Eating Disorders

WHAT

EATING DISORDERS are prevalent on the University's campus, college and adolescence being the two peak times for the onset of these problems. Eating disorders arise from a combination of emotional, psychological, and social conditions. Poor self-image, depression, anxiety, loneliness, loss, certain family and personal relationships, and cultural pressures to be thin may contribute to the development of an eating disorder. In an attempt to exert control over their lives or numb painful emotions, those who suffer from eating disorders may use food and weight as a way of handling stress, avoiding failure, fighting off feelings of depression or anxiety, and/or dealing with personal, social, sexual or academic conflict. The socio-cultural pressure to conform to unrealistic and unhealthy standards of weight and size often encourage destructive dieting and body image problems, both or which are associated with and precursors to eating disorders.

People suffering with eating disorders are often in denial about their problem and struggle with feelings of shame and embarrassment, making help-seeing more difficult for them. Ninety percent of reported cases are female, but there has been a significant increase in eating disorders amongst males.

ANOREXIA NERVOSA:

is characterized by severe restriction of food intake resulting in significant weight loss, and may or may not include purging behaviors, such as vomiting, use of diet pills or laxatives, and/or excessive exercise. Characteristics of those suffering from anorexia may include the following: intense fear of fat, distorted body image, preoccupation with diets and exercise, depression and mood disturbances, and loss of self-esteem. Physical effects may include malnutrition, loss of hair, muscle cramps, dehydration, dizziness and fainting, kidney impairment, cessation of menstruation, infertility, altered brain function, cardiac irregularities, and in the most severe cases (10-15%), death.

BULIMIA NERVOSA:

is known as the "binge-purge" syndrome in which the person feels compelled to consume large quantities of food in a relatively short period of time, and feels out of control. The binges are followed by purging, in the form of self-induced vomiting, or abuse of laxatives, diet pills, and/or diuretics, excessive exercise, or fasting. People with bulimia may be of normal weight, underweight, or slightly above average body weight. Specific medical complications arising from bulimia include tooth and gum decay caused by frequent vomiting of stomach acid, gastrointestinal disturbances, dehydration, dizziness and fainting, low potassium levels, kidney impairment, esophageal hemorrhaging, cognitive disturbances, cardiac irregularities, and in most severe cases, death.

BINGE-EATING DISORDER :

is a condition in which persons overeat, not in response to hunger but in response to compulsive feelings driving them to eat. This problem is similar to bulimia, but does not involve purging behaviors. Compulsive overeating may be a way of dealing with difficult emotions or painful life situations as the eating may numb feelings. The behavior is also extenuated by habit. Weight problems, including obesity, may result from binge-eating and persons who compulsively over-eat generally also chronically diet. Dieting itself sets one up for overeating as it creates emotional and physiological deprivation states which are antecedents to overeating. Dieting also lowers one's metabolic rate and increases normal levels of fat storage in the body, both of which contribute to slower weight loss and more rapid weight gain.

Obesity, or over-weight, is not an eating disorder, but a size. People who are large may be healthy and fit. One's normal, healthy body size may be any weight, depending largely on one's genetics.

HELP RESOURCES

If you believe a close friend or family member may have an eating disorder, you may want to express your concern and encourage him/her to seek professional counseling.

Professional treatment can help the person understand the causes of their problem and develop methods for getting the disordered behaviors under control.

At UMCP you can receive free, confidential help. Recommended treatment may include: individual, group or family counseling; weight and diet management; medical check-ups; and/or medication or hospitalization when needed. For further information contact the COUNSELING CENTER (301-314-7651), 4th Floor Susquehanna Hall, or the HEALTH CENTER (301-314-8180).

READ ABOUT IT

You may find it helpful to read some of the following Self-Help Pages: Assertiveness, Self-Esteem, Stress, Anger, Depression, Loneliness, and Suicide.

Compiled by Brenda Alpert Sigall with help of the staff of the UM Counseling Center.