Statistics indicate that some 11 million people suffer from a severe eating disorder. Millions more suffer from less serious forms of these disorders. It is important to understand that these widespread disorders are not simple psychological disturbances. Eating disorders are complex illnesses. They have strong psychological and biological components. In addition, there may be significant social and environmental influences at work. As such, effective treatment of eating disorders requires a complex medical and psychological approach.
Treatment of eating disorders varies according to the type and severity of the disorder. Exactly what is required depends very much on the physical and psychological status of the person who suffers from an eating disorder. At the time professional help is sought, the person who suffers from an eating disorder is likely to experience a variety of physical health complications. Over time, an eating disorder may lead to life-threatening heart and kidney problems, that require immediate medical intervention. Treatment of eating disorders may also require special interventions to address a variety of psychological disturbances. Eating disorders are often accompanied by disorders such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Importantly, effective psychological and behavioral interventions may require therapy for the family unit, as well as the individual who suffers from an eating disorder.
There are two main types of eating disorders, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Anorexia is characterized by extremely disturbed eating behavior. Anorexics cannot maintain a normal body weight. They tend to have a distorted body image and an all-consuming fear of gaining weight. As a result, they under-eat and engage in a variety of behaviors, such as excessive exercise, to lose weight. Even when they are extremely underweight, weight control remains an obsession. The second type of eating disorder, bulimia, has some of the same characteristics as anorexia. For example, bulimic individuals may be very unhappy about their body weight and shape and have a fear of gaining weight. Unlike anorexia, however, the people who suffer from bulimia may fall within the normal range for weight. Bulimic individuals simply do not have the will power to give up foods. Instead, they are likely to follow binge eating with some form of purging (e.g., vomiting, use of laxatives after eating, excessive exercise).
In addition to the two major forms of eating disorders, there is a third, very broad group of disorders known as eating disorders not otherwise specified or, simply, EDNOS. Perhaps the best known eating disorder in this category is binge-eating disorder. Binge-eating disorder is characterized by recurring episodes of binge eating. During these episodes, the person feels a loss of control. The disorder brings with it a sense of guilt and shame. However, unlike people who suffer from bulimia, people with binge-eating disorder do not feel compelled to engage in purging. Hence, they are typically overweight or obese.
Eating disorders generally develop in adolescence or young adulthood. And, as the statistics show, females are much more likely than males to develop some type of eating disorder. For example, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, males account for only 5-15 percent of people diagnosed with anorexia or bulimia.
Eating disorders are serious, potentially life-threatening, illnesses. The good news is that they are treatable. However, a word of caution is in order. The approach to treating eating disorders can be very difficult for the person and the family. Because they are so complex, and their causes not fully understood, treatment of eating disorders cannot follow a simple, one-size-fits-all approach. Effective treatment of eating disorders typically requires more than medical intervention. In most cases, a multidimensional approach, tailored to the needs of the individual person, is needed.