All about Eating Disorders

The behavioral condition known as an eating disorder is defined by significant and ongoing disturbances in eating habits as well as the painful thoughts and feelings that go along with them. These disorders can be quite significant and have an impact on social, psychological, and physical function.

Overall, eating disorders can affect up to 5% of the population and are most common in adolescence and early adulthood. Many of them, particularly anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, are more prevalent in women, although they can all happen at any age and affect anybody. Preoccupations with food, weight, or form, as well as anxiety related to eating or the effects of consuming particular foods, are frequently linked to eating disorders. Food restriction or avoidance, binge eating, using laxatives or vomiting to purge, or obsessive exercise are all behaviors linked to eating disorders.

Persistent signs of an eating disorder (but not restricted to)

Eating disorders entail an obsessive emphasis on food and eating concerns, and include an abnormal focus on weight. This obsession causes difficulty in focusing on other elements of life. Some of the common symptoms are: 

• Drastic weight reduction obsession with weight, food, and calories
• Fear of gaining weight and excessively limiting the amount and types of food ingested
• Ignoring hunger 
• Frequently measuring oneself behaviors of binge eating and purging creating food rituals overly exercising
• Abdominal discomfort and gastrointestinal problems
• Concentration difficulties 
• Drowsiness and fainting
• Cold hypersensitivity
• Insomnia
• Irregular menstruation
• Thin nails, hair, and dry skin
• Muscular weakness and immune system dysfunction

Self-help strategies for recovery for an eating disorder

Anorexia and bulimia’s inner voices tell you that you’ll never be happy, your worth is determined by how you appear but the fact is that pleasure and self-esteem derive from liking oneself for who you actually are—something that can only be accomplished through recovery. Acknowledging you have an eating issue is the first step toward treatment. Anyone can acquire an eating disorder, and anyone can recover. But, it is noteworthy that curing an eating problem entails more than simply ceasing bad eating habits. It’s also about establishing new coping mechanisms for emotional suffering and rediscovering who you are.

Although it may seem counter-intuitive at times, self-help is an essential aspect of maintaining recovery. Prioritizing self-care can help you leaps and bounds to overcome eating disorders. Some self-help techniques are:

1. Pay attention to your emotions: It is critical to pay focus on your emotions and requirements. It helps you figure out what you really want and help you address those feelings which are taken for granted. 
2. Step outside and spend time with individuals who inspire you: Being choosy about who you spend time with is an important aspect of self-care. Ignore all who cause you to feel uneasy, and appreciate those who accept you for who you are.
3. Clear your thoughts: Take some time every day to cleanse your head. We sometimes forget that just breathing may refresh our brains and bodies. Taking a deep breath and concentrating on oneself is one of the most selfless acts you can perform.
4. Experiment with something new: Every day is a chance to experiment with something new, develop a new hobby, go for a walk, try a new recipe, meet your old friends, visit a new place or do anything that you love to do.
5. Join a community, charity club, or group: Helping others may be a beneficial diversion from bad thoughts and feelings. Emotional pleasure can assist to alleviate anxiety and depression symptoms.
6. Know and respect your personal boundaries: Allow yourself to adopt an alternate strategy if it helps you feel more at ease. Remember that it is your well-being that is essential.
7. Take a vacation from social media: Taking a break from the cyber world will refresh you on what you enjoy about your life.
8. Try Journaling or writing a letter to yourself:  Those who suffer from an eating problem are frequently critical of themselves and indulge in negative self-talk. Invest time in writing encouraging messages to yourself; penning individually meaningful phrases will help you cope with stress and thrive. Journaling and putting your thoughts out there will help you clear your mind and will encourage you to feel relaxed as the baggage of emotions often gets unloaded when we journal. 
9. Wear whatever makes you happy: Dress in things that make you feel gorgeous and confident. Don’t be bothered by what people think, say, or judge.
10. Remind yourself of your body’s capabilities and devote time to meditation and yoga to keep negative thoughts at bay: Remember how powerful your body is. Your body enables you to walk, laugh, love, smile, embrace, and do a variety of other things. Instead of focusing on the problems, appreciate them for the positives. Engage in meditation practices, join a yoga club, or simply engage in meditating in the comfort of your home. Mindfulness and having an attitude of self-compassion will help you greatly in being kind towards yourself and working on recovering from eating disorders.

Course: To know more about CBT counseling paired with mindfulness for self-compassion, enroll in our course now.

Download our free worksheet to lace yourself with a plan to break free from eating disorders.