Psychiatric conditions known as eating disorders profoundly disrupt individuals’ everyday routines and their patterns of food consumption. Among these, Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa stand out as the most prevalent. The common goal in both disorders is for the person to control their own body weight. In this context, the person may resort to behaviors such as calculating the calories of the food they eat, frequently getting on the scale and checking their weight, making themselves vomit after eating, and exercising to compensate. These symptoms may vary from person to person. These disorders generally begin worldwide, especially in adolescence and young adulthood, and are closely related to the need for control, self-esteem, and body perception in the person (National Eating Disorders Association, 2020).
Anorexia Nervosa
In Anorexia Nervosa, individuals hold a false belief that their body is heavier than reality, even when their actual weight is significantly below a healthy range. Although these patients are quite underweight, they still resort to excessively restrictive eating behaviors in order to lose weight. Symptoms of anorexia include menstrual cessation, low pulse and blood pressure, and heart rhythm disturbances. These symptoms can vary from person to person and can sometimes result in death. This disorder is generally characterized by personality traits such as need for control, perfectionism, and low self-esteem, and can be seen in people with these personality traits (Fairburn et al., 2003).
Bulimia Nervosa
The disorder involves cycles of overeating followed by compensatory behaviors, including repeated vomiting and rigorous physical activity. In this way, they want to relax themselves and not feel guilty. The weight of people with this disorder is quite normal compared to anorexia. Therefore, it may be difficult to visually notice from the outside. Thus, diagnosis may be delayed and the individual may avoid getting help. These individuals rapidly ingest unusually large quantities of food within a brief timeframe. Then, after the overeating behavior, they feel intense emotions such as loss of control, guilt and shame and turn to compensatory behaviors, continuing the cycle (APA, 2013). Physiological symptoms include tooth enamel loss, electrolyte imbalances, gastrointestinal problems and electrocardiographic abnormalities.
Causes and Risk Factors
Various biological predispositions, psychological traits, and cultural expectations play a role in how eating disorders develop. If a person is genetically predisposed and has neurotransmitter and hormonal imbalances, the risk of developing the disease may increase. Psychologically, people with perfectionism and low self-esteem may attempt to control their weight and relax themselves in order to gain control. In addition, the increase in social media use and the stereotyped ideal body perception today may lead a person to believe that they will be more beautiful and accepted and admired by everyone if they lose weight. Especially during adolescence, since the individual goes through a very sensitive period, their perceptions may change in this direction as they are exposed to such negative thoughts in their environment, increasing the likelihood of developing eating disorders.
Treatment Process
Treatment of eating disorders requires a multidisciplinary working method that takes into account both the physical and psychological health of the person. In this context, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy aims to restructure the person’s distorted perceptions about their body (for example, “I am valuable if I am thin”). According to research, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is particularly effective in bulimia patients. In addition, joint treatment with nutritional counseling, dieticians, psychologists and physicians from other medical units will produce the healthiest and fastest results. In addition, in severe cases, the person can be hospitalized and treated in order to achieve faster results (Fairburn et al., 2003).
Individual therapy by itself might not fully address Anorexia Nervosa, making family-centered interventions especially beneficial during adolescence. It contributes greatly to the child gaining healthy eating habits and the family being able to effectively participate in the treatment process and monitor the child (Lock & Le Grange, 2005).
Conclusion
Anorexia and bulimia are psychiatric disorders that significantly reduce a person’s daily quality of life. In particular, the prevalence of false thought patterns about body image in society (for example, “I’m beautiful if I’m thin”) increases the rate of people contracting these diseases. Reducing false beliefs about body image in society and social media can greatly reduce the effects and risk of these disorders through early diagnosis and intervention. Combating these disorders is of vital importance in terms of individual awareness and social consciousness.
References
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American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).
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Fairburn, C. G., Cooper, Z., & Shafran, R. (2003). Cognitive behaviour therapy for eating disorders: A “transdiagnostic” theory and treatment. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 41(5), 509–528.
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Lock, J., & Le Grange, D. (2005). Family-based treatment of eating disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 37(S1), S64-S67.
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National Eating Disorders Association. (2020). Eating disorders statistics. https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/statistics-research-eating-disorders