What did you typically eat with an eating disorder?
In the last post, we saw how:
- There are diagnostic features that can point you in the direction of bulimia in a patient.
- Triggers that could bring about binging in those with these disorders are everywhere in the environment as seen in this post.
- Being mindful is a very helpful technique that helps with triggers whenever they appear.
How do people develop eating disorders?
Welcome to Medic Vibes, where we discuss mental health disorders and make sense of them. Dr Ebingo Kigigha is a medical doctor (aspiring psychiatrist) and creative person (illustration and music). This has been our routine for four consecutive months. This month will be dedicated to Eating Disorders. In the first month, we discussed Depression, and in the subsequent month, anxiety. We just finished with Schizophrenia.
In this post, we are looking at Quora. To learn more just keep scrolling down. You can also skip to the key point of the post if you which or go to the conclusion to get the summary.
Some eating disorders do not fit into the diagnostic criteria for some of the more common eating disorders and so the DSM decided to make other criteria for these conditions. Some of them that are in this category are Night eating disorders, purging disorders and anorexia and bulimia below the threshold.
This disorder is marked by eating a large quantity of food after eating dinner. Those who suffer from this condition typically do not have a big appetite in the daytime and have trouble sleeping at night.
It is thought that about 2% of the population are Night eaters but it has been found that those who suffer from insomnia usually have 10 to 15%, Night eaters. Those who have other eating disorders and other mental health problems are also significantly affected by this condition.
Nobody is really sure about the cause of night eating disorders but the hormones ghrelin, leptin, melatonin and cortisol have all been implicated. It is also known to be more common in some families. It is 5 times more prevalent in people who have close relatives with this disorder.
What do those with Eating Disorders eat(Reaction post)
An anonymous user had this to say:
They explain that they have had anorexia for a greater portion of their life with fights to try to fight it but they end up with conditions being as bad as they were in the past.
They explain that they usually did not eat much while dealing with this condition and most of their fasts would last up to 3 weeks.
They would drink coffee daily to deal with the dizziness they would sometimes experience but when they add sweeteners or cream they would consider that as food. The best they have been able to attain is 3 meals a week frequency and those 3 meals are also very small portions.
They admit that the reason they can have this type of eating pattern is that they are adults and they can get away with this type of eating pattern. They hide behind big clothes so no one can notice how bad it has become.
‘right now they live with friends who are very concerned with their eating habits and watch to make sure they try to eat. They have been able to get us to the point where they have 2 meals in one day 2 times a week.
Right now they eat dinner every day at least and the portion of food is growing to bigger sizes now.
They concluded by saying that those who have an eating disorder eat nothing.
This is the case, especially for those who have anorexia. There are other types of eating disorders however that have other eating habits, in Binge eating disorder the patient tends to eat high-caloric food with lots of sugar and in large sizes.
According to psychcentral.com, there is a constant fear of gaining weight and this fear has effects that can reach into different aspects of one's life. They explain that anyone can have the symptoms of Anorexia regardless of their body size and its effect can be seen on the body once it starts.
Those who have anorexia do not appreciate the way their body is and they start restricting their food consumption, they over-correct by exercising more intensively and more frequently than necessary, and they may use drugs to induce purging or self-induce vomiting.
Even though it is called an eating disorder it s more about managing those one feels about their body than actually what one eats.
They say it is like binge trapped by the food restrictions or being in the best weight class and trapped by the thought of those close to them.
A study tried to show that those who have anorexia may deal with difficulty adapting to situations and changes and this has a significant effect on the emotional health of those who struggle with this condition.
These behavioural states tend to cause the person to isolate themselves. For example, because of these habits towards food, they tend to avoid festive periods or family traditions because of the need for food during these events.
They also start having other mental health issues because of their eating habits. For example, they may be anxious when they are asked to eat or they may feel angry at the person giving them food.
Their exercise schedule also comes in the way of their personal life and they have a visceral reaction to people coming in the way of that. They usually will have their body image in mind all the time.
They do not keep up with plans that will affect their exercise or meal plan. They can eat a type of food and hate themselves because they have not fulfilled their standards.
Treatment
Patient.info suggest that if you are dealing with Anorexia it can be very helpful to structure your eating. Take away all the confusion and hassle that may be involved with eating in advance. Follow the timing judiciously. It is also helpful that you plan out what it is you want to eat. Make sure the diet is balanced and the pattern of eating is appropriate.
They outline some food that can be very helpful for recovery from the fast and can help regain normal eating habits and they included avocados, baked beans, oily fish, eggs, nuts and seeds. These food are a good source of minerals and vitamins that can have the micronutrient and enzymatic state so you feel hungry.
They explain that it can be very helpful to see food differently and the best way to see it is that,food makes you stronger and can help you do the things you want to do in a better way.
Questions
- What did you learn about Eating Disorders?
Conclusion
- Other specified eating disorders are seen in the population, one of which is Night eating disorder.
- The issue with anorexia is not what they eat but the fact that their eating disorder causes them not to eat.
- There are helpful ways to take yourself out of the habits that lead to eating disorders by planning out the diets and the use of recovery meals
References
- Kaplan-Sadocks-Comprehensive-Textbook-Psychiatry
- Page demarcations made with Inkscape.org
- Patient.info
Psych Central