Types of Eating Disorders

When most people hear the term 'eating disorder' they automatically think of anorexia or bulimia.  However, in reality eating disorders cover a wide array of conditions relating to abnormal eating.  This section will discuss each of these conditions in more detail. 

1.  Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa is when a person starves themselves in the hopes of losing weight.  This starvation may be accompanied by excessive exercise, purging food that is consumed and/or overuse of diet pills, laxatives or diuretics.  In terms of physical survival, the only reason anorexics can live longer than typical victims of starvation is because they consume just enough calories for their bodies to function.  This amount ranges from 200 to 500. 

Food-wise, anorexics consume mostly small amounts of fruits and vegetables.  Rarely do they eat meat or other sources containing protein.  If they do eat a meal, it is usually just a salad.  And although salads are healthy, they do not contain enough calories or other nutrients for a well-balanced diet. 

If anorexia is allowed to continue, the body will begin showing physical signs of being nutrient deficient.  The first most obvious sign is a significant amount of weight loss in a short period of time.  Depending on how long the anorexia has lasted, many victims will actually have their ribs, spine and pelvic bones showing on the surface of their skin.

However, in the earlier stages of anorexia, it is possible to still look 'healthy' as the weight is being lost.  This is because if an individual began their anorexia overweight or obese, the initial weight loss may make them look more 'normal'.  Yet, anorexia is not a valid means of dieting, and should be discouraged no matter what weight a person is.  In fact, for every word of praise the overweight anorexic gets for losing weight the wrong way, the longer they will continue their unhealthy lifestyle.  They may look 'good' on the outside, but they are killing themselves on the inside.  And eventually, they will get the stereotypical anorexic body, along with the complications associated with the disease. 

Anyway, after a victim goes through severe weight loss, they will experience a myriad of other problems if the condition doesn't get addressed.  This includes a cessation of menstruation, loss of hair and teeth, growth of fine hairs on the body, anemia and constant 'pins and needles' attacks due to poor circulation.  Anorexics also have difficulty in recovering from minor illness since their immune system is compromised.  As the condition continues, the circulatory becomes negatively affected due to a decreased heart rate.  If the condition does result in death, it's usually because of cardiac arrest.  However, there are anorexics who die simply because their organs have completely shut down.

Psychologically, even if an anorexic is going through devastating physical changes, they still think they need to lose weight.  They are never happy with the numbers on the scale, even if they are lower than average.  Additionally, they tend to be in great denial that they even have a problem in the first place.  In these situations an anorexic may need to be placed in a mental hospital involuntarily so they don't actually starve themselves to death.  The process involved for doing this will be discussed in more detail throughout the course of this e-book.

2.  Binge Eating

Binge eating is when a person eats a very large portion food and doesn't purge it like a bulimic or anorexic.  They also do not take any measures to burn the extra calories through exercising.  Consequently, most binge eaters will gain weight very quickly, though it is possible to be a smaller size and have the condition, particularly if a person has a fast metabolism.  Either way, the illness must be addressed because it puts a person at risk for diabetes, heart disease and other problems associated with eating poorly. 

So, how does a binge eating session differ from occasional overeating during the holidays or at a buffet?   Well, the keyword is 'occasional.'  Average people may consume more calories than they want if they are having a good time, but it is usually 'every now and then.'  Binge eaters overeat constantly, and do so in a way that is not typical.  For example, they may eat over 10,000 calories in the course of just a couple hours.  The foods consumed tend to be high in fat, salt and carbohydrates… fruits, vegetables and even meat usually are not on a binge eater's menu.  Additionally, binge eaters will go through a binging session whether or not they are hungry.

According to Wikipedia.com 4 million Americans have this disorder.  Surprisingly, many suffering through this condition have actually dieted in the past.  In fact, it is not uncommon for binge eaters to actually have concern for their weight, since many will feel incredibly guilty once their binging session has finished.  However, unless they get professional help, they usually won't succeed in losing weight on their own, since dieting only makes binging worse for most sufferers. 

3.  Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia Nervosa is when a person tries to lose weight through purging or other excessive means.  Bulimia is often associated with binge eating, though unlike the binge eater, bulimics will resort to drastic measures for losing the calories consumed.  The most common way this is done is through purging though they may also use diet pills, diuretics, laxatives and exercise.  If a bulimic doesn't purge they are known as non-purging, though this form of bulimia is not as common.  In either case the bulimic will not starve themselves like an anorexic would. 

When it comes to weight, many bulimics do not have the same appearance as the anorexic.  This is because through binge eating, bulimics are able to consume enough calories to maintain a 'healthier' weight, (though some bulimics might even be overweight).  And with a healthier weight, most bulimics won't get amenorrhea, (cessation of the menstrual cycle).  However, they do suffer complications.   These complications include: digestive problems, complications with the esophagus, voice damage, electrolyte imbalance, pancreatic problems, throat cancer, seizures, kidney infection and heart failure.  Death can occur for a variety of reasons some of which include heart or liver complications, stroke, gastric rupture, or internal bleeding. 

