EATING DISORDERS

Are you addicted to food?

Most people enjoy eating. It's not only pleasurable, but also necessary to sustain life. Some people, however, become so focused on food that it becomes an obsession, and they are said to be addicted to food. Addiction is a physical and psychological dependence on a substance or behavior. A person can be addicted to food by either overeating or under eating. A person with an eating disorder is obsessed with eating food, or binging on food, and then purging out the food.

Food obsession or addiction can have both psychological and biochemical causes. Psychologically, food is very important in our lives. It is often used for consolation, as a stress reliever, as a reward, for celebrations, as well as for many different social events. With so much focus on food in our lives, it can become an obsession. In addition to psychological causes, there can also be biochemical factors that lead to food addiction. Some scientists believe that certain foods stimulate the production of natural morphine - like painkillers - called endorphins - that are produced by the body to help relieve discomfort and stress. This may cause some people to eat to relax instead of to satisfy hunger.

Some risk factors to watch for are other addicted family members, either too much, too little, or uncertain love or discipline as a child, feelings of insecurity or loneliness, and difficulty experiencing positive emotions such as love, joy, or intimacy.

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia (An-a-rexea) nervosa (ner-vo-sa) is a dangerous level of self-starvation that may be brought on by an intense fear of getting fat. It can occur in men or women of various ages, but is most common in teenage girls and is often triggered by some sort of stressful life situation.

The typical victim is a well-behaved teenager who is a perfectionist, anxious to please and who becomes convinced she is too fat. She diets and starves until she is dangerously underweight, yet still considers herself too fat and refuses to think she is doing anything wrong.

Losing weight becomes an obsession for people suffering with this condition. They are preoccupied with food, menus, calories, and grocery shopping and often develop odd eating rituals. They may exercise strenuously to stay thin. The starvation causes their body functions to slow down. Menstruation may stop. Breathing, pulse and blood pressure rates drop. The thyroid gland slows down, nail and hair becomes brittle, and the skin dries and yellows. Constipation is also common. In severe cases, the bones thin out and heart and kidney problems develop that can lead to death.

Treatment may involve trying to normalize eating behavior and change attitudes about food, eating, and body size. It may also include medication, psychotherapy, behavior modification, and nutrition counseling.

Bulimia

Bulimia (boo-LEE-mee-uh) is an eating disorder in which a person eats compulsively and then eliminates the food through self-induced vomiting or with laxatives. People who have bulimia are afraid of gaining weight, of not being able to stop binging and purging, and are often depressed. They may suffer from stomach cramps, irregular periods, dizziness, sore throats, and sinus infections.

Bulimia can lead to serious medical problems, including inflammation of the esophagus, low potassium levels, urinary tract infections, kidney failure, colon damage, and an irregular heartbeat. A bulimic may complain of chronic indigestion, facial puffiness, constipation, muscle weakness, and fatigue.

People who develop this eating disorder tend to be perfectionists. They may have low self-esteem and difficulty expressing anger. Although bulimia is serious, it can be treated. Treatment involves normalizing eating behavior and changing attitudes about food, eating, and body image. It may include medication, psychotherapy (sike-oh-THER-ah-pee), behavior modification, and nutrition counseling.

Compulsive Eating

A compulsive eater can be defined as someone who organizes his or her thoughts and experiences around food. Nearly all of the emotions a person experiences - fear, guilt, anticipation, and pleasure all have to do with food. A compulsive eater keeps eating beyond the time when the hunger has been satisfied. Eating is driven by anxiety, fear, frustration, or anger, rather than by hunger or even pleasure.

Generally, compulsive eaters don't get a lot of pleasure from food because of the great amount of guilt and shame they feel after eating. They may feel that their eating and their weight show their lack of self-control. They may also feel envious or inferior toward others who seem to handle food better than they do.

A compulsive eater may also be a compulsive dieter. They may stick rigidly to their diet, even though they are drawn to food during times of stress and anxiety, for fear of being out of control if they stray from their diet.

A person can be heavy or even obese and not be a compulsive eater. It's also possible to be of average weight or even thin and be a compulsive eater. If food is valued for its instant gratification and its ability to comfort, defuse anger, or calm a person down, then a person is probably eating compulsively.

For more information on eating disorders, consult your health care provider or the BABBCENTER at 824.3772 or 800.458.1755.