An eating disorder is a psychological illness that leads to the development of unhealthy eating behaviors, like food addiction. People who suffer from eating disorders are frequently focused on food, body weight, or body shape. Eating disorders can be life-threatening illnesses that disrupt physical, psychological, and social functioning.

Eating disorders impact up to 5% of the population and are most common throughout adolescence and young adulthood.

Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder are the three most common eating disorders.

This article looks at the signs and symptoms and effects of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder and how to get help and treatment to overcome it.

Anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is a potentially fatal eating illness marked by meager body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight, and a skewed view of weight and shape. As a result, anorexics go to great lengths to maintain their weight and shape, substantially impacting their health and daily activities.

Symptoms of anorexia

• Dietary restrictions are severe.

• extreme svelteness (emaciation).

• An obsession with thinness and a refusal to maintain a normal or healthy weight.

• Anxiety about gaining weight

• Body image distortion, self-esteem that is significantly impacted by body weight and form perceptions, or a denial of the importance of low body weight.

Binge-eating disorder

Binge eating disorder (BED) is a severe mental illness in which people consume large amounts of food without controlling their actions. Anyone of any age, gender, ethnicity, or background can be affected, and evidence suggests it is more common than other eating disorders.

Symptoms of a Binge Eating Disorder

• Consuming exceptionally enormous quantities of food in a short period

• Eating when you’re not hungry.

• During binge episodes, you tend to eat quickly.

• You feel worried, humiliated, or guilty about what you’re eating.

• Dieting regularly, possibly without achieving weight reduction

Bulimia nervosa

Bulimia is a psychological eating disorder characterized by binge eating episodes (consuming a large quantity of food in one sitting). You have no control over your eating during these binges. After that, you try ineffective weight-loss methods such as voting or compulsive exercise.

Symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa

• Sore and irritated throat for a long time.

• Salivary glands are swollen in the neck and jaw.

• As a result of stomach acid exposure, tooth enamel is worn down, making teeth more sensitive and rotting.

• Other gastrointestinal issues, such as acid reflux

• Dehydration due to fluid purging is severe.

• An electrolyte imbalance (too little or too much sodium, calcium, potassium, and other minerals) can cause a stroke or a heart problem.

Effects Of Eating Disorders

An eating disorder can lead to long-term impairment in social and functional duties and psychological and behavioral issues, medical complications, social isolation, disability, and an increased chance of mortality due to medical complications or suicide. Suicide is a leading cause of death among those suffering from eating disorders. Suicide is 31 times more likely in people with anorexia nervosa and 7.5 times more likely in people with bulimia nervosa than in the general population.

How To Treat Eating Disorders

If you suspect you or someone you know is struggling with a food addiction give yourself or them the best chance of recovery.

Receiving the appropriate treatment is critical. Several degrees of therapy are available to treat different stages of eating disorder severity, ranging from inpatient treatment at a medical facility to outpatient therapy. Therefore, an eating disorder treatment facility needs to assess a struggling individual to identify the proper level of care.