Overview

An eating disorder is a compulsion to eat, or avoid eating, that negatively affects both one's physical and mental health. Eating disorders are all encompassing. They affect every part of the person's life. According to the authors of Surviving an Eating Disorder, "feelings about work, school, relationships, day-to-day activities and one's experience of emotional well being are determined by what has or has not been eaten or by a number on a scale." Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are the most common eating disorders generally recognized by medical classification schemes, with a significant diagnostic overlap between the two. Together, they affect an estimated 5-7% of females in the United States during their lifetimes. There is a third type of eating disorder currently being investigated and defined - Binge Eating Disorder. This is a chronic condition that occurs when an individual consumes huge amounts of food during a brief period of time and feels totally out of control and unable to stop their eating. It can lead to serious health conditions such as morbid obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Eating Disorders - How Do I Get Better?

Do you suffer from an eating disorder? Do you eat whether you are hungry or not? Do you find when you are stressed, upset with a coworker or loved ones that you respond with food? Do you feel shame or guilt at how you eat or don't eat? Do you over exercise as a way to control your body? Eating disorders affect every area of his or her life. The goal of this article is to let the individual suffering from an eating disorder know hope and help available just reach out.

Until he or she can verbalize the eating disorder little else can happen. Awareness is a powerful tool, when he or she is aware they need help they can change. Change is uncomfortable for anyone fear of the unknown can cause him or she to stay trapped in the eating disorder. The leap of faith required to move out of the addiction cycle and into freedom is liberating when the action occurs. Some say take baby steps make the changes necessary and eventually the brain will follow. This is true changing the messages he or she tells themselves over the years.

Words have power the ones he or she heard as a child left unresolved need to be stopped now as the adult. When a negative thought comes into his or her mind say out loud cancel. This allows your conscious mind to combat the unconscious mind. Negativity breeds more negativity the same holds true for positive thoughts and words the more he or she changes the thought process the more success he or she has.

When the impulse comes to do something to mask his or her feelings or emotions stop, breathe take a few minutes to recognize is it real? Or just a quick learned response to not handle a situation effectively? Behaviors can be changed once you have the awareness and willingness to change them. Inpatient treatment for dual diagnosis and eating disorders is a concrete measure he or she can take to set up a firm foundation for success in creating a new life free from the addiction of eating disorders. Get help you are not alone, perseverance does pay off!



Autor: Joanna Painton

Joanna works for the Women's Behavioral Program. She has overcome adversities and shares her hope with anyone she comes in contact with. Joanna is a known published author in the Bariatric and Weight Loss Community, she has spent the last 13 years helping to inspire and motivate people on the value of the body, mind and spirit connection.

Please feel free to contact Joanna at http://www.womenstreatmentprogram.com or by e-mail joanna@recoveryconnection.org


Added: May 14, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

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