They are also two types-Binge eating disorder and Compulsive overeating. Binge eating disorder was discovered in the 1990s. The reason for its late detection is that in the past, overeating was something absolutely normal and people didn’t pay any attention to it. Nowadays, the reason for overeating was found out in human’s psychic, and people start paying more attention to it.

Binge eating disorder is characterized by consuming large quantities of food in a very short period of time until the individual is uncomfortably full. Binge eating disorder is much like bulimia except the individuals do not use any form of purging (i.e. vomiting, laxatives, fasting, etc.) following a binge. Individuals usually feel out of control during a binge episode, followed by feelings of guilt and shame. Many individuals who suffer with binge eating disorder use food as a way to cope with or block out feelings and emotions they do not want to feel. Individuals can also use food as a way to numb themselves, to cope with daily life stressors, to provide comfort to themselves or fill a void they feel within. Like all eating disorders, binge eating is a serious problem but can be overcome through proper treatment.

Some signs and symptoms are: weight gain; feeling out of control over eating low self-esteem; depression; anxiety; experiences fluctuations in weight; loss of sexual desire; hiding food; feelings of guilt and shame; disgusted with self going on many different diets; belief that life will be better if they lose weight; secretive eating patterns; avoidance of social situations where food will be present; suicidal thoughts.

The binge eating disorder may look very insignificant, but it must not be overlook with an easy hand. Here are some consequences from it: obesity; menstrual irregularities; diabetes; high blood pressure; high cholesterol; osteoarthritis; decreased mobility; shortness of breath; heart disease; liver and kidney problems; cardiac arrest and/or death.

Compulsive overeating is characterized by uncontrollable eating and consequent weight gain. Compulsive overeaters use food as a way to cope with stress, emotional conflicts and daily problems. The food can block out feelings and emotions. Compulsive overeaters usually feel out of control and are aware their eating patterns are abnormal. Like bulimics, compulsive overeaters do recognize they have a problem.

Compulsive overeating usually starts in early childhood when eating patterns are formed. Most people who become compulsive eaters are people who never learned the proper way to deal with stressful situations and used food instead as a way of coping. Fat can also serve as a protective function for them, especially in people that have been victims of sexual abuse. They sometimes feel that being overweight will keep others at a distance and make them less attractive. Unlike anorexia and bulimia, there is a high proportion of male overeaters.

The more weight that is gained, the harder they try to diet and dieting is usually what leads to the next binge, which can be followed by feelings of powerlessness, guilt, shame and failure. Dieting and bingeing can go on forever if the emotional reasons for the bingeing are not dealt with.

In today's society, compulsive overeating is not yet taken seriously enough. Instead of being treated for the serious problem they have, they are instead directed to diet centres and health spas. Like anorexia and bulimia, compulsive overeating is a serious problem and can result in death. With the proper treatment, which should include therapy, medical and nutritional counselling, it can be overcome.

The signs and symptoms of the compulsive overeating are: binge eating; fear of not being able to stop eating voluntarily; depression; self-deprecating thoughts following binges; withdrawing from activities because of embarrassment about weight; going on many different diets; eating little in public, while maintaining a high weight; believing they will be a better person when thin; feelings about self based on weight; social and professional failures attributed to weight; feeling tormented by eating habits; weight is focus of life.

The consequences of such a disease are: weight gain; hypertension or fatigue; heart ailments; mobility problems; diabetes; arthritis; sciatica; varicose veins; hiatal hernia; embolism; sleep depravation; toxemia during pregnancy; high blood pressure; shortness of breath; high Cholesterol levels; cardiac arrest and death.

As the Anorexia and Bulimia, Bulge eating and Compulsive overeating are also very similar. By them people also try to lose weight, but the result is absolutely opposite. Overeating must be prevented in a very young age when the habits of eating are formed. We must be careful how much we eat and also what we eat, and teach the children how to do these things right.

It’s important to look good, but that’s not the most important thing. To make a good impression except nice thin figure, we must also have a healthy look. Now think about a very thin, pale girl that seems to have no power to make a step. And now imagine of a little chubby, red-cheeked girl with a smile on her face. Which image do you prefer?


Sources: www.eatingdisorders.org - www.mirror-mirror.org