No More Eating Disorders: How Can I Get Help With My Food Addiction If I Have Children?

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.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

How Can I Get Help With My Food Addiction If I Have Children?

No one wants to admit they need help especially with food. People will try everything on their own repeatedly just so they don't have to admit they have a problem. Eating disorders have so much shame attached to them. Men can be overweight and remain socially acceptable by outward appearances. Men are unhappy with how they look and feel however, men do not receive the looks that women get when there lives are obviously out of order.

The problem with eating disorders is he or she can't hide them. If he or she is anorexic people notice that the bones are protruding. If he or she is bulimic people tend to notice the high volume of food missing and off to the restroom. Then the compulsive over eater or binge eater wears the weight so others can see. Eating disorders require more than one hour a week visit to a therapist. The eating disorder requires inpatient treatment. Then when completed it would be appropriate to follow-up with a therapist weekly for continued support.

So many individuals do not realize they have insurance benefits that will cover them to go to an eating disorder treatment program. Mothers feel like how can I leave my husband and children to go away and get help? Better questions why not? The best gift he or she can give the husband, family, friends, partners and children is YOU! So often with eating disorders the shame and guilt that is attached with the disorder makes the individual detach from everyone they love around them. The person might be there physically but emotionally, physically and spiritually they left a long time ago.

Getting help is a sign of strength not weakness. Recognizing that he or she can not do this alone and reaches out for help is admirable. As a parent I am responsible to take care of myself as well as my family and when I am preoccupied with the eating disorder I am not there for anyone else including myself. The most loving thing a person can do struggling with an eating disorder is to get help, now not next week which turns into next month next year and so on. Call today and start a new life!

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: June 10, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/