Eating Disorders

Eating Disorders

Overview

Abnormal attitude to food

They tend to focus exclusively on their fat leading to making unhealth choices with damaging results

Types of Eating disorders

Starving and excessive Anorexia – keep weight low

Bulimia – Control body weight by binge, vomiting, purging laxatives.

Binge Eating – Compulsion to overeat

Unhealthy Beliefs 

How is problem being maintained.

Unhealthy beliefs are prominent feature

Regarded as being at the heart of psychotherapy.

UHB regarding shape and Weight are indicative of eating disorders.

Self-value – based on body shape and weight is also at the core of eating disorders

Most Important Components of Eating Disorders

Strict dieting – low weight and binging

Low weight – extreme hunger and binging

Binging – trigger for UHB and UNE

Compulsory behaviour leads to dieting which causes hunger, low weight, binging and more dieting.

Interaction

4 Components trigger an interacting system of

  • Behaviour
  • Emotions
  • Beliefs
  • Personality traits
  • Psychological problems

This system is responsible for most important symptoms

One can argue that eating disorders are Cognitive disorders

Causes

Social pressures often blamed but its more complex

Could be biological or influencing factors combined with experience that may provoke the disorder.

Other factors

Risk factors.

Family history – eating disorders depression

Criticism – for their eating habits, body shape and weight

Overly concern – combines with pressure to be thin/slim

Obsessive Personality – anxiety disorder, low self-esteem or being a perfectionist.

Sexual or emotional – or death of someone

Difficult relationship – with family or friends

Stressful situation – problems at wok, school etc