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Disordered Eating
Definitions and
Descriptions
*This information is
documented as well on
the web site of the
National Association of
Anorexia Nervosa and
Associated Disorders and
the DSM IV.
Clinical
anorexia nervosa can be
identified by the
following signs and
characteristics:
-
Refusal to maintain
body weight at or
above a minimally
normal weight for age
and height.
-
Intense fear of
gaining weight or
becoming fat, even
thought underweight.
-
Disturbance in the way
in which one's body
weight or shape is
experienced, undue
influence of body
weight or shape on
self-evaluation, or
denial of the
seriousness of the
current low body
weight.
-
Amenorrhea, or the
absence of at lease
three consecutive
menstrual cycles in
postmenarcheal
females.
-
Anorexia nervosa
literally means loss
of appetite but this
is a misnomer: A
person with anorexia
nervosa is hungry, but
he or she denies the
hunger because of an
irrational fear of
becoming fat.
-
Anorexia nervosa is
often characterized by
self-starvation, food
preoccupation and
rituals, compulsive
exercising.
-
Untreated, anorexia
can be fatal. It is
not a "fad" which the
victim will outgrow if
left alone. The death
of pop singer Karen
Carpenter at age 32
was attributed to
heart failure,
following her
eight-year battle with
anorexia. The most
common cause of death
in a long-time
anorexic is low serum
potassium, which can
cause an irregular
heartbeat.
Clinical Bulimia Nervosa
can be identified by the
following signs and
characteristics:
-
Recurrent episodes
of binge eating.
Eating in a discrete
period of time an
amount of food that
is definitely larger
than most people
would eat during a
similar time under
similar
circumstance. Or a
sense of lack of
control over eating
during the episode,
the feeling that one
cannot stop eating
or control what or
how much one is
eating.
-
Recurrent
inappropriate
compensatory
behaviors in order
to prevent weight
gain such as
self-induced
vomiting, misuse of
laxatives,
diuretics, fasting,
or excessive
exercise. The
behaviors along with
binges occur at
least twice a week
for a period of
about 3 months.
-
The bulimic is aware
that his or her
eating is out of
control. He or she
is fearful of not
being able to stop
eating, and is
afraid of being fat.
-
The bulimic usually
feels depressed and
guilty after a
binge.
-
Self-evaluation is
unduly influenced by
body shape and
weight.
-
Frequently, the
binges are followed
by purging, through
self-induced
vomiting, abuse of
laxatives and/or
diuretics, or
periods of fasting.
-
The bulimic's weight
is usually in a
normal or somewhat
above normal range;
it may fluctuate
more than 10 pounds
due to alternating
binges and fasts.
Clinical Compulsive
Overeating (Binge Eating
Disorder) can be
identified by the
following signs:
-
A compulsive
overeater (binge
eater) is an
individual who
compulsively eats
but does not purge
and usually becomes
overweight.
-
The overeater may
eat three meals a
day plus frequent
snacks. He or she
may overeat
continually
throughout the day,
rather than consume
large amounts of
food during binges.
Back to Mandi
Peek, M.S., A.L.P.C.
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