Eating disorders seem to revolve around weight loss, yet often have deeper underlying reasons and can be associated with depression and self-esteem. Eating disorders can give people a purpose and help them feel in charge of their out-of-control worlds.
Approximately 8,000,000 American men and women suffer from eating disorders, according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, a nonprofit organization dedicated to alleviating eating disorders.
Signs of bulimia include:
• preoccupation with food, weight and body
• binge eating, usually in secret
• vomiting after bingeing
• abuse of laxatives, diuretics and diet pills
• compulsive exercising
• broken blood vessels in eyes
• dehydration
• constipation
• irregular menstruation
Signs of anorexia nervosa include:
• preoccupation with food, weight and body
• deliberate self-starvation
• unrelenting fear of gaining weight
• refusal to eat, except for tiny portions
• dehydration
• denial of hunger
• compulsive exercise
• sensitivity to cold
• abnormal weight loss