3 Common Types Of Eating Disorders And Their Symptoms
Eating disorders are related to more than just food, regardless of the name. They’re a complex mental health condition that usually needs the intervention of psychological and mental health experts to get better. They usually start due to an obsession with body shape, weight, or food. Some common signs of an eating disorder include dramatic weight loss or weight gain, concern with eating around other people, complaints of abdominal pain or constipation, excessive exercise, and more. Around 28 million people in the US have had some type of eating disorder at some point in their lives.
Here are some of the most common eating disorders that you might come across:
Anorexia nervosa
This eating disorder is more common among young adults or adolescents and tends to affect women more than men . People who have anorexia nervosa tend to believe that they’re overweight, even if they might be dangerously underweight. Someone with this condition might avoid eating specific foods, constantly monitor their weight, or restrict their calories to an extreme extent.
Common symptoms include:
- A distorted image of their body, along with denial of being underweight
- A constant pursuit of becoming thin and an unwillingness to keep their weight at a healthy level
- Extremely restricted patterns of eating
- An intense fear of getting fat or gaining weight
Bulimia nervosa
Similar to anorexia, this eating disorder develops during early adulthood or adolescence, and is more common in women as compared to men. People with this disorder tend to over-eat during specific periods, usually continuing until they’re painfully full. While the person is binging, they cannot control the amount of food they eat. Binges can occur with any food, but it usually happens with something the individual would otherwise avoid.
After binging, the person will then try to purge the calories that they consumed as compensation and to relieve their gut.
Some common symptoms include:
- A fear of getting fat or gaining weight
- A strong influence of weight and body shape over self-esteem
- Recurrent events of binge eating without control
Pica
Pica involves eating items that aren’t traditionally classified as food and which don’t have any sort of nutritional value. People who have pica tend to crave substances like ice, soil, chalk, wool, or cornstarch.
It’s often seen in people who have conditions that affect their daily functioning, such as developmental conditions or intellectual disabilities.
Get online mental health services
Eating disorders can leave you feeling isolated, vulnerable, and ashamed. Getting professional mental health help is important as soon as you notice a major change in your food and eating habits. Aligned Healthcare is a high-quality telepsychiatry clinic in Westchester that can help you deal with many different mental health issues, such as personality disorders, anxiety , and mood disorders .
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