According to a recent study, about 10% of people will develop an eating disorder at some point in their life. Eating disorders are commonly associated with teens, particularly young women, due to stereotypes and media representations. While eating disorders frequently develop during young adulthood, anyone can develop these conditions. However, specific symptoms and comorbidities often vary.
Eating disorders are considered mental illnesses by themselves, but they can also exist with co-occurring conditions. In fact, 95% of people with an eating disorder have at least one psychiatric illness. These nuances can make it challenging to spot the warning signs in someone you love. We're here to show you how to identify symptoms of an eating disorder and talk to your loved one about getting help.
Before you can determine whether your loved one is displaying symptoms of an eating disorder, it's important to be able to identify them appropriately. Below are the most common types of eating disorders.
People with this eating disorder struggle to maintain an appropriate body weight for their height and age. Many people with anorexia suffer from a distorted body image, often driven by a fear of becoming overweight. This may cause individuals to heavily restrict the amount of food or calories they eat, exercise compulsively or misuse laxatives to lose weight.
Some may also participate in binge eating and purge by vomiting. Anorexia has an extremely high death rate compared to other eating and mental health disorders due to the effects of starvation and suicidality. Research shows that anorexia increases suicidal thoughts by 10%, resulting in one in five deaths associated with this eating disorder.
Individuals with bulimia nervosa eat high-calorie or large amounts of food and then try to get rid of it by purging. Some people with bulimia switch between only eating low-calorie foods or binge eating high-calorie foods, followed by compensatory behaviors to prevent gaining weight. These behaviors include vomiting, laxative misuse, fasting or excessive exercise. A person with bulimia nervosa may be underweight, average weight or overweight.
Binge eating disorder (BED) refers to an eating disorder where individuals repeatedly eat large amounts of food in a short period until they are uncomfortably full. They may also eat when they're not hungry, hide their eating from others or feel guilty or ashamed after eating. Some people with BED may use purging methods to counter binge eating, but not all.
It's possible for an individual to struggle with disturbances of eating behavior that do not meet the diagnostic threshold of the categories listed above. In this case, an individual may be diagnosed with other specific feeding and eating disorders (OSFED). This diagnosis may occur if the individual's behavior does not meet the frequency or weight criteria of other known eating disorders.
Some examples of OSFED include:
As with any mental health disorder, there is no one cause of an eating disorder. Various elements can trigger disordered eating, including a combination of biological, behavioral, psychological, social and genetic factors. These factors can appear differently in each person.
A study identified nine different categories that can increase an individual's likelihood of developing an eating disorder, which include:
The study found that abuse, childhood obesity and trauma are also strongly associated with eating disorders. Meanwhile, personality and mood disorders were linked to increased severity of eating disorder symptoms. Body-image-related factors, higher education attainment and use of social media were linked to increased risk of eating disorder symptoms.
Research has also reflected that social media usage has a significant effect on body image and eating disorders, particularly among young adults, due to the ease of access to harmful eating disorder-promoting content and weight loss trends.
If symptoms of eating disorders appear differently in each person, how can you tell if your loved one has an eating disorder? We've compiled a list of the common behavioral and emotional signs of eating disorders:
Please note that these symptoms are not related to one specific eating disorder. Rather, they are a generalized list of symptoms and behaviors that are commonly linked to eating and weight control behaviors.
Eating disorders are complex mental and medical illnesses that are not just about food and weight. Proper mental health care is an essential aspect of recovering from an eating disorder. Here are some tips to initiate a conversation with your loved one and show your support:
Asking for help for yourself or encouraging a loved one to seek treatment for an eating disorder can be daunting. At Diamond House, we provide judgment-free, supportive mental health treatment for a variety of conditions. We understand that eating disorders can affect every aspect of your life, including your physical health and relationships.
Our compassionate, experienced therapists will work with you to address the root of your negative thoughts and behaviors and implement healthy coping mechanisms. It's our ultimate goal to create a safe and comfortable environment for every individual to heal and recover on their own time.
If you or your loved one are experiencing symptoms of an eating disorder, know that recovery is possible. At Diamond House, we'll be by your side every step of the way. Your recovery and healing path is our priority, which is why we offer individualized treatment and therapeutic approaches for every client.
We want to help you improve your quality of life by providing educational resources and flexible programs to meet your unique needs. We encourage you to contact us to learn more about our outpatient and partial hospitalization programs!
