In this article you will read:
- What are eating disorders?
- Types of eating disorders
- Physical symptoms of an eating disorder
- Cause of eating disorders
What are eating disorders?
Nutritional disorders are a set of problems and disorders in a person’s eating pattern that may cause many effects on a person’s physical and mental health. These disorders can include excessive food consumption (binge eating), lack of food consumption (anorexia nervosa), insufficient variety in nutrition, food anxiety and swallowing, all types of eating disorders.
Binge eating means consuming too much food and feeling unable to control eating. This may lead to obesity and related diseases, heart problems, diabetes and stress.
Lack of food intake or anorexia nervosa means having a body weight below the normal limit and trying to control and lose weight. This disorder can have serious consequences such as immune system weakness, nerve and bone problems, liver failure, heart disorders and even death.
Inadequate diversity in nutrition means not consuming enough nutrients and different food groups. This problem may cause a lack of important vitamins and nutrients in the body and increase the risk of diseases.
Food anxiety also means fear and anxiety about eating food and may lead to insufficient nutrition and lack of nutrients.
Swallowing everything also means having a problem in the process of swallowing food, which can cause damage to the body and mental dissatisfaction.
Overall, eating disorders can cause serious physical and psychological problems and require professional counseling and treatment.
Types of eating disorders
Although there are many different types of eating disorders, some are more common than others. The most common eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder, pica (craving for non-food items).
anorexia nervosa
Anorexia nervosa (fasting) means a severe decrease in vitality and interest in eating that occurs neither naturally nor due to physical factors related to food. This disorder is usually known as a mental disorder and may be caused by stress, anxiety, depression or other psychological disorders.
Anorexia nervosa can occur due to high stress and worries, emotional changes, distressing experience or even due to more complex psychological factors such as anxiety disorders, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and social anxiety disorder.
The result of anorexia nervosa can include weight loss, decreased energy, general weakness, decreased levels of iron and other nutrients in the body, decreased work and academic performance, problems in social relationships, and problematic family relationships.
If you or someone you know is dealing with anorexia nervosa, it is best to consult a psychologist or nutritionist about the best way to manage it. A combination of psychotherapy, behavioral, complementary and nutritional methods can help improve and manage anorexia nervosa.
Bulimia or bulimia nervosa
Bulimia or bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder that involves abnormal periods of consuming large amounts of food (bulimia) and then deciding to lose weight irrationally (bulimia replacement). In this disorder, a person has an uncontrolled state of eating and tries to prevent access to consumed food by using inappropriate methods such as vomiting, using laxatives, excessive exercise, etc.
Bulimia disorder is usually caused by an intense preoccupation with weight and body shape, worrying about the effects of overeating on weight, being nice to others, and being overly concerned with body shape and appearance. This disorder may be accompanied by serious physical, personality and social effects. For example, physical complications include hair loss, heart problems, digestive problems, and dental complications. Regarding the impact of psychological tendencies, the complications include depression, anxiety, psychological stress and social isolation.
Bulimia may require multi-modality treatment, in which psychotherapy, nutritional counseling, improving social relationships, and in some cases, medications may be used to reduce signs and symptoms. The most important step in treating bulimia is to see mental health and nutrition professionals who can help you manage this disorder and establish a healthy relationship with your food and body.
binge eating disorder
Binge Eating Disorder is an eating disorder that is associated with frequent periods of excessive overeating (binging) and lack of control over the level of food consumption, appetite and foods. In this disorder, a person tends to overeat, often in a short period of time and secretly, even when they feel full.
Binge eating disorder may occur due to various factors such as mental pressure, stress, anxiety, depression, social problems, lack of healthy relationship with food or dissatisfaction with body shape. In many cases, this disorder can lead to overweight and obesity, which in turn may be associated with obesity-related physical and psychological problems.
