International Journal of All Research Education and Scientific Methods (IJARESM), ISSN: 2455-6211

Volume 10, Issue 1, January-2022, Impact Factor: 7.429, Available online at: www.ijaresm.com

Eating Disorder: An Overview With Causes And

Treatment
Dr. Manini Srivastava1, Dr. Jaya Bharti2
1
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Lucknow
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, A.N.D.N.N.M.M. Kanpur

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ABSTRACT

This is a kind of mental disorder, in which a person sometimes eats more than necessary and sometimes eats too
little. So little that he loses weight and loses body mass, due to which he becomes a victim of anorexia nervosa.
According to a research, the brain of anorexia patients behaves somewhat differently than the rest and some
people are born with the possibility of this disease from birth. Many people resort to harmful methods to reduce
the calories present in the body, which has a bad effect. In today’s generation, many people suffer from eating
disorder. For proper eating disorders treatment, one has to consult the best doctors and therapists. This
disorder is characterized by irregular eating habits and also severe distress. This disorder can occur at any age,
but is mostly prominent amongst teenagers. Eating disorder is one of the most complicated issues. This trouble
can lead to severe physical and emotional damage if not treated at the right time. This is the reason why one
should consult a doctor or a therapist as soon as they realize that they are suffering from this disorder.

KEYWORDS: Eating Disorders, Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia, Treatment

Eating disorders are serious mental health disorders. They involve severe problems with your thoughts about food and
your eating behaviors. You may eat much less or much more than you need. Eating disorders are medical conditions;
they are not a lifestyle choice. They affect your body's ability to get proper nutrition. This can lead to health issues,
such as heart and kidney problems, or sometimes even death. But there are treatments that can help. Eating disorders
are serious conditions related to persistent eating behaviors that negatively impact your health, your emotions and your
ability to function in important areas of life. The most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa
and binge-eating disorder. Most eating disorders involve focusing too much on your weight, body shape and food,
leading to dangerous eating behaviors. These behaviors can significantly impact your body's ability to get appropriate
nutrition. Eating disorders can harm the heart, digestive system, bones, and teeth and mouth, and lead to other diseases.
Eating disorders often develop in the teen and young adult years, although they can develop at other ages. With
treatment, you can return to healthier eating habits and sometimes reverse serious complications caused by the eating
disorder.

Anorexia Nervosa
A person suffering from anorexia nervosa has a fear all the time about whether he is gaining weight. In this affair, he
starts eating less. As a result, his body weight and mass decreases with time. Weakness and dizziness start, bones
become visible and the victim is unable to balance himself at times. It also needs to be understood that people who
become victims of childhood obesity are more likely to be victims of anorexia nervosa. People with anorexia nervosa
avoid food, severely restrict food, or eat very small quantities of only certain foods. They may see themselves as
overweight, even when they are dangerously underweight. Anorexia nervosa is the least common of the three eating
disorders, but it is often the most serious. It has the highest death rate of any mental disorder.

The symptoms of anorexia nervosa include:

 Eating very little, to the point of starving yourself
 Intensive and excessive exercise
 Extreme thinness
 Intense fear of gaining weight
 Distorted body image - seeing yourself as overweight even when you are severely underweight

Risk Factors for Anorexia Nervosa

While there have been numerous studies to identify risk factors for the development of anorexia nervosa, few true risk
or protective factors for the development of anorexia nervosa have been definitively established. Population-based
longitudinal databases, which include prospectively collected data on large populations that include incident cases, may
shed light on questions of etiological relevance to anorexia nervosa. Such projects must be viewed as a priority.

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 International Journal of All Research Education and Scientific Methods (IJARESM), ISSN: 2455-6211
Volume 10, Issue 1, January-2022, Impact Factor: 7.429, Available online at: www.ijaresm.com

Research on the risk factors for anorexia nervosa must be appropriately divided between biological–genetic and
environmental factors. Because anorexia nervosa is influenced by both biological and environmental factors, a
comprehensive exploration of gene and environment interactions may provide valuable information about the etiology
of this disorder.

