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Eating Disorders

Food & Eating Disorders
Common Behaviors Signaling
Eating Disorders
Three Types of Eating Disorders
Possible Causes of Eating Disorders

Is Food a Problem for You?
Questionnaire

What You Can Do
To Help Yourself
To Help a Friend

Helping Resources
On Campus
National Organizations
Suggested Reading

Eating and enjoying food is an essential part of being alive. The nutrition from food keeps us healthy, alert, and feeling good. The tastes and smells of food are some of the nicest pleasures in life. Sharing food is an important way for friends and family to come together. So, how can food be a problem?

Our society sends out mixed messages about food, messages which are contradictory and very destructive. On the one hand we are bombarded with images of delicious food and urged to eat, eat, eat. On the other hand, and this is especially true for women, images of thin-very thin- young models are presented to us as a physical ideal.

These mixed messages combined with other factors can lead some to develop problems with their eating habits. We call these problems "Eating Disorders," since they affect normal, healthy functioning.

Eating disorders develop over time. In our culture dieting has become the norm. It is estimated that from 60 to 80% of American women are on diets. Studies show that many eating disorders begin when dieting gets out of control. Eating disorders are about 10 times as common in women as in men.

Many college-age women restrict food intake, resulting in severe weight loss. Ten to 20% of college- age women binge on large amounts of food and eliminate the food by vomiting, using laxatives, severe fasting, and/or over-exercising. These practices lead to secrecy and isolation, guilt and shame, and other negative feelings about oneself.

Common Behaviors That Often Signal Eating Problems

In time, these behaviors can lead to severe physical and emotional problems and interfere significantly with the ability to enjoy life and to feel good.

The Three Types of Eating Disorders
Type of Disorder Signs of the Disorder

"Anorexia" means loss of appetite and "nervosa" of course means nervous. So this type of eating disorder is just what it seems, a nervous loss of appetite. People with Anorexia Nervosa seriously endanger their health by not eating. Anorexia may represent a attempt to gain control over one's life, especially when a person has felt little control over anything in the past.

Extreme weight loss due to excessive fasting.

Perception of self as being fat despite being underweight.

Preoccupation with food and an intense fear of becoming fat.

Medical problems - including loss of menstrual periods in women, dry skin, cold hands and feet, digestive problems, hair loss, general weakness, and insomnia.

"Bulimia" comes to us from the Greek words for ox plus hunger, and suggests an insatiable appetite, one that can't be satisfied. People with Bulimia Nervosa usually weigh within the normal range but they maintain it by purging food after overeating, which is not healthy. Bulimics tend to be impulsive and have a high need for approval.

Weight within normal range - although may be slightly above or below normal.

Recurrent episodes of binge eating in a short period of time.

Binge eating is followed by purging behavior - vomiting, use of laxatives or diuretics, fasting and/or over exercising.

Medical problems - include dehydration, constipation, digestive disorders, severe dental problems, and muscle weakness.

Those with a "Binge-Eating Disorder" have lost control of eating and are usually seriously overweight.

Recurrent episodes of binge eating with loss of control.

Binge eating episode is ended only when there is physical discomfort.

Feelings of guilt, remorse or self contempt after eating.

May be significantly overweight.

Is Food a Problem for You?

If you think food might be a problem, ask yourself the following questions:
  1. Do you constantly think about eating, body weight and body size?
  2. Do you find yourself panicking if you cannot exercise as planned, for fear of gaining weight?
  3. When friends say that you're too thin, do you refuse to believe them because you feel fat?
  4. If you're a female, has your menstrual period ceased or become irregular due to no known medical reason?
  5. Do you go on eating binges and can't stop until you feel sick?
  6. Do you weigh yourself several times each day?
  7. Have you ever taken laxatives or forced yourself to vomit after eating?
  8. Do you feel guilty after eating?
  9. Do you drink lots of liquids (water or soda) to "fill up" so you are not hungry?

If you answered yes to some of these, you may have eating disorders or you may be developing one. Notice the words in boldface type. They indicate frequency and intensity of feelings or behaviors. These are often warning signs that a problem with food exists.

