Eating disorders are becoming more and more common these days

There are several types of eating disorders that afflict people.

There are three of these types of eating disorders that are more common than the rest and these usually affect young adults.

The main reason why teenagers and young adults are the common victims of any type of eating disorder is due to their susceptibility to trends and peer pressure.

Anorexia Nervosa

This eating disorder is among the most common of the types of eating disorders that afflict people.

Symptoms of this disorder include losing weight rapidly, a gaunt or spindly appearance, brittle nails, flaky skin and losing a fair amount of hair.

The individual who has this eating disorder may also feel obsessed with calories and the amount of food he or she ingests.

These types of eating disorders are the most fatal to have because the individual strives hard to lose weight despite being too thin already.

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia, as it is commonly called, is similar to anorexia except for the part where the individual strives not to eat.

In Bulimia, the afflicted person may pig out and eat an enormous amount of food and then purge by vomiting or using laxatives to get rid of the food he or she just ingested.

Among the types of eating disorders, bulimia is one that may go unnoticed for some time because the individual does not grow thin rapidly. In fact, there may be a yoyo of weight loss and gain.

Bingeing

Another of the more common types of eating disorders is binge eating.

With this type of eating disorder, the individual has a compulsion to eat large quantities of food without purging himself.

Among the more common types of eating disorders, binge eating can be called a food addiction where the individual is fascinated with the food and frequently thinks about it if he or she is not eating.

People with these types of eating disorders usually grow to be obese and develop conditions related with heart disease.

These types of eating disorders are among the most common in the country and can affect up to more than half of teenagers or young adults population.

Most treatments that can help individuals with these disorders focus on psychiatric or psychological therapy.

Treatments are best performed by qualified professionals.

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Some Facts You Must Know

This problem is called pica eating disorder and 25% to 30% of children suffer from the condition. The condition is characterized by compulsive and consistent cravings of non-food items on the part of your child.

Many parents seek professional treatment for the condition.

Pica eating disorder is most common amongst children with developmental disabilities such as autism and mental retardation. It is also most common amongst children between the ages of 2 and 3.

If your child is 18 months or younger, eating non-food items is common behavior so you shouldn’t be alarmed.

The word “pica” comes from the Latin word for magpie. Magpies are birds that are very indiscriminate about what they eat.

People with epilepsy and pregnant women are also known to suffer from pica eating disorder, as are children who have suffered from a brain injury.

People who have pica eating disorder often crave items like dirt, clay, chalk, baking soda, coffee grounds, ashes, feces, glue, hair, and more. Some of the non-food items they crave do not have any health risks but others can cause lead poisoning or iron-deficiency anemia.

For this reason, it is very important that anyone who exhibits signs of this disorder seeks treatment.

The Causes of Pica Eating Disorder

So why do children develop pica eating disorder?

If there is no disability or condition that is obviously causing the disorder, it can be hard to pinpoint a particular cause.

Malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies can cause this disorder because your body craves certain minerals and nutrients it’s lacking.

Mental health conditions such as schizophrenia and obsessive compulsive disorder can also cause this problem.

Treatment of Pica Eating Disorder

Pica eating disorder is treated with medication if it is severe.

Behavioral therapy may also be helpful. Total restriction from the non-food items that your child eats will be implemented.

Your doctor may also check for nutritional deficiencies in case that is the underlying cause. Luckily, for many children the disorder is temporary and goes away after treatment.

Now that you are armed with this information, talk to your doctor if you notice any unusual symptoms that may be associated with pica eating disorder.

It is considered a serious eating disorder so it’s important to address the underlying cause to keep your child safe.

If you seek treatment early, your child is more likely to overcome the disorder without much trouble and it will be less likely to recur.

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Finding Help For Your Eating Disorder

In today’s society, there is increasingly more and more pressure for young women and boys to be thin.

Models, actors and actresses, and almost anyone else in the public eye is stick thin.

This can be extremely discouraging to young men and women who either do not naturally have a body that is thin as a rail or who are going through hormonal changes like puberty that cause their bodies to change and cause the individual to feel uncomfortable.

Either way, eating disorders are fairly common among young teenagers. These disorders can be devastating and even deadly, and it is important to find help.

Outpatient Help

• Outpatient eating disorder places are some of the best places to get help.
• Outpatient eating disorder places allow you to come in during the day and go home at night.
• Outpatient eating disorder places offer services like counseling and detox.
• In addition, outpatient eating disorder places also offer the support of other people with eating disorders.
• Outpatient eating disorder places are perfect for people who have either just developed their eating disorder, have almost completely conquered their eating disorder, or people who suffer from body image issues and not necessarily a full blown eating disorder yet.

Inpatient Help

• Outpatient eating disorder places will not work for everyone, however.
• These eating disorder places are often times not in depth and do not cover all of the basis.
• Some people who have eating disorders need serious help.
• These people will need an around the clock team of experts to help them.
• They will need constant monitoring to make sure that they are eating and are not throwing up after.
• An inpatient eating disorder place is a facility where the patient actually lives there around the clock.Instead of going home or going to work, the patient will spend all of their time in the facility.
• This is often times needed for those with full blown eating disorders who have had them for many years.

It is not easy to break the habits and psychological mindset for those with true eating disorders, and often times extreme measures like inpatient facilities are necessities.

Whatever you choose to do for yourself or a loved one, know that you are making the right choice.

Many people pass off eating disorders as no big deal compared to other self harm disorders, but eating disorders can be extremely dangerous.

They cause malnutrition, heart problems, and even death. Getting help is the most important thing to do.

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