Many diseases can affect people during their lifetime. Eating disorders are examples of disorders that affect human beings across the world. They are a result of physiological issues that affect your eating habits. Although these eating disorders affect both genders, teenage girls are most affected. Eating disorders are caused by mental conditions marked by an obsession with food and body shape. Huntington Beach eating disorder specialists at Genesis Behavioral Health are trained in providing help to those suffering from eating disorders. Below are examples of eating problems and their symptoms treatable by the health care providers.
Top Three Common Eating Disorders and Their Symptoms
- Binge eating disorder. It is the most common eating disorder that affects teenagers. This problem can also develop in their early adulthood. Patients suffering from binge disorder eat a large amount of food, and they cannot control the habit. Symptoms include:
- Eating a large amount of food frequently, despite not feeling hungry.
- Feeling distressed when you think about binge eating behaviour.
- Lack of eating control, frequently eating without getting satisfied.
- Bulimia nervosa. This disorder develops during teenage and adulthood, and it affects women more than men. Bulimia is an emotional disorder associated with body image distortion. It occurs when a person binges on extreme amounts of food, followed by guilt, and then self-induced vomiting, purging, or fasting. Symptoms include:
- Fear of becoming overweight
- Lack of control in your recurrent eating habit
- Low self-esteem influence by body shape and weight
Other effects of bulimia nervosa include swollen salivary glands, tooth decay, hormonal disturbances, and worn teeth enamel.
- Anorexia nervosa. Anorexia is the most known eating disorder. It affects women more than men and mostly occurs during the teenage and adult life stages. The patients suffering from anorexia nervosa experience a distorted body image and a fear of being overweight. Symptoms include:
- Attempting to maintain a below average body weight through starvation
- Compulsive exercising
- Fear of becoming overweight despite being underweight
- Severe anorexia can result in brain and heart problems, multi-organ failure, and also death.
Treatment and Control of Eating Disorders
The method of treatment or control is determined by the type of disorder you are suffering. Most treatment includes medication, therapy, and educational schedules. Your doctor helps you understand your eating disorder and how you can maintain healthy eating habits. Nutritional education involves taking steps to avoid dieting and binging, practicing meal plans, working towards a healthy weight, and others.
Medication control works well when combined with physiological therapy. Vitamin-based pills are used to increase your appetite to treat anorexia nervosa. Antidepressants are also used to treat binge and purging behavior. Other steps like hospitalization can be taken according to the severity of your disorder.
Every disorder can become severe when not treated at its early stages. It is vital to choose an experienced doctor for examination and treatment. Specialists at Genesis New Beginning conduct excellent therapies according to the type of your eating disorder.