Mental Health Series - Eating Disorders

Having an Eating Disorder is a serious illness that causes abnormal disruptions to a person’s every day nutrition intake to the detriment of a person’s physical or mental health.  These disruptions could be anything from eating small amounts of food to severely overeating. A person with an Eating Disorder can be concerned about body weight or shape to the point of it causing severe distress. The most common Eating Disorders are: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.

In the United States, 20 million women and 10 million men suffer from some type of eating disorder in their lifetime. [1]

Eating disorders can be deadly. Up to 20 percent of people with anorexia die from their disorder, making it the deadliest mental illness there is. [2]

What Causes an Eating Disorder?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “Researchers are finding that Eating Disorders are caused by a complex interaction of genetic, biological, behavioral, psychological, and social factors.” [3]

Many people with eating disorders also suffer from body dysmorphic disorder, which alters the way people see themself. [4]

Social idealisms of thinness and youthfulness have contributed to eating disorders affecting various people. One study showed that girls with ADHD have a greater chance of getting an eating disorder than those not affected by ADHD. [5]

Types of Eating Disorders

Anorexia Nervosa (AN)

Not maintaining a healthy body weight, an obsessive fear of gaining weight or refusal to do so, and an unrealistic perception, or non-recognition of the seriousness, of current low body weight, characterizes this disorder. Anorexia can cause menstruation to stop, and often leads to bone loss, loss of skin integrity, etc. It greatly stresses the heart, increasing the risk of heart attacks and related heart problems. The risk of death is very high in individuals with this disease.

Typical Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa [6]

·      Extreme thinness (emaciation)

·      A relentless pursuit of thinness and unwillingness to maintain a normal or healthy weight

·      Intense fear of gaining weight

·      Distorted body image, a self-esteem that is heavily influenced by perceptions of body weight and shape, or a denial of the seriousness of low body weight

·      Lack of menstruation among girls and women

·      Extremely restricted eating

Severe Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa [7]

·      Thinning of the bones (osteopenia or osteoporosis)

·      Brittle hair and nails

·      Dry and yellowish skin

·      Growth of fine hair all over the body (lanugo)

·      Mild anemia and muscle wasting and weakness

·      Severe constipation

·      Low blood pressure, slowed breathing and pulse

·      Damage to the structure and function of the heart

·      Brain damage

·      Multi-organ failure

·      Drop on internal body temperature, causing a person to feel cold all the time

·      Lethargy, sluggishness, or feeling tired all the time

·      Infertility

Bulimia Nervosa (BN)

Recurrent or frequent binge eating followed by compensating behaviors such as purging (self-induced vomiting, excessive use of laxatives/diuretics, or excessive exercise) characterizes this disorder. Fasting and / or excessive exercise may also be used as a method of purging following a binge-eating episode.

Typical Symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa [8]

·      Chronically inflamed and sore throat

·      Swollen salivary glands in the neck and jaw area

·      Worn tooth enamel, increasingly sensitive and decaying teeth as a result of exposure to stomach acid

·      Acid reflux disorder and other gastrointestinal problems

·      Intestinal distress and irritation from laxative abuse

·      Severe dehydration from purging of fluids

·      Electrolyte imbalance (too low or too high levels of sodium, calcium, potassium and other minerals) which can lead to heart attack

Binge Eating Disorder (BED)

More common than either Bulimia or Anorexia, Binge eating at least 2-3 times a week without compensating behavior characterizes this disorder. The disorder can develop within people of a wide range of ages and social and economic classes. People with Binge Eating Disorder are often overweight or obese.

Typical Symptoms of Binge Eating Disorder [9]

·      Frequent episodes of consuming very large amount of food but without behaviors to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting

·      A feeling of being out of control during the binge eating episodes

·      Feelings of strong shame or guilt regarding the binge eating

·      Indications that the binge eating is out of control, such as eating when not hungry, eating to the point of discomfort, or eating alone because of shame about the behavior

Consequences of Binge Eating [10]

·      High blood pressure

·      High cholesterol levels

·      Heart disease

·      Type II diabetes mellitus

·      Gallbladder disease

Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED)

An eating or feeding disorder that does not meet the DSM-5 criteria for AN, BN, or BED characterizes this disorder. Examples of otherwise-specified eating disorders include individuals with atypical anorexia nervosa, who meet all criteria for AN except being underweight, despite substantial weight loss; atypical bulimia nervosa, who meet all criteria for BN except that bulimic behaviors are less frequent or have not been ongoing for long enough; purging disorder; and night eating syndrome.

Treatment Options

The fundamentals of treatment are adequate nutrition, reducing excessive exercise and stopping purging behaviors.

