Eating Disorders
That are Eating Disorders? It is an obsession that one's whole self-esteem
is hinged on what one weighs and how one looks. Eating Disorders
can result in life-threatening physical and psychological conditions
as mentioned below.
- An Eating Disorder is an illness that encompasses all aspects
of a sufferer's life.
- It is an unsuccessful attempt to make one's life better through
food and eating (or lack of).
- It is way of reacting to an array of external and internal conflicts,
such as stress, anxiety, and unhappiness.
- It is caused by a variety of emotional factors and influences.
- The most common element surrounding Eating Disorders is the
inherent presence of a low self esteem
- It has profound effects on the people suffering and their loved
ones.
- It is way of seeking approval and acceptance through negative
attention.
- It is about the obsession with losing weight with no concern
for what kind of damage it would involve.
Causes of Eating Disorders
Psychological Factors :
People with eating disorders tend to be perfectionist. They have
unrealistic expectations of themselves and others. In spite of their
many achievements, they feel inadequate, defective, and worthless.
- Low self-esteem
- Feelings of inadequacy or lack of control in life
- Depression, anxiety, anger, or loneliness
Interpersonal Factors :
- Troubled family and personal relationships
- Difficulty expressing emotions and feelings
- History of being teased or ridiculed based on size or weight
- History of physical or sexual abuse
Family factors
- Some people with eating disorders feel smothered in overprotective
families. Others feel abandoned, misunderstood, and alone.
- Parents who overvalue physical appearance can unknowingly contribute
to an eating disorder. So can those who make critical comments,
even in jest, about their children's bodies.
- High expectations of achievement and success can also have a
negative effect on children. Children learn not to disclose doubts,
fears, anxieties, and imperfections. Instead they try to solve
their problems by manipulating weight and food.
Social Factors :
- Cultural pressures that idolize "thinness"
- Cultural norms that value people on the basis of physical appearance
and not inner qualities and strengths
|
