Eating disorder: what it is, causes, types, treatment and more!

Eating disorders can be defined as changes and psychological disorders related to eating that directly interfere with the individual’s health as a whole, physical and mental. These drastic changes in eating behavior can either lead to excess or shortage.

Problems related to diet are not just physical illnesses, as these disorders begin in the individual’s mind. The fact that he does not see himself in a positive way can cause him to develop an eating disorder. Among them, it is possible to mention bulimia, anorexia, vigorexia, among other problems whose roots are in the individual’s mind.

Want to know more about what they are and what treatment is for each eating disorder? Check it out in this article!

It is always important to emphasize that there is no specific cause for the emergence of an eating disorder. The causes are diverse and each of them must be considered carefully in the diagnosis. Learn more about the causes below!

Psychological problems related to food can be triggered by genetic factors, that is, if you have first-degree relatives who have this condition, you are prone to it. There are some studies that show the existence of some means of transmission of the disease to family members.

In addition, through some studies carried out with twins, scientists were able to verify that genetics is indeed a possible trigger of eating disorders. So if you have or had any first-degree relatives with this problem, it’s important to stay tuned.

Biological factors are also determinant for the emergence of eating disorders. Some scholars believe that changes in some neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin, for example, which is responsible for regulating sleep, mood, heartbeat and appetite, may be responsible for the disorders.

Therefore, to better understand the role of serotonin in the body and also how it can influence the emergence of eating disorders, look for a specialized professional.

Eating disorders can also arise due to psychological factors. Depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and traumas that occurred in childhood serve as a driving force for the eating disorder to emerge. From the moment an individual has a distorted image of himself, he is more likely to suffer from this problem.

Considering that the individual is not satisfied with his own appearance, he begins to radicalize in relation to his own food. This causes him to develop problems such as anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, among others.

Many people are not aware of this, but social factors can also favor the emergence of eating disorders. The standards of beauty displayed in shop windows and preached by post-modern society are one of the main villains, as they create an image that often cannot be achieved, which generates deep frustration.

With this, conditions such as low self-esteem, depression, among other problems arise. Many people end up having difficulties accepting themselves, because they do not fit what society considers the maximum standard of beauty. This is a trigger for the emergence of eating disorders.

Binge eating is characterized by the presence of moments when the individual feels a deep desire to eat without restraint, even without being hungry. He eventually loses control over himself and eats excessively. Find out what the symptoms of this disorder are and the treatment to follow!

Some of the main symptomatic manifestations of those who have food compulsion are the fact that they eat excessively and have difficulty stopping, even when they are not hungry, eat food too quickly and even eat strange things, for example, cold beans or raw rice .

The presence of excess weight is also a characteristic factor of binge eating. As the individual is eating wildly, it is natural for him to gain weight, which is very dangerous as it can trigger some even more serious problems.

To treat binge eating, the patient should seek to start treatment with a psychologist, so that the cause of the compulsion can be identified and the episodes where the individual loses control over himself can be controlled. A consultation with a nutritionist is also essential in this recovery process.

The nutritionist will provide the necessary information so that the individual with binge eating can re-educate his eating habits and recover from the compulsion. Consequently, some problems caused by the disorder, such as high cholesterol levels and accumulated fat in the liver, will be avoided.

Bulimia is a disease where the individual, at different times, suffers from episodes of binge eating, more specifically due to overeating. However, the bulimic individual, unlike the compulsive individual, presents some compensatory behaviors. Learn more below!

As mentioned earlier, the individual who has bulimia often suffers from the occurrence of binge eating, where he cannot control his own appetite and eats uncontrollably. However, unlike this eating disorder, bulimia is characterized by the presence of compensatory behaviors.

This means that the individual who has this eating disorder is always trying to force himself to vomit, makes use of laxatives and diuretics, in addition to spending a long period of time without eating and exercising excessively.

The individual with bulimia needs to seek treatment with a specialized professional as soon as possible, in view of the risks that this disease brings. The process of recovery of the person with bulimia begins with a psychological follow-up, so that this individual does not suffer from food-related behaviors again.

During treatment, the patient may also be subjected to the use of medication, so that he can control his own anxiety and also vomiting. At the slightest sign of the appearance of this condition, look for a specialized professional and start the treatment.

Anorexia is an eating disorder that causes the individual to have a distorted view of their own body. For example, a person who is underweight sees himself as someone who is overweight, as anorexia acts directly on the individual’s mind. Learn more below!

The main symptom of anorexia consists of looking at yourself in the mirror and always feeling overweight, even though you are underweight or even malnourished. In addition, the act of not eating, being excessively aware of the calories that a particular meal has before eating, avoiding eating in public, are also symptoms of anorexia.

However, the symptoms do not stop there, the anorexic individual also practices physical exercises in excess, always aiming to lose weight, and takes medicine for this purpose. If you or someone else has these symptoms, immediately seek help from a specialist.

To recover from anorexia, the individual needs to undergo psychotherapy, which helps the patient to change their own behavior in relation to food and to see their own body in a more positive way. In some cases, the use of medication for depression and anxiety is necessary.

Monitoring by a nutrition professional is also of fundamental importance, as anorexics will need to change their habits and start eating healthier. To reinforce the nutrients obtained through the diet recommended by a nutritionist, the patient can use food supplements,

Orthorexia can be defined as the habit of worrying excessively about what you eat. This generates a certain obsession with eating well. There is an exacerbated concern about consuming healthy foods and extreme control of calories and quality. Learn more about this disease below!

The main symptom of orthorexia is the fact that the individual is exaggeratedly concerned with their own food. In addition, the orthorexic individual studies a lot about healthy eating, avoids processed foods or foods rich in fats or sugar, is afraid to eat in bars or restaurants, always prioritizes organic products and rigorously plans all meals.

It is important to make a distinction between health care and orthorexia, as this eating disorder is nothing more than an exaggerated concern about what you eat, which leads the individual to have extreme behaviors.

In order to recover, the orthorexic individual must undergo medical evaluations and also have a follow-up with a psychologist, so that he can improve his relationship with food. The aim of the treatment is to make the patient aware of the fact that he can live a healthy life without having to take extreme measures.

Many people care about their health and avoid processed foods, however, they do so in a controlled manner. Orthorexics make themselves extreme restrictions, which even end up interfering with their health.

Vigorexia is characterized by the obsessive search for the perfect body, causing the individual to exercise excessively, even reaching a state of complete physical exhaustion. Learn more below!

As vigorexia is an obsession with the practice of physical exercises in search of a perfect body, the symptoms are naturally linked to physical exhaustion. As much as the individual is in search of a beautiful body, this should happen gradually.

Extreme tiredness, irritability, the use of excessive food supplements, the practice of physical activity until you reach a state of physical exhaustion, the fact that you are always worried about food, insomnia and pain…