Eating Disorders In Women

Anorexia is an eating disorder that struggles with the fear of gaining weight and refuses to be healthy. Another eating disorder is Bulimia, which is when you overeat followed by forced vomiting and excessive exercise. Binge Eating is one of the most common eating disorders along with Anorexia and Bulimia, Binge eating is when you lose control over one’s eating. All of these common eating disorders all suffer from guilt or depression. “Individuals with bulimia and binge eating eat large amounts of food to reduce stress” (CEDC). They also could have risky behaviors, such as dealing with drugs or alcohol or even death. People with Anorexia or Bulimia are very concerned with being overweight or in other words fat.

There are many different types of eating disorders, and they all affect the mind and body in different ways.  For example, anorexia is when "a person refuses to sustain

According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, binge eating is defined as uncontrolled compulsive eating, especially as a symptom of bulimia or binge eating disorder(BED). Individuals, who suffer from a (BED), usually, consume, abnormally large amounts of food, quickly. The condition causes sufferers to eat until they are painfully full. we live in a society that accepts encourages overindulging . Therefore, there are probably several occasions on which we eat more than we should. In order for a person to be diagnosed with a (BED), they would have to experience episodes of ("Binge Eating"). that “occur, on average, at least 2 days a week for 6 months Wonderlich et al. (2003). Binge eating is an old problem, whose

Binge eating is at present the most common eating disorders. But, many binge eaters do not recognize the condition as a life-threatening affliction, as I did. It is no surprise that people do not perceive binge eating as a disorder that needs a cure. Until recently, binge eating was

Through time, the definition of the word ‘binge' has evolved to mean different things altogether. In the 70s, people binge when they go on a "drunken spree." (The American Heritage Dictionary) Today, people binge when they overindulge, not in alcoholic beverages, but in food. Many like to use this word trivially, to describe an episode of slight overeating. There are some, however, who cannot afford to see binging as an insignificant rise in food intake. When they binge, these people gorge and find themselves losing control over the amount of food they consume. They are the people who suffer from the binge-eating disorder. (Fairburn, 1995)

It is now defined as “Recurring episodes of eating significantly more food in a short period of time than most people would eat under similar circumstances, with episodes marked by feelings of lack of control.… The person may have feelings of guilt, embarrassment, or disgust and may binge eat alone to hide the behavior”. It is important to note that there is a difference between over-eating and binge-eating, while over-eating is a recognizable problem for many people, “binge-eating is much less common, far more severe, and associated with significant physiological and psychological problems” (DSM 5). Binge Eating Disorder is similar to Bulimia Nervosa in that we see episodes of eating large amounts of food, the difference being that there is no purging after the binging episode. It is seen highly among obese patients, but, perhaps due to a reluctance to relate obesity with an eating disorder, it was not recognized as distinct from Bulimia Nervosa until the early 1990s (Gordon, 2000).

The culture and society people live in today tells people that in order to fit in then they have to be perfect. In order to become perfect people starve themselves, which can lead to anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Media also plays a huge part in causing eating disorders. TV, movies, magazines and the internet give unrealistic images on what a persons bodies should look like. Media uses airbrushed models as an image of the average woman but in reality the model weighs twenty- three percent less than the average woman (Self Image Media Influences). Women see these images and take unhealthy measures to try and fit the standards set by media. Researchers at Duke University took a survey and discovered that forty percent of nine and ten year old girls have admitted to being on a diet. In a study based on self-image three out of four girls said that they are overweight but only one out of them was, the Rader Programs did this study (self Image Media

Binge eating disorder (BED) is an eating disorder that is characterized by recurrent binge eating, without the use of compensatory behaviors such as purging, as seen in those with bulimia (Striegel-Moore & Franko, 2003). Anyone can over eat from time to time, it is excessive and out of control overeating that crosses the line towards BED. Those who binge eat are known to have a variety of health problems, both mentally and physically. The chronic, recurrent bingeing associated with BED has been shown to lead to obesity and have a high comorbidity with other psychiatric comorbidities, such as anxiety, depression, and many personality disorders. Therefore, it can affect someone just as much as anorexia or bulimia can. Given its relatively new introduction into the mental health field as its own separate entity, there is limited research on it. Current research is focusing more on the epidemiology of this disorder in order to develop more effective treatments for it.

