Hello!
So this week is eating disorder awareness week, which is basically a week in which awareness is raised on eating disorders and their treatment/lack of treatment. Last year I got involved with the media quite a lot, and shared my story with multiple different people. However this year I want to do something that is more inclusive and helpful on my own platform, as sometimes it's hard to relate exactly to what a specific person is going through, as ED's are so so different and present differently in different people.
It's so important to remember that there are so many types of eating disorders out there, some more well known than others. Because of this, I kind of just want to explore each one in a little bit of detail. I don't really like labels or labelling someone as 'Bulimic', or a 'binge eater' etc, but for the purposes of this I'll talk about each condition with its generic labels. Even if you cannot relate completely to one of these 'labels', but can relate to some, it may still be an indicator that your eating habits are disordered, so please seek help. Not every eating disorder fits a named diagnosis- but you are still valid, your eating disorder is still valid, and your health is still valid. You matter.
Anorexia Nervosa:
Anorexia Nervosa (AN), is one of the most recognisable eating disorders, due to its association with extreme malnourishment and physical symptoms. It affects both men and women, and can affect absolutely anyone.
Despite the stigma of AN being associated with someone being extremely underweight, you don't have to be underweight to receive a diagnosis. You can be overweight and still have AN.
Generally a person with AN participates in restrictive eating patterns, has significant fears of gaining weight, has lowered self esteem and distorted body image. Food and eating becomes an obsession, and often stems from needing control over something in their life.
AN can have devastating physical affects if left untreated- it can lead to osteoporosis, thinning of the hair and nails, alopecia, and organ damage.
Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID):
ARFID is an eating disorder very similar to Anorexia Nervosa, however, a person with AFRID won't have the psychological fear of weight gain, and often won't restrict their intake to control their weight or shape. ARFID can often be viewed as just 'picky eating', especially in children, however it can have serious effects on growth, resulting in children not being able to develop properly, effecting both vertical growth and weight gain. In adults, the result of ARFID is usually weight loss. Those who suffer with ARFID often take longer to eat their food, and so struggle socially.
It's quite common for those on the autistic spectrum to suffer with ARFID, as well as those with ADHD and other intellectual disabilities.
Bulimia Nervosa:
Bulimia Nervosa (BN), is another one of the more recognisable eating disorders. It is often associated with purging (deliberately throwing up) after consuming what most people would consider a large amount of food at once (binging), or sometimes just an average amount of food. Generally, the behaviours presented in a person with BN are used in an effort to effect weight gain and body shape. Many people with BN enjoy the feeling of being empty.
There are also many similar symptoms to that of Anorexia Nervosa, for example: fear of eating out socially, rituals around food, and extreme concern over body image.
BN can also affect the body in similar ways to Anorexia Nervosa, however there are added physical symptoms such as: bloatedness from fluid retention, discoloured teeth, cuts across the top of the fingers from induced vomiting and dry skin.
People who suffer with BN are often a 'normal' weight, however you can be bulimic and be underweight or overweight.
Binge Eating Disorder:
Binge Eating Disorder (BED), is an eating disorder categorised by a person consuming a large amount of food in a short amount of time, whilst being completely out of control and feeling like they cannot physically stop consuming food. Often those who suffer with BED suffer from feelings of guilt afterwards, however don't usually use purging to counteract the disordered behaviour afterwards. An episode of binging is often triggered by emotional distress, however it can turn into a routine behaviour if binging episodes happen frequently enough.
Diabulimia:
Diabulimia is one of the less common eating disorders, but yet is one of the most dangerous ones. Diabulimia is a specific eating disorder that some people with diabetes suffer with, whereby they restrict the amount of insulin they take in order to lose weight. Those with diabetes, particularly type one, have to stick to a strict diet and have to be aware of food labels - making them more likely to develop an eating disorder. Currently, although diabulimia is becoming more recognisable, it does not have a separate treatment plan. The treatment in which someone with diabulimia will go through will depend on their specific disordered eating behaviours. Quite often someone with diabulimia will experience multiple DKA episodes due to the restriction of their insulin - this could be fatal.
Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS)/ Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED):
EDNOS/OSFED is an eating disorder that more and more people are being diagnosed with. Often those with EDNOS/OSFED have many disordered eating patterns and behaviours, but don't fit the diagnosis of anorexia, bulimia or binge eating. Just like other eating disorders, EDNOS/OSFED is very dangerous, and can have most of if not all of the same physical and mental effects of other eating disorders. It is in every way possible just as deserving of treatment as other eating disorders, and should be treated with the same severity too.
Orthorexia:
Orthorexia is an eating disorder related to an obsession with wanting to eat 'healthily'. People who suffer with orthorexia become so fixated on their food being nutritionally healthy, that it can become damaging to their wellbeing. There isn't much research on orthorexia as of yet, but it is said that people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), are more susceptible to suffering from Orthorexia. Malnutrition is a risk factor of orthorexia due to the lack of variety in diet and restriction of essential food groups.
PICA:
PICA is an eating disorder that involves the consumption of things that are not meant to be consumed, such as clay, bluetack, hair, dirt etc. PICA is more common in people who suffer with other intellectual disabilities, those on the autistic spectrum, and sometimes with people who suffer from schizophrenia. PICA can have physical affects, especially if the items consumed are dangerous for human consumption. It can become really difficult and detrimental when a person only eats items that are not considered to be food as it can lead to mineral and nutritional deficiencies.
Rumination Disorder:
Rumination Disorder is an eating disorder that is associated with the non deliberate regurgitation of food. It is not uncommon for the regurgitated food to be re-chewed and re-swallowed without the person feeling any disgust or shame. It has been suggested that rumination syndrome should not be treated as an eating disorder, but as a gastrointestinal disorder. However more research needs to be done on the disorder to determine whether or not it should be treated as an eating disorder or a gastrointestinal condition.
There are for sure other eating disorders that people suffer with, and I'm sorry I've not been able to talk about them all. I hope this basic run down of a non-basic mental health condition has been useful and understandable. Any questions please message me!
Have a happy day,
Dais xo
So this week is eating disorder awareness week, which is basically a week in which awareness is raised on eating disorders and their treatment/lack of treatment. Last year I got involved with the media quite a lot, and shared my story with multiple different people. However this year I want to do something that is more inclusive and helpful on my own platform, as sometimes it's hard to relate exactly to what a specific person is going through, as ED's are so so different and present differently in different people.
It's so important to remember that there are so many types of eating disorders out there, some more well known than others. Because of this, I kind of just want to explore each one in a little bit of detail. I don't really like labels or labelling someone as 'Bulimic', or a 'binge eater' etc, but for the purposes of this I'll talk about each condition with its generic labels. Even if you cannot relate completely to one of these 'labels', but can relate to some, it may still be an indicator that your eating habits are disordered, so please seek help. Not every eating disorder fits a named diagnosis- but you are still valid, your eating disorder is still valid, and your health is still valid. You matter.
Anorexia Nervosa:
Anorexia Nervosa (AN), is one of the most recognisable eating disorders, due to its association with extreme malnourishment and physical symptoms. It affects both men and women, and can affect absolutely anyone.Despite the stigma of AN being associated with someone being extremely underweight, you don't have to be underweight to receive a diagnosis. You can be overweight and still have AN.
Generally a person with AN participates in restrictive eating patterns, has significant fears of gaining weight, has lowered self esteem and distorted body image. Food and eating becomes an obsession, and often stems from needing control over something in their life.
AN can have devastating physical affects if left untreated- it can lead to osteoporosis, thinning of the hair and nails, alopecia, and organ damage.
Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID):
ARFID is an eating disorder very similar to Anorexia Nervosa, however, a person with AFRID won't have the psychological fear of weight gain, and often won't restrict their intake to control their weight or shape. ARFID can often be viewed as just 'picky eating', especially in children, however it can have serious effects on growth, resulting in children not being able to develop properly, effecting both vertical growth and weight gain. In adults, the result of ARFID is usually weight loss. Those who suffer with ARFID often take longer to eat their food, and so struggle socially.