What You Can Do

Food Doesn't Have to be a Problem!

A preoccupation with food, dieting, and body image can give food an inordinate control over a person's life and result in damage to both health and looks. It can seriously interfere with the ability to enjoy life and to feel good. Beginning to understand the feelings that lead to unhealthy eating behaviors, however, is a first step to changing those behaviors so that food is no longer a problem.

If you think you have a problem, or you're worried about a friend, check out the helping resources section for sources of assistance. There are also some national organizations which will provide additional information.

Here are some tips for dealing with an eating problem, whether it's yours or a friend's.

What you can do to help yourself

If you have an eating disorder or you think you may be developing one, there are some definite steps you can take to help yourself.

  1. Refuse to accept society's expectations about eating habits and appearance.
  2. Value your own good health as well as your external appearance.
  3. Seek education from a health educator (at Student Health Services, 654-2394) balanced eating can help decrease binges.
  4. Eat slowly, enjoy your food, and give yourself permission to stop when you feel full.
  5. Think of food as the fuel your body needs to function, rather than as the enemy or as a consoling friend.
  6. When you want to binge, purge, or not allow yourself to eat, identify the feelings you're having-such as the "blues" or low self-esteem.
  7. After you've identified your feelings, you can then go to work to find healthier ways to manage them.
  8. Consider seeking counseling from a counselor (at the Counseling Center, 654-3366) who can help you identify the causes and help you work out a plan to overcome your problem.

What if you have a friend with a problem?

Here are some steps you can take to help out.

You may notice that a friend seems to have an eating disorder and wonder what you can do to help. Here are some tips.

  1. Talk to your friend in general terms about her or his health, but don't primarily focus on eating behavior, weight, or appearance.
  2. Send "I" messages instead of "you" messages. For example, say "I am concerned because. . ." rather than "You need to stop weighing yourself ten times a day."
  3. If your friend has some concerns, listen with empathy and avoid making judgements.
  4. Reach out to that person as a true friend, communicating that you care.
  5. 5Avoid agreeing to keep your friend's problem a secret, or doing things which might "cover up" your friend's behavior (i.e., hiding food).
  6. Be supportive and encourage your friend to seek help, perhaps using the resources listed at the end of this webpage.
  7. If you are not a close acquaintance to the person, find another person who is a good friend. Messages are better received from close friends.

Helping Resources

California State University, Bakersfield

Counseling Center - 661/654-3366
Student Health - 661/654-2394

Community

Kern County Mental Health - 661/868-8000
Clinica Sierra Vista - 661/635-3050
Frazier Mt. Community Health - 661/245-0250
Ebony Counseling Center - 661/324-4756
Over Eaters Anonymous - 661/872-7528

National Organizations

National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, Inc. (ANAD)
P. O. Box 7
Highland Park, IL 60035
ANAD Hotline: 847-831-3438
www.ANAD.org

National Eating Disorders Association
Information & Referral Service
800-931-2237
www.nationaleatingdisorders.org

Reading

The Body Image Handbook: An 8-step program for Learning to Like Your Looks by Thomas Cash. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications, May 1997.

Breaking Free from Compulsive Eating by Geneen Roth. New York: Signet, 1986.

Bulimia: A Guide to Recovery by Lindsey Hall and Leigh Cohn. Carlsbad, CA: Gurze Books, 1999.

Intuitive Eating: A Recovery Book for the Chronic Dieter by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. St. Martin's Press, 1995.

Making Peace with Food by Susan Kano. New York: Harper & Row, 1989.

Overcoming Binge Eating by Dr. Christopher Fairburn. New York: The Guildford Press, 1995.

Gurze Books specializes in eating disorders and body image issues: for a free catalog of their book titles call 1-800/756-7533 or visit them on-line at http://gurze.com/.

If you are in doubt about where to turn for assistance, please feel free to call the
Counseling Center at 661-654-3366.

 

Acknowledgement

This information was prepared by the University of Texas at Austin Counseling & Mental Health Center to assist students with mental health issues. Information contained herein was gleaned from on- line publications.