Diet disorders, also known as eating disorders, are serious and sometimes life-threatening conditions that tend to affect more females than males, according to MayoClinic.com. Three main types exist: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating. Each has its own symptoms and requires specific treatment to overcome the disorder.
Possible Causes
MayoClinic.com explains the exact cause of eating disorders is not known, however, there are several possible causes. Emotional problems such as low self-esteem, problems with anger management, the need to be perfect or being impulsive may all contribute. Genetics is another possibility. If you have a sibling or parent with an eating disorder, you are more prone to develop one yourself. The correlation between being thin and popularity is yet another possible cause. This tends to affect young girls with a strong desire to be thin in a society that correlates being thin with success.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia affects as many as three in 100 teen girls, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Although your focus is on food, the disorder stems from emotional problems such as trying to be perfect, or feeling as if your self-esteem is based on how thin you are. You try to control these issues by controlling the amount of food you eat and how much you weigh. It can be chronic, however, treatment can help you avoid the complications that accompany it. Without treatment, this disorder can result in death from starvation, heart failure or suicide.
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia is another disorder stemming from emotional issues such as history if abuse, major life changes, poor body image and low self-esteem resulting from depression or a poor home environment. Bulimia is a cycle -- strict dieting which leads to intense cravings. This results in eating a spoonful of ice cream or bite of cake. Guilt sets in, leading to an episode of binge eating, sometimes 3,000 to 5,000 calories in one hour, according to HelpGuide.org. Once you binge, you purge. This involves taking a laxative or forcing yourself to vomit, leaving you feeling more out of control. Dehydration is the most serious side effect, however, kidney failure and death can also result.
Binge Eating
Binge eating begins in late adolescence or early adulthood, typically after dieting. You eat large amounts of food for hours at a time, feeling a loss of control. This disorder often leads to weight gain as you do not make any attempt to lose weight through purging. Although the binge eating and the weight gain it causes makes you feel worse about yourself, you turn to food again for comfort. Aside from the health issues obesity causes, binge eating can also cause suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety and drug abuse, notes HelpGuide.org.
Signs
Friends and family can help by recognizing the signs of these disorders and encouraging treatment. Anorexia symptoms include excessive weight loss, thinning hair, bloated stomach, dry skin and fatigue. Bulimia produces signs such as discolored teeth from purging, fluctuations in weight, scars on knuckles or hands from induced vomiting and puffy cheeks from frequent vomiting. Symptoms of binge eating are more behavioral and include eating large amounts of food rapidly, hiding food to eat secretly, gorging when alone or an inability to stop eating.
