Emotional eating, binge eating, calorie counting,
over-exercising, fasting to reduce food intake, overuse of laxatives…. These
are all various forms of disordered eating. Many people assume that disordered
eating involves starving one’s self or vomiting after eating, however; there is
a broad spectrum of eating patterns that can be troublesome.
Psychologists use terms like “Anorexia” and “Bulimia,” which
can be misunderstood by the general population. An anorexic individual
restricts eating and/or “purges”
to a point of being severely underweight and oftentimes
results in serious health and medical concerns. An individual who struggles
with Bulimia often binge eats (overeats) and then uses any number of methods to
reduce the amount of food absorbed. Some of the more commonly observed methods
used involve vomiting after a meal, over-use of laxatives, extreme exercise and
fasting. Some individuals struggle with extreme overeating without food
restriction or purging, which nonetheless represents unhealthy eating patterns.
All of these patterns can lead to physical and mental health concerns as well
as social problems.
Disordered eating can affect anyone in any social or
cultural group. Television, magazines, advertisements and the like often
portray unrealistic and idealistic standards of beauty for women. This can
cause a lowered sense of self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy, and a continual
obsession with conforming to unrealistic ideals. While the majority of those affected are women
(over 90%), men can also be affected.
From plastic surgery to fashion, women are often encouraged
to spend time, energy and money trying to meet unfair and impossible standards.
One of the main mental health concerns stemming from cultural and social pressure
is an obsession with “thinness.” While many women feel the effects of such
pressures, there are certain vulnerabilities that increase the likelihood of
developing a disordered eating pattern to attain this ideal. Some of these
vulnerabilities can include other mental health issues, such as anxiety and
depression, family tension, peer pressure, history of trauma, and/or
perfectionistic tendencies.
You may be asking yourself what to do to support a
significant other, friend or family member who may display some of these
vulnerabilities. Some of the practical things you can do include: avoiding
comments or jokes about weight or eating habits, encouraging healthy but
realistic eating and exercise, starting a discussion about unrealistic
standards of beauty in today’s culture, and communicating openly about body
image and acceptance.
If you are wondering if you or someone you care about is
struggling with these issues, take a few minutes to answer the following
questions.
Do you or someone you care about:
- Ever intentionally force vomiting, use laxatives, or enemas to reduce weight gain?
- Ever exercise to an extreme (hours a day)?
- Regularly skip meals to reduce weight?
- Avoid social gatherings at which food is consumed (holidays, parties)?
- Feel a sense of shame around “normal” food consumption?
- Feel a sense of shame about one’ s body after eating?
- Over-consume food when feeling emotionally upset (angry, sad, lonely, worried)?
- Engage in a rigid and planned eating regimen, such as eating the same few foods every day to determine the exact amount of calories consumed?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, this may
suggest the need for a professional consultation to further assess any
potential disordered eating.
Here at Mosaic Psychological Services, LLC, all of our
clinicians are trained in the assessment and treatment of problematic eating
and body image concerns. Please contact us if we can provide assistance
regarding your concerns.
