Eating Disorders: Anorexia and Bulimia

Teenagers are not always known for having 3 full nutritional meals a day, especially with their busy schedules. Parents are often working, trying to keep up with their own and their children’s busy schedules. When the family becomes so busy and scheduled, it can be difficult to note when a family member is not eating sufficiently to nourish their bodies. Usually changes in eating patterns occur over a period to time and are often noted only when they become severe and out of control. The following information is offered to assist families in evaluating possible eating problems before they become serious or out of control.

WARNING SIGNS FOR ANOREXIA

1. Loss of weight Note serious loss of weight would be a loss that is less than 85% of what a person’ weight should be for their age and height. Pediatricians are aware of these growth guidelines, if you have a concern they could clarify what is the normal range.
2. Intense fear of gaining weight
3. A misperception of the size and shape of their body. They will express they feel fat where most others believe the person looks fine and or may even be significantly underweight.
4. Loss of menstrual periods.
5. Food restriction through dieting, fasting, counting calories excessively, refusing all fats, refusing all meats with no other protein substitution.
6. Excessive exercising- often obsessed with the need to exercise excessively.
7. Misuse of laxatives, diuretics and enemas.
8. May be obsessed with food, collecting recipes or hoarding food while continuing to personally restrict their own food.
9. An occasional period of binge eating or self-induced vomiting.

WARNING SIGNS FOR BULIMIA

1. Binge eating where an excessive amount of food is consumed in a short period of time, usually less than 2 hours.
2. Feeling ashamed for their eating problems so begin to secretly eat.
3. Self-induced vomiting after a binge episode of eating. One’s fingers, toothbrushes or other items that induce the gag reflex are often used.
4. Fasting or excessive exercising
5. A feeling of being out of control to stop the eating episode.
6. Misuse of diuretics, laxatives and enemas.
7. Self evaluation is heavily based on their body shape and weight.

These warning signs are only clues to guide a person towards help. Once a person receives treatment the focus is on balancing food intake to a nutritionally supportive level and reconnecting with feelings. Often when one feels overwhelmed, they tend to push away what they feel, try to forget and keep moving forward trying to do your best. When this pattern of struggling on continues and one is not able to address what is important, a person can disconnect, devalue what is important to them almost to a point of insisting nothing is wrong. When this occurs, there is often not a conscious awareness but more a feeling--- and that feeling is one of fearing loss of control.

Successful treatment for one with an eating problem needs to balance proper nutrition with proper emotional care of oneself.If you have a concern for yourself or a loved one, consider utilizing some of the resources available at St John’s Mercy Medical Center. The following information describes the varying programs that are available, what the criteria is for each program and a 24 hour crisis number if you have an emergency. When intervened on early and appropriate treatment is initiated, there is significant hope and success.