Treatment for bulimia is often approached in the same way as anorexia.  In fact, it is not uncommon for bulimics and anorexics to be housed in together in the same eating disorder clinics, since many professionals consider the underlying reasons behind the conditions to be similar. 

4.  Diabulimia

Diabulimia is a lesser-known eating disorder that is exclusive to individuals suffering Type 1 diabetes, (which is the form in which insulin is not produced at all or is destroyed by the body).  What happens is the diabetic refuses to take their insulin in hopes of losing weight.  Their objective is achieved because the body excretes the excess glucose in the person's urine, causing them to lose weight.  Of course, they will also put their bodies at risk in the process.  In the early stages of diabulimia, the diabetic will have some of the symptoms typically associated with diabetics who do not realize they have diabetes.  This includes constant urination, excessive thirst and appetite, electrolyte imbalance and high glucose levels.   As diabulimia continues sufferers will experience blindness, kidney damage, neurological problems, osteoporosis and eventually death. 

5.  Orthorexia Nervosa

Orthorexia Nervosa is when a person is obsessed with eating 'healthy' food.  They don't starve themselves or purge, but they do tend to eat foods that do not provide enough calories or nutrients for normal body functioning.  However, since they are eating, it may not be apparent to others that they do in fact have a disorder.  If the condition is allowed to continue, sufferers become malnourished.

6.  Rumination

Rumination is when a person eats food that they have vomited.  It can occur with anorexia or bulimia.  The reason why this behavior is done could range from guilt associated with purging and/or being in a situation where purging is not able to be done.  The ultimate consequence of this condition is problems with the esophagus, which deteriorates due to excess exposure to stomach acids. 

Rumination can also be present in people who do not have anorexia or bulimia.  Some actually think the behavior is pleasurable, but this style of eating is not normal for human beings.  For this reason if rumination is suspected, a person needs to be evaluated to make sure that physically their digestive system is working normally.

7.  Pica

Pica is when one consumes substances that are not considered food.  Examples could be soil, chalk or paper.  Other examples could be substances that are the base ingredients of food, thus somewhat digestible, such as flour, cooking oils or lard.  In either case pica is diagnosed when such substances are consumed for longer than a month, when a person is old enough to know eating these types of things is inappropriate.  The condition is commonly seen in pregnant women and children who are developmentally disabled.  However, people with other types of eating disorders may also resort to pica-like eating to keep from being hungry.

The most common reason for the condition physiologically is a nutrient deficiency and/or a hookworm infection.  Yet, treatment may not be as simple as providing supplements to give the person the nutrients they need, since the disorder may also have psychological elements associated with it as well.  Most of the therapy associated with pica involves redirecting a person's appetite to desire things that are normal to consume.  In extreme cases pica sufferers may need to be physically restrained from eating non-food products.  This could be done through a self-protection device that is put over the mouth or direct physical restraint, such as holding a person back when it is noticed they want to consume something abnormal. 

8.  Night Eating Syndrome

Night eating is a relatively 'new' eating disorder that has been recognized in the psychiatric community.  As the namesake indicates, night eaters eat during the night, often in between sleep.  If the eating is done while the person is actually sleeping, the condition is known as 'sleep eating.' 

The biggest danger with night eating is that one can become obese rather quickly.  It may keep them from having a truly restful sleep, making them feel groggy throughout the day.  Treatment for night eating syndrome may require going to a sleep clinic and/or talking with a nutritionist on finding ways that the sufferer can feel 'full' during the night.  However, many night eating sufferers may not have to go to these extremes, as some are able to find success with the psychiatric drug Zoloft.

9.  Self-Cannibalism

Self-cannibalism is when a person consumes parts of their flesh, hair or nails.  Pica sufferers practice self-cannibalism when eating their hair or nails.  In the cases of flesh-eating, this is usually done by individuals who are severely mentally ill or those who have Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, a disorder where the victim has physical and mental problems due to a deficiency of the HGPRT hormone.

In terms of flesh-eating, the sufferer will bite on themselves, leaving unsightly lesions on the body.  These lesions may also be prone to infection.  For this reason self-cannibalism cannot be ignored if suspected with a mentally-ill family member.  Granted, the condition is somewhat rare, but it happens enough that people should make sure it is ruled out if a loved one exhibits a 'deep' lesion that appears to be a result of the disorder.

10.  Eating Disorder not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS)

EDNOS is an eating disorder that cannot be easily categorized by official eating disorders.  However, it is still classified as a 'disorder' because a person is still exhibiting behaviors not associated with normal eating habits.  Many of these behaviors are anorexic or bulimic but often aren't done enough for a sufferer to be officially diagnosed with either disorder.

Go on to the next page -->