What are eating disorders?
Eating disorder is a condition or mental disorder which causes a person to eat abnormally. This abnormal eating has a negative impact on them physically and psychologically. Generally people develop eating disorders in their adolescence period or young adulthood. But anybody can be diagnosed with an eating disorder despite age or gender.
What are the types of eating disorders?
There are several different types of eating disorders which result in different kinds of symptoms. Keep on reading to know more about some common types of eating disorders:
Anorexia nervosa or commonly known as anorexia is an eating disorder driven by the fear of gaining weight or becoming fat. People suffering from this kind of eating disorder self starve themselves to the extent that their life becomes at stake. They may exercise a lot too. As a result their body mass index becomes very low and they end up with medical complications like: bloating, constipation, dehydration, dizziness, weak muscles and bones, reflux, fractures, fatigue, weak hair and nails etc.
Bulimia nervosa is a condition where patients alternate between dieting (eating low calorie food) and binge eating (eating high calorie foods in large amounts rapidly). Individuals going through this kind of eating disorder lose control over themselves at least once a week and binge eat. Shame and guilt follows right after these episodes of binge eating and as a result they start over compensating by fasting, vomiting, exercising excessively, using laxatives and what not to burn those calories.
Individuals with binge eating disorder consume a lot of food in a short period of time rapidly until they are uncomfortably full. They eat even when they are not hungry, and define it as a loss of control. Unlike people with bulimia nervosa, people suffering from binge eating disorder don’t really try burning calories. If adequate care is not sought, binge eating disorder can cause complications like hypertension, obesity, heart failure, cholesterol and diabetes.
People who are extremely picky about their food fall under this category of eating disorders. They keep on rejecting foods not because they are avoiding calories but because they don’t feel comfortable with the looks, taste, texture and smell of that specific food. As a result their body’s basic nutritional needs are left unmet.
How can eating disorders be diagnosed?
If you feel like you are forming unhealthy eating habits or are losing control over how you eat and what you eat you must visit an Internal Medicine specialist in Lahore. If it’s someone you know that might be suffering from an eating disorder it is your moral responsibility to urge them to seek help.
There are dozens of factors that trigger or provoke an eating disorder. Some of these factors or causes are genetics or family history and psychological issues like depression or anxiety. In some cases dieting excessively also leads to causing eating disorders. Check: Dietitian in Ambala
Right diagnosis is the key to getting the right treatment. This is a general process followed by physicians to diagnose eating disorders: first they physically examine the patient, secondly they recommend the patient to a mental health professional to rule out any psychological complications, lastly other diagnostic procedures are recommended to make apt diagnosis.
Can eating disorders be treated?
Eating disorders can definitely be treated if you seek help from the right kind of people. For the treatment of an eating disorder a patient needs to see two to three kinds of healthcare professionals
- a psychologist
- a dietitian
- an Internal Medicine Specialist in Islamabad.
Other than these professionals having friends and family’s support is also necessary. Your dietitian will plan out a healthy eating plan for you and educate you about why being healthy is important and how you can achieve it. They may also prescribe you medications for controlling the temptations that lead to binge eating.
Your psychologist will try to rule out any underlying problems that lead to unhealthy eating habits. They will also teach you the skills to monitor your mood and coping techniques for stressful situations.
Your internal medicine specialist will take a thorough look at your health and recommend hospitalization or necessary care if your body needs extra help in recovering.