It's quite common for those on the autistic spectrum to suffer with ARFID, as well as those with ADHD and other intellectual disabilities.
Bulimia Nervosa:
Bulimia Nervosa (BN), is another one of the more recognisable eating disorders. It is often associated with purging (deliberately throwing up) after consuming what most people would consider a large amount of food at once (binging), or sometimes just an average amount of food. Generally, the behaviours presented in a person with BN are used in an effort to effect weight gain and body shape. Many people with BN enjoy the feeling of being empty.
There are also many similar symptoms to that of Anorexia Nervosa, for example: fear of eating out socially, rituals around food, and extreme concern over body image.
BN can also affect the body in similar ways to Anorexia Nervosa, however there are added physical symptoms such as: bloatedness from fluid retention, discoloured teeth, cuts across the top of the fingers from induced vomiting and dry skin.
People who suffer with BN are often a 'normal' weight, however you can be bulimic and be underweight or overweight.
Binge Eating Disorder:
Binge Eating Disorder (BED), is an eating disorder categorised by a person consuming a large amount of food in a short amount of time, whilst being completely out of control and feeling like they cannot physically stop consuming food. Often those who suffer with BED suffer from feelings of guilt afterwards, however don't usually use purging to counteract the disordered behaviour afterwards. An episode of binging is often triggered by emotional distress, however it can turn into a routine behaviour if binging episodes happen frequently enough.
Diabulimia:
Diabulimia is one of the less common eating disorders, but yet is one of the most dangerous ones. Diabulimia is a specific eating disorder that some people with diabetes suffer with, whereby they restrict the amount of insulin they take in order to lose weight. Those with diabetes, particularly type one, have to stick to a strict diet and have to be aware of food labels - making them more likely to develop an eating disorder. Currently, although diabulimia is becoming more recognisable, it does not have a separate treatment plan. The treatment in which someone with diabulimia will go through will depend on their specific disordered eating behaviours. Quite often someone with diabulimia will experience multiple DKA episodes due to the restriction of their insulin - this could be fatal.
Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS)/ Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED):
EDNOS/OSFED is an eating disorder that more and more people are being diagnosed with. Often those with EDNOS/OSFED have many disordered eating patterns and behaviours, but don't fit the diagnosis of anorexia, bulimia or binge eating. Just like other eating disorders, EDNOS/OSFED is very dangerous, and can have most of if not all of the same physical and mental effects of other eating disorders. It is in every way possible just as deserving of treatment as other eating disorders, and should be treated with the same severity too.
Orthorexia:
Orthorexia is an eating disorder related to an obsession with wanting to eat 'healthily'. People who suffer with orthorexia become so fixated on their food being nutritionally healthy, that it can become damaging to their wellbeing. There isn't much research on orthorexia as of yet, but it is said that people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), are more susceptible to suffering from Orthorexia. Malnutrition is a risk factor of orthorexia due to the lack of variety in diet and restriction of essential food groups.
PICA:
PICA is an eating disorder that involves the consumption of things that are not meant to be consumed, such as clay, bluetack, hair, dirt etc. PICA is more common in people who suffer with other intellectual disabilities, those on the autistic spectrum, and sometimes with people who suffer from schizophrenia. PICA can have physical affects, especially if the items consumed are dangerous for human consumption. It can become really difficult and detrimental when a person only eats items that are not considered to be food as it can lead to mineral and nutritional deficiencies.
Rumination Disorder:
Rumination Disorder is an eating disorder that is associated with the non deliberate regurgitation of food. It is not uncommon for the regurgitated food to be re-chewed and re-swallowed without the person feeling any disgust or shame. It has been suggested that rumination syndrome should not be treated as an eating disorder, but as a gastrointestinal disorder. However more research needs to be done on the disorder to determine whether or not it should be treated as an eating disorder or a gastrointestinal condition.
There are for sure other eating disorders that people suffer with, and I'm sorry I've not been able to talk about them all. I hope this basic run down of a non-basic mental health condition has been useful and understandable. Any questions please message me!
Have a happy day,
Dais xo
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