EATING DISORDERS: How should we deal with them?


 Statistics show that approximately 1.6 million people in the UK suffer from an eating disorder and 8 million in the US, with the term itself often being thrown around in a blasé manner in pop culture and television shows without consideration of the often dark and life threatening connotations of the term. The images shown to the world on silver screens are often glamorised versions of what life is really like for those suffering from an eating disorder, serving to perpetuate the growing issue in our society.

First of all, what is an eating disorder?
The term eating disorder encompasses a wide range of physiological disorders which are categorised by abnormal or disturbed eating habits. An individual may place much emphasis on their specific shape and weight rather than their health, causing them to follow a damaging routing in terms of food. There are three common eating disorders:

·         Anorexia nervosa: this relates to when a person tries to keep their weight as low as they can, and can employ a range of methods such as excessive exercise, starvation or pills.
·         Bulimia: this refers to when a person undergoes periods of binge eating and makes themselves deliberately sick or employs laxatives (medicine which aids in the emptying of the bowels) in order to have more control over their weight
·         Binge eating disorder (BED): this occurs when a person feels the need to consume large amounts of food in a short period of time

Some symptoms are the following:

·         Skipping meals, an excessive focus on calories
·         A dedication to weighing themselves
·         A reluctance or refusal to eat in public places
·         Eating very low calorie foods in the presence of other people

Alongside the various types are a host of effects which are left out of storylines. One can experience abnormally slow heart rate and low blood pressure increasing the risk of heart failure, osteoporosis (brittle bones), hair loss and severe dehydration leading to kidney failure. Specific to bulimia an effect is potential gastric rupture, peptic ulcers (sores that develop in the lining of the stomach, esophagus and small intestine)as well as pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).

  When approaching the issue, it is important to remember that real people are involved, not simply a condition which needs to be cured, and a dialogues needs to be created to understand the underlying issues behind the disorders. This also raises the issue of whether a person ever is free of an eating disorder? Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be used to help alter the mind-set of a person so that they can act more positively in situations regarding their self-image and eating habits. In addition dietary counselling can often be used to form a focus on the benefits of eating healthily yet importantly in balance. However, a person may move away from a threatening weight, but the deep psychological effects often stay entrenched, with calorie counting and negative body perceptions being inescapable. Individuals may focus on their own personal eating disorder journey, but it still remains that society promotes an often exclusive and skewed image of beauty which medical professionals and individuals must battle against perpetually to provide care and safety.

  Moreover, when discussing eating disorders, it must be understood that they can affect anyone, whether they have a thinner or larger body, they are male or female and regardless of their ethnicity. The topic has become prominent in the news with Netflix releasing a new film ‘To the Bone’ which chronicles the life of a young girl with anorexia as she experiences various recovery programmes. Some feel that the film is vital as it allow for a more open conversation about the issue and may make people feel more comfortable about stepping forwards and seeking help. However, there is a growing petition for the film to be banned as it may appear to glamorise eating disorders, and provide a damaging platform for those with mental health problems to fall further away from a place safety and wellness.

  It is vital that focus is transposed to ensuring people are content within themselves, and an understanding that health and beauty pertains to a range of different sizes, weight and body shapes.

I hope this post was informative

By Vicale Czan Alfanti

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Eating-disorders/Pages/Introduction.aspx#Spotting-signs-in-others

https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/health-consequences-eating-disorders

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