1. Eating Disorders

2. Eating Disorders
Anorexia nervosa—characterized by excessive weight loss, irrational fear of gaining weight and distorted body image
Bulimia nervosa—characterized by binges of extreme overeating followed by self-induced purging such as vomiting, laxatives
Binge-eating—disorder characterized by recurring episodes of binge eating without purging.

3. What is an eating disorder?
Primarily, it is an obsession with food. All 3 disorders include the this symptom. People with eating disorders are always thinking about food, even if they don’t eat.
Secondarily, it is an obsession with the body. This especially true of anorexia.

4. Control All eating disorders deal with control issues.
Anorexia exercises the control by not eating – the ultimate demonstration of control.
Both bulimia and binge eaters have great difficulty with control. They are impulsive.
Checking for understanding: How are the disorders similar and how are they different?

5. Anorexia Nervosa Key Features
Refusal to maintain a normal body weight
Intensely afraid of being overweight.
Suffer from delusions of being overweight.
Denies there is a problem.
Usually in adolescent females
May put themselves on self-starvation regimens
May become dangerously underweight

6. Other Qualities - Anorexia
Unhealthy way to cope with emotional problems, perfectionism, and a desire for control.
Often equate your self-worth with how thin you are. You are never thin enough.
Most deadly of all psychological disorders. Malnutrition does permanent damage to body organs, leading to death.

7. Anorexia - Red Flags Skipping meals Making excuses for not eating
Rigid eating rituals, like cutting food into small pieces, or counting food
Weighing food
Cooking for others but not eating themselves
Repeatedly weighing self
Wearing baggy or layered clothes
Complaining about being fat

8. Complications More than 5% of people diagnosed die.
Death can occur suddenly from heart arrhythmias, failure or electrolyte imbalance.
Bone loss
Lung problems resembling emphysema
Kidney problems
Every organ sustains damage, including the brain, when severely malnourished. Damage is not fully reversible.

9. Psychological Explanation
It is a way to control a portion of one’s life, particularly when other parts of life seem out of control.
There is self hate
May have OCD traits that make it easier to stick to diets and forgo food even when hungry.
May have extreme drive for perfectionism, so they are never thin enough.

10. Biological Explanation
Possible genetic predisposition, especially with traits towards perfectionism, sensitivity, and perseverance – all associated with anorexia.
Brain scans reveal high levels of serotonin in brains of anorexics.
Serotonin hinders appetite.
Serotonin may help deal with anxiety.

11. Socio-Cultural Explanation
Western culture promotes thinness.
Success and worth are equated to being thin. This is true for actors, dancers, models, athletes, and generalized to most jobs.
Our society discriminates against overweight people.
Peer pressure – kids can be cruel.

12. Bulimia Nervosa
An eating disorder characterized by episodes of overeating – binge eating (usually high calorie foods)
Overeating is followed by purging - vomiting, using laxatives, fasting, or excessive exercise
Usually stay within their normal weight.
Usually recognize they have an eating disorder.

13. Bulimia – Other Qualities
Common to live in a world of secret shame and self-disgust.
Feel trapped by the relationship with food.
Eat until its painful, then purge.
Eventually teach body to purge easily with small amounts of food.
Non-purging bulimia uses fasting or over exercising.

14. Biological Explanation
Genetic links
Abnormal serotonin levels (probably not enough) - connected to food intake

15. Psychological Explanation
Low self-worth and perfectionism
Trouble controlling impulsive behavior
Trouble managing moods or expressing anger
Families of people with bulimia may have more conflicts, criticism, and unpredictability
Sometimes history of sexual abuse

16. Sociocultural Explanation
Society promotes thinness
Success and worth associated with being thin
Peer pressure – especially among girls
Similar risk factors to anorexia

17. Binge Eating Disorder
Compulsive overeating – consuming huge amounts of food while feeling out of control and powerless to stop
Typically last 2 hours or on and off all day
Gorge themselves as fast as they can barely realizing what they are eating or tasting
Feel extremely distressed after binging
No attempt to make-up for the overeating

18. Binge - Other Qualities
Struggle with feelings of guilt, disgust, depression
Worry about their bodies knowing they have no control with eating
Desperately want to stop but can’t.
It’s a food addiction.

19. Binge - Complications Type 2 diabetes Gallbladder disease
Heart disease
Certain types of cancer
Sleep apnea
High cholesterol, blood pressure
Gastrointestinal problems

20. Pica Strange but True! Hippocrates the first to describe the disorder
People display a compulsive craving for inedible substances such as clay, dirt, laundry starch, chalk, buttons, paper, dried paint, burnt matches, ashes, sand, oyster shells or broken ceramic pots.
Seen most often in pregnant women or nursing women but also with people with severe mental disorders.
Could be a behavioral response to stress.
Usually caused by malnourishment. Body craves what it needs.