As stated in the article “What are Eating Disorders?” by the NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association), “About 20 million women and 10 million men in America will experience some type of eating disorder at some point in their lives.” This means that eating disorders affect women more, but it affects men as well. Anorexia and Bulimia have been affecting women for generations, but recently it has blown up. The main reason for this is social media and magazines. Social media shows people models that are supposedly “perfect,” and then the women that see this then want to look just like them. This causes women to starve themselves, purge, etc. Women and teens still do this even though they know it hurts them. They may be addicted to doing it, and may not be able to stop themselves. People get seriously hurt and it’s not worth all the

Research has shown that binge eaters suffer from high bouts of depression and/or anxiety. These individuals also tend to have low self-esteem, as well as body-esteem, which is one's self esteem toward their body image. For this reason, binge eating is most prominent with adolescents between that age group of 12-17, the ages when they are most susceptible to emotional changes brought on by puberty. Individuals with BED use food as a coping mechanism to deal with difficult or uncomfortable emotions. Food becomes their source of comfort and soothing. Most people with serious binge eating disorder present with symptoms such as eating until uncomfortably full, eating much more rapidly than usual, eating large amounts of food, even when you aren't physically hungry. However, the feeling of guilt is brought upon them because of this lack of control over their actions. Despite this feeling of guilt, only 43 % of binge eaters end up opting for treatment of their serious

Whether one is skinny or fat, one can suffer from an eating disorder. Eating disorders can be difficult to manage, one specifically being binge eating disorder. Binge eating disorder is an eating disorder in which one compulsively overeats, or is unable to stop eating large quantities of food, at least twice in one week, over a period of six months (Binge Eating Disorder, 2014). Binge eating is more commonly known for eating very rapidly until one is full at a very uncomfortable level, eating these large quantities of food when one is not hungry, and ultimately the feelings of disgust or self-hatred after consuming these large amounts of food

In the article by Christopher Fairburn and Paul Harrison, it summarizes what is an eating disorder, what types are there, and how it can start or happen. The article says that there are three types of eating disorders; the first type is Anorexia Nervosa, which is describes someone with a desire to reach a very low weight by restricting food intake. The second type is Bulimia Nervosa which is described as after attempting to restrict food intake, one losses control and consumes an unusually large amount of food, the repeatedly binges. The last type is Atypical Eating Disorder which doesn’t have an exact definition, but is often a variation of the two or even a mix of both anorexia and bulimia; Fairburn and Harrison claim that there hasn’t been

Eating disorders are defined as mental disorders that are characterized by abnormal eating habits that have a negative effect on a person’s mental or physical health. These disorders can be due to psychological or genetic factors, however the most common cause is exterior influences causing feelings of inferiority which sparks an obsessive need. Many of these disorders, such as stress eating, night eating, and binge eating, are not recognized as medically treatable conditions outside of the medical field. The most well-known and understood eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia, both of which can lead to death if not caught and treated in time.

Binge eating disorder is characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food (often very quickly and to the point of discomfort). A feeling of a loss of control during the binge; experiencing shame, distress or guilt afterwards; and at times using purging to counter the binge eating.

In this essay, I will explain eating disorders and their effects on victims of them. Eating disorders are major health risks, and can be life-threatening. Eating disorders are defined as abnormal eating habits and extreme worry about one’s body image. They are mental illnesses that exist in both males and females, but are most commonly seen in females between the ages of 12-25. Eating disorders are not only about losing weight or a person’s insecurities, it could be that food being used as a coping mechanism is a cause of eating disorders. They are often paired with other afflictions like depression, anxiety, and abuse.