Though there are several different types of eating disorders listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). In a very broad sense, eating disorders are characterized by severe disturbances in people’s eating behaviors and related thoughts and emotions. When an individual’s compulsion to control their eating habits is left unchecked and unrestrained they become overrun by their own need for discipline, which can quickly turn into an eating disorder. Recent data estimates up to 24 million people of all ages and genders currently suffer from an eating disorder in the U.S., and 95% of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25. Experts assert that 13% of adolescents will develop an eating disorder by the age of 20. According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), an estimated 30 million U.S. adults will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives.
Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.
Signs & Symptoms
The different types of eating disorders listed in the DSM-5, are categorized under the Disorder Class: Feeding and Eating Disorders. Each type of eating disorder is associated with different signs and symptoms, as indicated below:
- Anorexia nervosa: is an eating disorder characterized by weight loss and/ or lack of appropriate wait gain in growing children, an inability to maintain an appropriate body weight for one’s age, height, stature, intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of body image (weight and/ or shape). People struggling with anorexia will employ extreme efforts to control their weight and/ or shape, which can significantly interfere with their ability to properly function in daily life. The Mayo Clinic provides examples of common signs of anorexia, some of which include:
- Thin appearance
- Insomnia
- Extreme weight loss
- Dizziness and/ or fainting
- Abnormal blood counts
- Fatigue
- Thinning, brittle hair
- Absence of menstruation
- Dry and/ or yellowish skin
- Irregular heart rhythms
- Low blood pressure
- Dehydration
- Excessively exercising
- Bulimia nervosa: is an eating disorder characterized by a cycle of overeating (bingeing) and compensatory behaviors (purging) in attempts to undo the effects of the binge eating episodes. Purging could include self-induced vomiting, excessively over exercising, and/ or abusing diuretics. NEDA provides examples of common signs of bulimia, some of which include:
- Fear of eating in public or with others
- Shows unusual swelling of the cheeks or jaw area
- Discolored, stained teeth
- Has calluses on the back of the hands and knuckles from self-induced vomiting
- Diets frequently
- Shows extreme concern with body weight and shape
- Extreme mood swings
- Difficulty concentrating
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Non-specific gastrointestinal complaints
- Sleeping problems
- Muscle weakness
- Impaired immune system
- Binge-eating disorder (BED): is an eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of compulsively eating abnormally large quantities of food (often quickly) to the point of physical discomfort, without engaging in compensatory behaviors. Often binge episodes are followed by emotions of embarrassment, shame, guilt, and/ or distress. The Office on Women’s Health (OASH) provides examples of common signs of binge-eating disorder, some of which include:
- Noticeable weight fluctuations
- Depression
- Eating in secret
- Anxiety
- Low self-esteem/ low self-worth
- Skipping meals
- Hiding food in unusual places
- Eating excessive amounts of food in a short period of time
- Continuing to eat, even when painfully full
- Inability to feel satiated
- Suicidal ideation
- Rumination syndrome: is a feeding and eating disorder characterized by repeatedly and unintentionally regurgitating (spitting up) undigested or partially digested food from the stomach, chewing it again and either swallowing it or spitting it out. The Mayo Clinic provides examples of common signs of rumination syndrome, some of which include:
- Effortless regurgitation, typically within 10 minutes of eating
- Abdominal pain or pressure relieved by regurgitation
- A feeling of fullness
- Bad breath
- Nausea
- Unintentional weight loss
- Avoidant/ restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID): is an eating disorder characterized by restricting food intake (e.g., eating smaller amounts) and/ or eliminating certain groups to the point of infringing on one’s exposure to and ability to absorb needed nutrients coming from food. The National Eating Disorders Association provides examples of common signs of AFRID, some of which include:
- Sudden refusal to eat foods previously eaten
- Fear of choking, vomiting, pain or nausea due to certain foods or the act of eating
- Lack of appetite or low appetite without medical cause
- Very slow eating, easily distracted during eating or forgetting to eat
There is no single, identifiable cause as to why an individual develops an eating disorder. Research has, however, indicated that certain biological, psychological, interpersonal, and social risk factors may increase one’s susceptibility for developing an eating disorder.
Treatment In Calabasas
Calabasas is a city in California. It is a well-known suburb of Los Angeles, located west of the San Fernando Valley and north of the Santa Monica Mountains. Over the past decade, the city of Calabasas has grown in its reputation for luxury as well as for privacy which makes it a hidden gem for residential living for society’s elite, and one of the most desirable destinations in Los Angeles County. It is also home to a plethora of highly qualified mental health clinicians providing an array of therapeutic services and treatment options.
The information above is provided for the use of informational purposes only. The above content is not to be substituted for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment, as in no way is it intended as an attempt to practice medicine, give specific medical advice, including, without limitation, advice concerning the topic of mental health. As such, please do not use any material provided above to disregard professional advice or delay seeking treatment.
