Kelly O'Connell

Eating Disorders

Nobody knows for sure what causes Eating Disorders. Eating disorders have been linked to several different factors. There is no evidence of eating disorders in countries where there is a lack of food which means that they are most probably connected to our upbringing or environment. Some of the links to eating disorders include:

• Society’s emphasis on being thin
• Sexual abuse
• Physical abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Low self-worth
• Perfectionism
• Social pressure
• A need to feel in control

These are just a few!

Anorexia Nervosa

People with anorexia nervosa severely restrict their food intake. They have an intense fear of gaining weight or of becoming fat, even when they are starved and appear thin and emaciated. They see themselves as fat or overweight, and their fear is not relieved by weight loss. In fact, concern about weight gain may increase as their weight falls, impacting on thoughts and emotions. People with this disorder may not accept or admit to others their fear of weight gain. Self – worth is based on their view of their body shape and weight.

There are two types of anorexia nervosa:

1. Restricting Type in which people maintain weight loss by dieting, fasting, and or exercising in excess.
2. Binge-eating/purge type is when people have binge episodes (eating a large amount of food in a short period of time) and then purge this (vomit or use of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas) to counteract the effect of the binge.

Eating Disorders can be diagnosed by a Psychiatrist or Psychologist with use of the DSM-5 (manual). The DSM-5 diagnosis of anorexia nervosa uses Body Mass Index (BMI) levels for thinness derived from the World Health Organisation to show how severe the disorder is.

Bulimia Nervosa

1. Is a recurrent episode of binge eating. An episode of binge eating is characterised by both of the following:
   • Eating, in a discrete period (within a 2-hour period), an amount of food that is larger than most people would eat during a similar period and under similar circumstance.
   • A sense of lack of control over – eating during the episode.
2. Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behaviour in order to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting; misuse of laxatives, diuretics, enemas or other medications; fasting; or excessive exercise.
3. The binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviours both occur, on average, at least twice a week for 3 months.
4. The disturbance does not occur exclusively during episodes of anorexia nervosa.

Giving up dieting does not mean that bingeing automatically disappears. It may well decrease and occur only sporadically, seemingly rear its insistent desire out of nowhere. While you are working with me on the psychological reasons for your bingeing, you will need some practical down to earth steps with which to intervene in the binge cycle, I can help you with this.

Binge Eating Disorder

It is important to note that a binge eating disorder is not just a case of overeating. The disorder is characterised by eating significant amounts of food in a short period of time. This disorder is associated with marked distress and occurs, on an average, at least once a week over three months.

Recovery is possible

It takes courage and support to start the process, going to the GP in the first instance, to find out about your presenting health and advise you what you need to do while you are on the journey to recovery. Then set and conquer small goals, starting with small frequent meals, think of food as medicine. throw away the scales and get rid of any magazines and Internet gadgets glorifying weight loss. Building a support network is incredibly important to help you through this. I can help you in this journey, working with you against the attacking anorexic thoughts, building strength to a fulfilling life of many possibilities outside body image and weight loss.

‘All things change when we do’