Some forms of psychotherapy or talk therapy and medications have been known to be effective with eating disorders. Usually treatment plans are modified to the person’s needs and may include one or more of the following:[11]

·      Individual, group, and / or family psychotherapy

·      Medical care and monitoring

·      Nutritional counseling

·      Medications

Recovery from an eating disorder is difficult and it takes a lot of time and hard work. It takes professional help, including medical care, psychotherapy, and nutritional counseling, as well as support from friends, family members, and other people with eating disorders. [12]

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[1]National Eating Disorders Association www.nation aleatingdisorders.org/get-facts-eating-disorders

[2]  Mirror Mirror Eating Disorders http://www.mirror-mirror.org/eatdis.htm#sthash.Ofw6ZsWO.dpuf

[3]www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/eating-disorders/index.shtml

[4]Eating Disorder - Wikipedia

[5]Eating Disorder - Wikipedia

[6]www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/eating-disorders/index.shtml

[7]www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/eating-disorders/index.shtml

[8]www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/eating-disorders/index.shtml

[9]National Eating Disorders Association www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/other-specified-feeding-or-eating-disorder

[10]National Eating Disorders Association www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-facts-eating-disorders

[11]www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/eating-disorders/index.shtml

[12]Mirror Mirror Eating Disorders http://www.mirror-mirror.org/eatdis.htm#sthash.Ofw6ZsWO.dpuf

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Mental Heath Series - Weight Loss / Eating Disorder Issues

Making a change in your life, like losing weight, is not so much about the actual pounds you want to lose, but the change you are making in your life. Your attitude must be positive and you must believe in a positive outcome.

It’s much easier in the long run, to stick to a weight loss program if you have support. That support can come from your family, friends, commercial programs, clinics, behavior modification programs, and social support.

What helps is having the motivation to continue every day with the weight loss goals you’ve set for yourself. Always give yourself a reason why you can accomplish your goals.

It’s been said that no one is perfect. You don’t have to aim to be perfect, either. Just give yourself permission to be a little better today than you were yesterday.

Failure is not an option, and shouldn’t be for you either. One of the easiest ways to lose weight is to start walking. Walk in front of your house. Walk the length of your street. Walk one half a mile. Walk only what you are capable of and then walk a little further. Personally, I lost over 100 pounds just by walking. I started out walking less than one half a mile. I progressed every week, walking a little bit more, and a little bit more, until after a year, I was walking a mile or more. Then by the next year I was walking a few more miles. By the end of the third year I was walking eight miles a day. That’s all I did to change my lifestyle and lose weight.

Someone once said, “Success is not a place that we aspire to, it is a process in which we live by. Often the only ingredient being the ability to not quit.” That’s where you need to dig deep into your soul and know in your heart that this is truly a change you want to make in your life.

Keeping a food journal helps. Writing down everything that you eat, or the calories, or the amounts, whatever you want to track, will help you stay on that road to success.

Keeping a progress journal will also help. Write out your feelings, your successes, your frustrations, your emotions, and get them out of your head and onto paper. Give yourself the opportunity to reveal, in a journal, even if to n o on else, exactly what you’re experiencing as you go through this life change.

Buddy up with another person who wants to make the same changes in their life. It always helps to have someone you can motivate and who can give you the inspiration you need when you’re feeling like you can’t go on.

An Ashanti Proverb goes like this; you must act as if it is impossible to fail. Have faith. Believe with all your heart. Give yourself over to the change and live it, day by day.

In future issues, I'll discuss more about weight loss and eating disorders. Weight loss does not equal healthy eating, nor does being thin. Weight is just a number, diets are not recommended, a lifestyle choice is better. 

If you read previous posts, you'll find out about my struggle with a Binge Eating Disorder and how I've coped.

Mental Health Series - Veteran Support

Veteran Support is an important aspect of Mental Health. Many veterans come back from serving their country with physical and mental issues. Many veterans don't even understand what is happening to them. Or, they don't want to admit what is happening and don't seek the help they need. 

Transiting from the armed forces to civilian life may not be as easy as it could be for some people. Some Veterans need some support to help them find their way in the civilian world. There are resources for that in your community and on the Internet.

You may need to find a job, find a place to live, or even find health care to help you in your time of need.

Veterans perform a job with the military that can reflect no other. Their courage, strength, and fortitude are matchless. We must not forget the sacrifices they and their families made while they were serving our country.

One of the first places someone can turn to is the Department of Veteran Affairs. Not only will they help you establish your GI Bill, if need be, but they can help you with establishing a VA loan for housing and obtaining medical benefits.

Not every veteran who returns from a tour in the military finds their footing. There are organizations and community resources to give you a step up and a helping hand, if necessary.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a serious disorder afflicting many of our veterans. It’s a serious, silent illness that can keep a person from pursing the happier moments of being home and among family. There is support for PTSD as well in the form of therapy, counseling, and hospitalization depending on the severity.

Things that a newly returning veteran can do are establishing a routine. Don’t become complacent or discontent with your situation. Work to make a change for the better. If you need to find a job, look for one in the local papers, use your network with the VA, and join community services that help you locate employment.

If finding a place to live is your priority, you can do that as well. Use your VA resources, your ability to purchase a home with a VA loan, and other resources available in your community to locate housing.

If healthcare is your priority, you can definitely use the VA resources to find medical care at a Veterans Hospital or clinic. If one isn’t currently available in your area, contact the Department of Veteran Affairs to find the one closest to your area.

It’s important to stay positive and upbeat. You are a survivor. You are a hero. You are confident and strong. Use the help of family and friends to establish your civilian life and before you know it, you’ll be telling stories of the time you were in the military to your friends over a nice barbeque in your new backyard.

You can always find support from your local church and if you aren't going to church, finding one can go a long way to recovery. Prayer works. God will not forsake you. 

Another way to help yourself is to put your thoughts in writing. Creating a journal can help you work through issues that you may not be able to vocalize. Once you find a therapist, you can either share what you've written, or work on creating other forms of writing/journaling that can help you recover.