Some of the signs and symptoms of binge eating disorder include consuming a lot and excessive food in the shortest possible time, consuming food without feeling hungry or full, the feeling of scratching and emotional exhaustion from eating, the feeling of euphoria and satisfaction after overeating, and creating a bad feeling. It is due to overeating and lack of control over food.
If you or someone you know suffers from binge eating disorder, it is better to consult an experienced nutritionist and psychologist. Treatment methods including psychological counseling, nutritional counseling, stress and anxiety management, and regular and healthy physical activity can help control binge eating disorder.
Pica (craving non-food items)
Pica or non-food cravings is a disorder in which a person has an urge to consume and eat substances that are often non-food, such as dirt, pens, dough, walls, sand, ice, chemicals, etc. This craving is extreme and consumption of these non-edible substances leads to physical and health problems due to their specific characteristics.
The exact cause of pica is not yet fully understood. But it is thought that this disorder can be caused by various factors such as unbalanced nutrition, lack of minerals, physiological factors, psychological problems such as worry, anxiety, depression and also social factors.
Considering the seriousness and problems that this disorder can cause, it is better to consult a nutritionist and a psychologist to treat pica. Treatment usually includes psychological counseling to discover and treat possible psychological factors associated with pica, taking mineral and vitamin supplements to help reduce cravings along with optimal and balanced nutrition, and implementing healthy alternative methods to satisfy chewing and sucking needs.
It is important to seek the cooperation and advice of professionals in this field so that you can experience improvement in your pica management and health.
Dr. Mohammad Eslami, clinical psychologist
PhD in psychology from a prestigious European university
Psychosomatic diseases fellowship
Licensed by Iran’s psychology system
Member of the Iranian Psychological Association
Physical symptoms of an eating disorder
Eating disorders can have various complications and physical symptoms, which are different depending on the type of eating disorder. Some common physical signs and symptoms of eating disorders include:
- Obesity or thinness: in eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa, changes in body weight cause unusual thinness or unbalanced obesity.
- General weakness and fatigue: People with eating disorders can experience general weakness, constant tiredness and reduced energy levels.
- Digestive problems: Nutritional disorders can lead to digestive problems such as indigestion, constipation, diarrhea, and gall and kidney stones.
- Heart problems: In some eating disorders, such as bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa, weakness and cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) may occur.
- Skin problems: symptoms such as dryness, broken nails, brittle hair and white skin in the cheek area (dandruff) can appear in eating disorders.
- Sexual performance disorders: In some eating disorders, lack of sexual interest, decreased strength and inability to achieve sexual performance may occur.
- Weakened immune system: In eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa, the immune system may be weakened, leading to health problems such as frequent infections and inflammation.
Some of these symptoms may not be seen in eating disorders and may be completely omitted, so if any symptoms or complications occur, see your doctor with caution. Correct diagnosis and timely treatment are very important.
Cause of eating disorders
Eating disorders can be caused by various factors. Some possible causes are:
- Psychological factors: psychological problems such as mental aggression, anxiety, depression, lack of sense of control, lack of self-confidence, social pressures, non-acceptance of the body and unrealistic standards of physical changes, family issues and stress can be related to eating disorders.
- Cultural and social factors: socialization of correlation between the population and appearance standards, media pressures related to appearance and body weight, artificial and ideal images of some physical properties may be factors that lead to eating disorders.
- Health factors: Adverse experiences related to dieting, binging, or self-suppression of food (usually occurring in childhood) may cause eating disorders.
- Genetics: Genetic factors can play a role in the occurrence of some eating disorders. For example, people with a long family history of diseases such as bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa are likely to be at greater risk of developing these disorders.
- Physical causes: Some eating disorders can be caused by physical causes such as medical conditions such as damage from complications of diseases, digestive problems, hypothyroidism or increased thyroid function.
However, eating disorders are usually a multifactorial combination, and for this reason, it is best to consult with a professional, such as a psychologist or nutritionist, to determine the specific and appropriate causes of an eating disorder based on your situation. and provide an appropriate treatment plan.
