What is the most likely description of eating disorders?
Eating disorders are behavioral conditions characterized by significant and persistent disturbances of eating behaviors and related distressing thoughts or feelings. They are serious mental illnesses and can be life threatening. They affect a person’s physical, emotional and social well-being.
There are many risk factors for developing an eating disorder, including genetics, environmental and social influences. People are at greater risk if they have a family history of an eating disorder. They are also at increased risk if they experience stressful events, such as bullying and childhood sexual abuse, or have a low self-esteem.
In addition, certain personality traits, such as anxiety, fear, perfectionism and moodiness, have been linked to eating disorders. Some of these traits are present in all people, while others are more common among individuals with eating disorders.
Individuals may develop an eating disorder at any time during their lives. However, it is more common for young adults and children to develop an eating disorder.
There are several types of eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. These disorders cause extreme changes in the way a person thinks and feels about food, leading to severe emotional and physical problems.
Most of these disorders are treatable with proper support and treatment. A combination of therapy, medication and support groups is usually the best approach to treating these disorders.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is one of the most serious eating disorders. It is characterized by an extreme fear of weight gain and a distorted body image. It typically involves restricting food intake and is accompanied by exercise.
Binge Eating Disorder
Binge eating disorder is the most common form of anorexia nervosa. It is characterized by binge eating, followed by an attempt to prevent or control the size of the binges through purging (eating large amounts of laxatives, vomiting, or taking pills).
Purging Disorder
Purging disorder is a type of bulimia nervosa that involves using substances such as laxatives and vomiting to avoid weight loss. This can be a dangerous form of eating disorder, as it can lead to gastrointestinal complications and other medical problems.
Other Specific Feeding and Eating Disorders
There are many other eating disorders that don’t fall under the three most common categories of anorexia nervosa, binge eating and bulimia nervosa. Some of these include pica, rumination disorder and night eating syndrome.
These disorders are less common than the others but they can be just as damaging. In fact, people who suffer from these types of disorders are at an elevated risk for heart disease and other medical conditions.
Despite the many factors that can contribute to an eating disorder, it is still difficult to pinpoint exactly why some people get them. There is no one definitive cause, and researchers continue to explore different causes. But most experts agree that there is a complex mix of genetic, biological, psychological and social factors that contribute to eating disorders.
