Todd Sumamno
If you want to know what the symptoms of eating disorders are, read this article. You will find everything you need to know and prevent serious issues.
20 Warning Symptoms of Eating Disorders to Know
Unfortunately, eating disorders are pretty common nowadays. You probably have already heard about anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, or rumination disorder. These are pretty dangerous to a person’s life as it affects both emotional and physical health.
A person is likely to have an eating disorder if they have been dieting or starving themselves.
If a person is diagnosed with such a disease, it means they have a problem with excessive or abnormally low weight, overeating or not eating at all.
It has a serious toll not just on the way a person feels but also on their:
- Emotional health
- Perception of their body
- Physical health
- And even relationships with people around them.
If you are wondering, “How do I know I have an eating disorder?” keep reading. In this article, we will give you a comprehensive overview of the warning signs of eating disorders and the main causes and ways to cope with this problem.
Let’s get started to find out about unhealthy eating behavior patterns and change the situation for the better!
H2: What Might Cause Eating Disorders?
Magazines, TV, advertisements, and social media can cause eating disorders. It’s pretty easy to explain. The Internet, as well as printed materials, are overflowing with photoshopped models with perfect body shapes, ideal skin, and no excessive weight.
It all promotes an unhealthy and inaccurate image of how a human body should look like. This image is already rooted in our heads. This is why eating disorders among college students are widely spread.
Women are so worried about their appearance and want to be slim because of the societal pressure that comes from everywhere. Some people cannot resist this pressure and do all their best to keep up with false beauty standards at all costs.
And the price they pay is too big. It’s their health we are talking about.
Some people develop unhealthy eating patterns as a way to achieve a perfect body look. It can inevitably damage their health by turning these patterns into eating disorders.
In addition, a person is likely to suffer from eating disorders if they or their family members had depression or substance abuse problems or prior episodes of eating disorders.
If someone criticizes you for your food preferences or makes some unflattering comments about your body and weight, it could also be a reason for developing mental problems that may translate into an eating disorder.
Among other reasons for eating disorders, it’s also possible to list:
- Low self-esteem
- Anxiety
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Abusive relationships.
If the body doesn’t get enough food, the brain will promote anxiety and appetite suppression. It will be difficult to get back to normal eating habits.
Now, it’s crucial to find out what the main signs of eating disorders are, who is prone to it, and how to overcome this problem effectively.
H2: What Groups Are More at Risk for Developing Eating Disorders?
It’s worth noting that eating disorders don’t necessarily depend on age, race, or gender.
However, it’s paramount to know that teenagers and young adults are diagnosed with such a disease more often. They are too sensitive about any comment on their appearances and easily influenced by modern trends.
Also, females suffer from eating disorders more often than males. They are prone to social opinion and care way too much about what other people might say about them. They starve themselves to fit into so-called beauty standards.
H2: Signs and Symptoms of Eating Disorders
Down below, there are warning emotional signs of one of the possible eating disorders. If you feel that you might be in trouble, don’t hesitate to seek help and start the treatment process to become a healthy and happy person.
Check out symptoms carefully:
- constant worrying about your weight and body shape;
- too much exercise;
- excessive limiting your food or skipping meals;
- making yourself sick after you get a meal;
- excessive food rituals;
- unwillingness to eat in public;
- extreme focus on healthy eating;
- not having usual social activities.
In addition, here are some physical signs that might also indicate eating disorders:
- weight fluctuations;
- stomach pain and cramps;
- change in bowel habits;
- bloating or regular constipation;
- fainting;
- changes in menstrual cycle;
- dizziness and constant weakness;
- feeling cold;
- heart racing;
- numbness in arms and legs;
- thin hair and bad skin condition;
- dental problems (usually caused by bulimia).
In case you or your loved one won’t get timely help, some complication might occur:
- serious health issues;
- severe depression or anxiety;
- problems with relationships;
- issues at college/work;
- suicidal thoughts.
H2: How to Cope with Eating Disorders
The first thing to do is not to ignore the problem. At first glance, it might seem like an issue not worth your attention. But in fact, it can ruin your physical and emotional health. Therefore, it’s important to get expert help once you realize you have these symptoms of eating disorders.
Online therapy is the most effective and convenient way to get mental guidance and help you might require on your way to a healthier and happier life.
There are plenty of online therapy services that help you to find a professional and experienced therapist for eating disorders. For example, you can consider such an e-therapy platform as Calmerry.
Here, the therapists will come up with the right treatment techniques to make you feel better. A licensed counselor online can help you form a healthy perception of your body and cope with negative eating behaviors.
They have all the knowledge, qualification, and experience needed to recognize eating disorders and provide you with the most efficient therapy methods. It will also a perfect way for you to spill everything that’s on your mind and what’s bothering you emotionally. You can get guidance or advice and feel relieved.
Moreover, your negative life experience can be a potential cause of having an eating disorder. So, a counselor can help you solve the emotional problem and make you closer to your satisfying physical and mental well-being.
However, it’s also important to get medical care and control the issue with your doctor.
The main thing to remember is that the treatment process can take a while. This is a serious issue that requires all the attention on your part, too. Your job is to follow a therapist’s and doctor’s advice, believe in yourself, and never give up.
H2: Final Words
Eating disorders are dangerous. They can negatively affect a person’s physical and emotional well-being.
Now, you are more aware of the main symptoms of this disorder and can spot the problem, avoid it, or start the treatment process. Besides, you can encourage people you love to get help.
Eating disorders are considered serious mental issues. And it’s of paramount importance to detect and treat them as early as possible. In this case, online therapy will be a perfect and reasonable solution. You can be connected with qualified specialists who can offer effective treatment methods for you to get back on track and live a fulfilling, healthy life.
Start caring for your health today!
Author
Kate has a B.S. in Psychology and an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University and has been working in healthcare since 2017. She mainly treated depression, anxiety, eating disorders, trauma, grief, identity, relationship, and adjustment issues. Her clinical experience is focused on individual and group counseling.
Follow Kate here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-skurat-5348381b9/
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