Eating Disorders Awareness Week, 1-7 March 2021

Eating disorders. What are they?

Rayana Mohammed, Fast Forward volunteer, reflects on Eating Disorder Awareness Week.

Well, if you asked me when I was many years younger, I would have probably said the usual anorexia or bulimia. I wouldn’t have been wrong, but I would have severely underestimated the vast and complex nature of eating disorders.

Most people assume they are just a cycle of eating and throwing up, when in reality there is much more to them.

After doing a little more research into eating disorders, I feel as though I have come close to experiencing a combination of all the different types, at different stages of my life. The main types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFED), and avoidant or restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). All of these are usually developed as a way of coping with difficult situations and/ or emotions.

People turn to food, or in some cases away from food, to feel some sort of control when other aspects of their lives do not have said control. I like to think of it as being similar to my constant need to clean and tidy things up when my mind is not as orderly as I would like it to be. It’s a distraction that usually masks the underlying issue but in the case of developing an eating disorder, it leads to another difficult situation.

My aim for this blog is to hopefully provide a little more insight into these disorders to potentially allow you to identify if you have, or someone you know has, or are currently experiencing any of them. They are treatable and the sooner you seek help, if fully comfortable, the sooner you can live a life free of them.

Anorexia nervosa is usually associated with limiting food and drink resulting from a fear of overindulging and gaining weight. This is also accompanied by extreme exercise, the use of laxatives or even purging – self-induced vomiting.

People who experience this disorder put a lot of value into their weight and the way they look, and often feel as though their appearance is directly related to their self-worth. Their image of themselves can also be very distorted with them viewing themselves as larger than they really are which feeds the cycle of food restrictions and the adoption of excessive weight loss methods.

The consequences of this disorder are vast, ranging from period loss, muscle and bone strength loss to withdrawal from social interactions of activities such as work or school to mental disorders such as depression and self-harm.

Bulimia nervosa is characterised by frequent or habitual binging and purging. This is usually carried out unconsciously with the individual often binging on foods or food groups they would usually avoid. They feel a disconnection from their actions and often lose control of what they are doing. Purges can also include fasting or starvation, excessive exercise and laxative use as a way of removing the food they have just eaten. Similar to those with experience of anorexia, bulimics also place a lot of emphasis on their appearance, weight and view themselves as larger than they are.

This disorder can lead to severe tiredness, constipation, abdominal pain, dental erosion due to vomiting, digestive issues as well as impacting social relationships. Individuals tend to isolate themselves, avoiding eating with others around and can often experience feelings of shame, guilt and anxiety. This disorder can affect anyone, but it is most commonly found in adolescents and young adults.

Binge eating disorder is very similar to bulimia, where individuals mindlessly binge and purge. However, a larger quantity of food is consumed by those experiencing binge eating disorder . These binges are usually very distressing due to the large quantity of food consumed in a short space of time and cannot really be compared to moments of overindulgence. Individuals can choose to restrict their food intake between binges, often avoiding set meals or eating around others. These restrictions can often lead to binges due to deprivation and hunger – perpetuating the cycle of binging, purging and restricting. This disorder shouldn’t be mistaken for emotional overeating, which is described as an eating behaviour, not a disorder.

Unlike the previously described disorders, binges can be brought about by many different reasons such as boredom, overwhelm, anger or even excitement and joy, and don’t have an association with body image and weight. The consequences are however quite similar but with this disorder, there is a risk of gaining excessive weight leading to obesity which comes with its own consequences such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. Surprisingly, this disorder is more common in adults than it is in young people, often affecting those over the age of 20.

Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders (OSFED) is an umbrella diagnosis for those who experience the above disorders, but their symptoms don’t fully match up. For example, an individual who binges on large amounts of food but does not do it frequently as they are required to be diagnosed with a binge eating disorder. An OSFED diagnosis does not make what the individual is experiencing any less serious, the only difference is the name given.

As you might assume, this is the disorder that many people will fall into. The disorders that fall into this are atypical anorexia, orthorexia, purging, night eating disorder and other variations of these or other disorders. Just like the above disorders, those with experience of OSFED use food as a way of coping with their thoughts, feelings and situations, solidifying the idea that eating disorders have far less to do with and individuals’ relationship with food than previously thought.

Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (AFRID) is characterised by avoiding or restricting the intake of certain foods or food groups usually as a result of a sensory-based avoidance – a sensitivity to how the food smells, tastes, its texture and the temperature at which it is eaten – or having a bad experience with food leading to a fear of the consequences of eating said food again. Those with experience of AFRID often have little to no interest in eating as a result of a poor appetite or the loss of hunger cues often resulting in the individual not eating enough leading to malnutrition as well as other physical and mental consequences. Similar to binge eating disorder, AFRID is not related to the individuals’ weight or body image and can occur in individuals of varying ages, weights, gender etc.

The above are the five main eating disorders, however, I am sure many more exist that I have not discussed.

Data shows that young women between the ages of 12 and 20 are most likely to develop an eating disorder, however, they can develop at any time and within any individual.

It is thought that almost 1 in 4 of those with an eating disorder are male, however, this could be a real underestimation as males, those of an older age or those who are part of an ethnic minority  or varying cultures tend to not open up about what they may be experiencing.

It’s not easy to open up about the things we’re struggling with, so I 100% resonate with these people but what I would say to them, and myself, is that things only get better when you address them. You might choose to take the route I once did and deal with what I was experiencing alone, but in all honesty, if I could go back and redo it all, I would open up to someone I trust and allow them to help me through it.

The feeling of shame and guilt can overwhelm you and make you feel like you’re a burden or wrong as a result of the things you’re going through, but you are neither of those, nor any of the other thoughts you might have about yourself.

It’s okay to reach out and ask for help when you need it. Find a loved one who is supportive and caring to open up to but if you are unable to do that then speak to your GP or any other professional you trust to respect what you have to say and will be able to find you the help you need.

Do not feel ashamed of your thoughts because sometimes we cannot control what our minds think and have us believe, but we can control what we choose to do with the power and strength I know we all have.

 

Information source: https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/