Diagnostic Criteria for Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa

The DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for eating disorders are useful but imperfect. Perhaps the most glaring problem is that
the current criteria do not provide a category, beyond the nonspecific eating disorder not otherwise specified, for a
substantial fraction of the individuals who present to clinicians for evaluation and treatment. Eating disturbances that do
not meet the full DSM-IV criteria for anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa are inadequately described, and it is unclear
how clinically significant eating problems are to be differentiated from other eating pathologies, and whether
individuals classified as having eating disorder not otherwise specified will develop full-blown disorders. Several
promising approaches to these problems have been developed in recent years, such as the Great Ormond Street criteria
(Lask & Bryant-Waugh, 2000) and the categories of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Primary Care (DSM-
PC), and these deserve further examination. Longitudinal examinations of the course of eating disorder symptoms
during adolescence and the course of associated psychological and physical problems (e.g., obesity) would also be very
valuable in defining the evolution and characteristics of adolescent eating disorders.

Bulimia Nervosa
Whereas in bulimia nervosa, a person eats more than necessary and is always worried about his weight. Many times
such people abstain in terms of food and drink, but the weight is not able to reduce nor they are able to control their
eating habits. Anorexia and bulimia usually begin by the age of 15. People with bulimia nervosa also have periods of
binge-eating. But afterwards, they purge, by making themselves throw up or using laxatives. They may also over-
exercise or fast. People with bulimia nervosa may be slightly underweight, normal weight, or overweight.
The symptoms of bulimia nervosa include the same symptoms as binge-eating, plus trying to get rid of the food or
weight after binging by:
 Purging, making yourself throw up or using laxatives or enemas to speed up the movement of food through your
body
 Doing intensive and excessive exercise
 Fasting

Risk Factors for Bulimia Nervosa

Factors such as perceived pressure to be thin, thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, and negative affect have
been identified as risk factors for the development of bulimia nervosa. Future research should be directed at identifying
new risk factors for bulimia nervosa, as most of the established risk factors have relatively modest effect sizes
(Stice, 2002). Promising variables include hypersensitivity to negative interpersonal transactions, cognitive factors
(e.g., affect regulation expectancies), feeding avidity, and individual differences in reinforcement from eating. In
addition, the role of dieting in the development of bulimic pathology should be clarified. Research should also begin to
examine potential biological risk factors for bulimic pathology (e.g., serotonin abnormalities and structural differences
in the orbitofrontal cortex); research has yet to identify a single biological risk factor for bulimic pathology.
Furthermore, studies should continue to search for genetic factors that influence risk for this eating disorder.

PHYSICAL WARNING BULIMIA NERVOSA CAN ANOREXIA NERVOSA CAN

SIGNS OF THIS CAUSE HEALTH PROBLEMS CAUSE HEALTH PROBLEMS
DISORDER
–Sudden weight loss  Chronically inflamed  Thinning of the bones
– Fluctuating body weight and sore throat (osteopenia or osteoporosis)
– Feeling cold all the time  Swollen salivary glands in  Mild anemia
– Irregular mensuration the neck and jaw area  Muscle wasting and weakness
cycle  Worn tooth enamel and  Thin, brittle hair and nails
– Frequent vomiting increasingly sensitive  Dry, blotchy, or yellowish skin
– Swollen cheeks/ jawline and decaying teeth. This is  Growth of fine hair all over the
– Calluses on knuckles caused by the exposure to body
– Damage to teeth stomach acid every time you  Severe constipation
– Dizziness throw up.  Low blood pressure
 GERD (acid reflux) and  Slowed breathing and pulse
other gastrointestinal  Feeling cold all the time
problems because of a drop in internal
 Severe dehydration from body temperature

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 International Journal of All Research Education and Scientific Methods (IJARESM), ISSN: 2455-6211
Volume 10, Issue 1, January-2022, Impact Factor: 7.429, Available online at: www.ijaresm.com

purging  Feeling faint, dizzy, or weak

 Electrolyte imbalance,
which could be too low or
too high levels of sodium,
calcium, potassium and
other minerals. This can lead
to a stroke or heart attack.
 Feeling tired all the time
 Infertility
 Damage to the structure and
function of the heart
 Brain damage
 Multiorgan failure

