What Is An Eating Disorder?
Eating disorders are severe mental health disorders that manifest through unhealthy, obsessive behaviors related to food intake, body weight, and shape. An eating disorder is not an issue experienced by one particular person; it can affect people of all ages, genders, class levels, etc. The most commonly recognized eating disorders include:
- Anorexia Nervosa: Known as an extreme restriction of calorie intake due to an intense fear of gaining weight, coupled with a distorted and dysphoric body image.
- Bulimia Nervosa: Characterized by episodes of binge eating followed by compulsory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, or fasting.
- Binge-Eating Disorder: Involves recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food in a short period, accompanied by feelings of loss of control and often guilt or shame afterward.
These disorders stem from a complex interplay of genetic predisposition, environmental influences, and psychological (mental) factors. They are serious health conditions that can have life-threatening consequences if not properly treated.