According to a recent study, nearly 25 million Americans suffer from eating disorders. While it’s tempting to place all the blame on our society’s infatuation with celebrities, super models and fad diets, there are many other factors, such as depression and mental illness, that can play a role in the development and furthering of eating disorders. Here’s what you need to know.

There are three main types of eating disorders:

Anorexia Nervosa – People with anorexia are convinced that they are never thin enough. They often go to extremes, such as starvation and/or excessive exercise, to lose more weight. While the condition is typically very obvious to an outsider, those who suffer from anorexia always feel fat and live in fear of gaining weight.

Bulimia Nervosa – People with bulimia struggle with food control issues. They frequently consume large quantities of food (binge eating), which they then purge through means like vomiting or abusing laxatives. Because people with bulimia typically maintain a normal body weight, their condition is easily hidden from family or friends.

Binge Eating Disorder – People with binge eating disorder experience episodes where they eat abnormally large amounts of food in a short period of time. Because people with this condition often feel ashamed and guilty about their eating, they conceal their symptoms and eat in secret.

While it is impossible to know the exact cause of eating disorders, there are plenty of contributing factors:

• Age. Eating disorders frequently develop during the teen or young adult years when people are impressionable and strive to fit in with their peers.

• Emotional health. People who struggle with emotional issues, such as perfectionism, a great need for control, poor self-esteem, anxiety and impulsivity, are more prone to these disorders.

• Mental illness. Closely aligned with the above-mentioned emotional issues, mental illnesses like depression can play a huge role in the development of eating disorders.

• Media. The constant bombardment of TV, Internet and magazine images often skews our perception of normal and places unrealistic expectations on people to look and dress a certain way.

• Athletics. In certain cases, people who participate in specific athletic activities such as ballet, gymnastics, competitive running and wrestling, where weight often impacts performance, are at a higher risk for eating disorders.  

A Hidden Disorder

Because of the stigma and “hush hush” mentality associated with eating disorders, many people often go undiagnosed and suffer in secret. With this in mind, it is important to know the signs and when to seek help.

Here are some frequent warning signs:

• Dramatic weight loss
• Excessive exercise
• Highly restricted diets that are medically unnecessary
• Not eating in public
• Constant negative comments about appearance and being fat
• Disappearing to the bathroom during meals
• Hoarding food
• Ridged eating rules

If you or someone you know is suffering in secret, get help right away. If left untreated, eating disorders not only negatively affect your outlook on life, but also cause a myriad of serious lifelong health issues, occasionally resulting in death.

Fortunately, plenty of resources are available. Through counseling, psychotherapy and support from family and friends, most eating disorders can be effectively managed or cured.

David Lowenstein, Ph.D. is a Psychologist and the Clinical Director of Lowenstein & Associates, Inc. in Columbus, Ohio. In addition to providing therapeutic services to individuals and families, he offers training and consultation to numerous associations, schools and agencies around the country. Additionally, he is a frequent radio and TV guest and a resource and contributing writer for numerous newspapers and magazines nationwide.

Contact Dr. David Lowenstein at 691 South Fifth Street
Columbus, OH 43206 or by phone at 614.443.6155 or 614.444.0432.