Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are highly prevalent in the developed world.  Disorders range from gorging and binge-eating and yo-yo dieting through to bulimia and anorexia.  Bingers often develop a cycle of dieting and gorging associated with guilt when eating and depression and self-deprecation which propels them into dieting.  More stringent diets are chosen in an attempt to lose weight, imposing greater pressure on the person whose  self-esteem falls even lower as they feel out of control on the yo-yo cycle.

Bulimia is self-imposed vomiting and/or purging and often arises from the yo-yo pattern.  The dieter may feel that they have found a way to ‘have their cake and eat it’.  They can eat but not ingest the calories by vomiting.  Depression, self-loathing and dwindling self-esteem are the result as the cycle often takes over their life.

Anorexia results through severe food deprivation, resulting in cessation of menstruation and extreme loss of weight.  It is often combined with bulimia if the anorexic finds her/himself eating tiny amounts of food (but more than allowed by them) or binging.  It is a complex illness with the sufferer often feeling elated and joyful as their hunger increases and their weight spirals.  However, this is often short lived with resultant physical deterioration in health and severe depression at the effort to maintain this position.  The elation often masks a deeper sadness, self-loathing and despair.

If you are a sufferer or know someone who is, it is very important for them to seek help.  Without help to find the language behind the eating disorder, the individual can learn to live in peace with their body and go on to live with meaning and purpose.  Without help, eating disorders can go undetected for years until health problems become severe.  Anorexia is more apparent but in a culture which sadly celebrates slenderness, the problem is often not treated until it is too late.