Eating Disorders

In this article, Deenie talks about mental illnesses and this month they discuss eating disorders, what kinds and how they affect people.

Eating Disorders

By Deenie Bulyalert

*Disclaimer*

This article talks about sensitive topics like eating disorders that could potentially trigger some readers. The goal of this article is to provide information about different mental illnesses. Please proceed with caution.

In general, eating disorders are not seen as a mental illness, but rather something that someone chooses to do. That is the stigma that tends to revolve around all mental illnesses, but eating disorders are especially stigmatized and misunderstood. They do not just affect people mentally, but people who struggle with eating disorders can become more visibly ill than those who have other mental disorders. That being said, not all eating disorders are visible and, more often than not, others cannot tell if an individual has an eating disorder.

In a previous mental health column, we interviewed a student who struggled with anorexia. If you would like to read that interview, then please click the button below.

Living With Anorexia

Types of Eating Disorders

According to Healthline, the six most common eating disorders are Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, Pica, Rumination Disorder, and Avoidant/Restrictive food intake disorder.

Of those six, the two most common eating disorders are binge eating disorder or Bulimia Nervosa, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. They also state how these eating disorders are characterized.

“Binge eating disorder is characterized by recurrent binge eating episodes during which a person feels a loss of control and marked distress over [their] eating.” Binge eating disorder is different from eating disorders like Bulimia Nervosa because episodes are not followed by purging or fasting and instead cause people with this disorder to often gain weight.

Bulimia Nervosa is among the most common eating disorders. It is characterized, as stated by the National Institute of Mental Health, “by binge eating (eating large amounts of food in a short time, along with the sense of a loss of control) followed by a type of behavior that compensates for the binge, such as purging.” Those with Bulimia Nervosa eat an excess amount of food, which is followed by trying to get rid of the food in ways that are not healthy for the body, like throwing up. Bulimia Nervosa is one of those eating disorders that affects people who have it in a way where they can still stay within the normal range for their weight.

The less common eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa, Pica, Rumination Disorder, and Avoidant/Restrictive food intake disorder.

Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder that causes those who have it to view themselves as constantly overweight. It is paired with the fear of gaining weight and often causes those who have it to be extremely underweight. Most people who have Anorexia severely restrict the food intake they allow themselves and therefore continue to lose weight.

Pica is an eating disorder that is not talked about very much, but it is constantly made fun of via social media. Pica is an eating disorder that involves eating items that are not food. According to FamilyDoctor.org the most common items that are eaten are clay, dirt, and flaking hair. Pica is one of the more rare eating disorders and most commonly impacts children. Some children do eventually outgrow it, but this eating disorder affects people of all ages. It can lead to deficiencies in iron, types of chemical poisoning and, overall, can do a lot of damage to the body because objects are being consumed that the human body is incapable of processing.

Rumination Disorder most commonly affects kids and some adults. According to John Hopkins Medicine, “Rumination syndrome causes an automatic regurgitation of recently eaten food.” It is believed that this disorder happens unconsciously, but is still damaging to the body. Also stated by John Hopkins Medicine, “Rumination is different from throwing up. With rumination, the food is undigested and often still tastes the same as when it was first eaten.” It is unknown why Rumination Disorder occurs, but, like Pica, it is usually outgrown or those who have it have to relearn how to eat properly.

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, also known as ARFID, “is an eating disorder or feeding disturbance that is characterized by a persistent failure to meet appropriate nutritional and/or energy needs. ARFID is often associated with a psychiatric co-morbidity, especially anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder,” states the Eating Recovery Center. Similar to Pica and Rumination Disorder, it most commonly affects children and young adolescents.

ANAD or the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders shares some statistics surrounding eating disorders:

"Eating disorders affect at least 9% of the population worldwide.¹

9% of the U.S. population, or 28.8 million Americans, will have an eating disorder in their lifetime.²

“Less than 6% of people with eating disorders are medically diagnosed as “underweight.”¹
28-74% of risk for eating disorders is through genetic heritability.¹
Eating disorders are among the deadliest mental illnesses, second only to opioid overdose.¹
10,200 deaths each year are the direct result of an eating disorder—that’s one death every 52 minutes.²
About 26% of people with eating disorders attempt suicide.
The economic cost of eating disorders is $64.7 billion every year.”

In a world that lacks mental health resources, eating disorders are continuously being glamorized, romanticized, and stigmatized. With the rise in technology and the comparison of bodies, eating disorders are continuing to rise every year. However, eating disorders are not a new thing. Technology has just become more prevalent in our day-to-day lives, highlighting the issue. The best place to start for recovery is recognizing that having an eating disorder can happen to anyone. It is understanding that it is okay to have a problem and it is okay to ask for help. Seek out resources that can help you. ANAD has an eating disorder helpline if you are anyone you know is struggling with an eating disorder and MayoClinic has a lot of helpful tips on how to start recovering from an eating disorder. Understand that the road to recovery is not easy, but being willing and starting recovery is the right first step to recovering/treating any mental health disorder.

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