Avoiding Eating Disorders

1- To avoid this situation, eat food for all three times daily and it should be nutritious. Have breakfast, lunch and dinner
at the right time.
2-In addition to curd, fruits, buttermilk, eat green leafy vegetables and fruits. If you are having trouble eating and
drinking right away, then start slowly. For example, if you do not want to have breakfast, then eat a roti. Similarly, do
lunch and dinner in small quantities. Try to normalize this amount gradually. By doing this you will get into the habit
of eating right.
3- It becomes difficult for a person suffering from anorexia to eat because he is unable to feel the immediate pleasure of
anything. Such a person forgets the taste of food and keeps on eating anything in this round. To deal with this problem,
visit a doctor and follow the given guidelines.
4- Make a habit of eating something healthy regularly in small amounts.
5- Many people give up eating and drinking under the pressure of friends and other people. Don't do this at all. Ignore
people's words and follow a healthy lifestyle.
6- Eat when you feel hungry. Don't be forced to starve. Eat at the right time By doing this, not only will the disease
related to food go away, but you will also become healthy.

Eating disorder treatment

The treatment of eating disorder depends on what type of eating disorder the person has and what is its level. There are
many types of therapy for eating disorder, including art therapy, recreation therapy, and music therapy. Apart from this,
behavioral therapy, cognitive remediation therapy, family therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy are also done.
 Individual, group, and/or family psychotherapy. Individual therapy may include cognitive behavioral
approaches, which help you to identify and change negative and unhelpful thoughts. It also helps you build coping
skills and change behavioral patterns.
 Medical care and monitoring, including care for the complications that eating disorders can cause
 Nutrition counseling. Doctors, nurses, and counselors will help you eat healthy to reach and maintain a healthy
weight.
 Medicines, such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, or mood stabilizers, may help treat some eating disorders. The
medicines can also help with the depression and anxiety symptoms that often go along with eating disorders. Few
controlled studies have evaluated the utility and safety of pharmacological treatments for adolescents with eating
disorders, although medications are frequently used in the clinical treatment of these patients. Antidepressant
medications have demonstrated efficacy in reducing binge eating and vomiting behaviors for adults with bulimia
nervosa, but additional study will be necessary before any conclusions can be reached about the use of these
medications with younger patients. There is currently no evidence for the efficacy of pharmacological treatments
in low-weight adults with anorexia nervosa. However, recent reports have suggested a utility of atypical
antipsychotic medications, such as olanzapine, with adolescent anorexia nervosa patients, and future research
should evaluate these medications in a controlled manner.

CONCLUSION

While anorexia and bulimia both have distinct features, the disorders appear to share some biological underpinnings.
Both are highly heritable. Untreated, bulimia can lead to serious illnesses including gastrointestinal problems,
electrolyte imbalance and cardiovascular disease. Anorexia can cause muscle wasting, heart and brain damage, and
multiorgan failure. Indeed, anorexia has been reported to have one of the highest mortality rates of any psychiatric
disorder. There is only one evidence-based treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa, the Mauds-ley method of
family therapy, whether delivered in a conjoint or separated format. The empirical evidence supporting the treatment is
limited, however. Whereas a subgroup of anorexia nervosa patients may have an inherently good prognosis, it is clear
that significant numbers of these patients do not do well. Both CBT and interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) have been
shown to be effective for adult bulimia nervosa patients.Eating disorders treatment, provided by our therapists and
doctors are not just a scheduled program but are personalized session where our doctors try understand the root cause of
the issue and offer the treatment accordingly. Our specialists are very stern while developing treatment plan that are
tailored for each patient.

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 International Journal of All Research Education and Scientific Methods (IJARESM), ISSN: 2455-6211
Volume 10, Issue 1, January-2022, Impact Factor: 7.429, Available online at: www.ijaresm.com

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