Aluba – Anorexia and Bulimia Disorders

Two of the most common eating disorders today are bulimia and anorexia. It has been estimated that one or two out of one hundred people are struggling with either bulimia or anorexia. People with Bulimia or anorexia usually have an extreme fear of becoming overweight, and have a very skewed perception of their own body. And while no one can be exactly sure what pushes a person towards bulimia or anorexia, there are certain factors, such as the media that have played big roles in the epidemics that are known as bulimia and anorexia.

Individuals battling anorexia usually have a deeply rooted fear of becoming overweight. When dealing with anorexia individuals have a very distorted view of their own body. Everyone looks better then them according to an anorexic. A person who is twice the size of the individual battling anorexia could walk by them on the street, and they would think “if only I could look like that.” “Why do I have to look this way.” Proving anorexia is not only a physical disorder but a mental disorder as well.  People with anorexia usually limit their in take a food to next to nothing, or just starve themselves. Anorexia is a serious disorder that requires a treatment and recovery process. It is important to notify someone immediately if you think someone you no is struggling with anorexia

Bulimia is similar to anorexia in the sense that individuals suffering with bulimia have a warped perception of their bodies and live in constant fear of being overweight. However with bulimia a person will binge eat, or eat large amounts of food and then try to compensate for it by throwing up, taking laxatives, or extreme exercising. The person suffering with bulimia typically feels powerless to stop the eating and can only stop once he or she is too full to eat any more. Most people with bulimia then purge by vomiting, but may also use laxatives or excessive exercise. Although anorexia and bulimia are very similar, people with anorexia are usually very thin and underweight but those with bulimia may be a normal weight or even overweight.

Fortunately, people with anorexia or bulimia can get well and gradually learn to eat normally again. Anorexia and Bulimia involve both the mind and body. Because of this medical doctors, mental health professionals, and dietitians will often be involved in a person’s treatment and recovery for anorexia or bulimia. Therapy or counseling is a critical part of treating anorexia and bulimia. In many cases, family therapy is one of the keys to eating healthily again. Parents and other family members are important in helping a person see that his or her normal body shape is perfectly fine and that being excessively thin can be dangerous. Treatment options depend on each person and their families, but many options are available to help you overcome an bulimia and anorexia. Therapy can help you feel in charge again and learn to like your body, just as it is.

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 25th, 2009 at 7:45 am and is filed under Eating Disorders. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.