Sunday 4 May 2014

EATING DISORDERS



This is a condition of abnormal eating habit whereby  a person either  takes insufficient food  or too much food  which in turn affects the individual's physical and mental health.  Their are three types of eating disorders.  They are-;

ANOREXIA NERVOSA
This is a form of eating disorder where a person relentlessly pursues the desire to be thin. The individual fears becoming fat and may exaggerate  the size of her body when she looks in the mirror. She therefore exercises excessively and restricts her food intake to the point of self starvation.


BULIMIA NERVOSA
People  with bulimia nervosa  overeat once or twice a week and because they fear that this may make them fat, they starve themselves, induce themselves to vomit or they may abuse laxatives People with this condition  may have a weight within the normal  range but which sometimes fluctuate.

BINGE EATING
This   is a eating disorder where a person eats an excessive amount of food. It is a condition where a person has episodes of uncontrollable eating. It is not unusual to overeat from time to time. Binge eating is different from normal increase in appetite because  the sufferer eats large amounts of food regularly. They  are usually fast eaters and wont stop even when they are full.

EFFECTS OF EATING DISORDER ON THE BODY
1. If it is a woman, her menstrual period may cease.
2. The sufferer loses weight and becomes emanciated.
3. It alters the  body function.
4. The person may become seriously ill.
5. If it is manifested  at a young  age, it  could impair growth and development .
6. Could affect fertility in women.
7. The victim is at the risk of dying  young.
8. It could lead to depression, drug abuse or even drug addiction.
9. could lead to overweight or even obesity.
10. Low self image.

THE CAUSES OF EATING DISORDER
Under-eating or overeating  by an individual could be an attempt to use food to cope with situations that seem over- welming.
It could be as of result of low self esteem, depression, anger, or as a strategy to cope with loneliness.
When the society emphasizes thinness as the acceptable body shape, people will tend towards being thin in order to have a sense of belonging. A person with a history of sexual abuse may later develop  eating disorder. Eating dis orders may run in families. Someone who has experienced a troubled relationship may experience eating disorder.
The treatment is for the person that has an eating disorder and is emanciated is to regain weight. Also the person should go for counselling and if need be talk to a therapist  regularly.
  

 



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