Eating disorder is such a very dangerous disorder. It gives off a lot of medical problems. These medical complications are the following: a slow heart rate, irregular beating of your heart, failure, jaundice, taste buds getting impaired, hypoglycemia, dehydration, tetanus, anemia, vulnerability to bleeding, decalcification, tooth decay, amenorrhea, sexual interest decreases, impotence, swelling of the salivary gland, acute expansion of the stomach, constipation, weakness, and hypothermia. I do not have to explain more why it is really dangerous, right?
Eating disorder has two types. One is called anorexia nervosa and the other one is called bulimia nervosa Anorexia nervosa is taking out more weight by means of not eating or eating a very little quantity for very long periods of time. Bulimia nervosa is losing weight by means of binging as a way to control eating. To be diagnosed of having an eating disorder, one should meet a certain criteria.
To be diagnosed of having anorexia nervosa, one should meet the following criteria. This is according to the latest version of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
1. The refusal to maintain body weight at or beyond a minimally normal weight for age and height.
2. Having an strong dread of gaining weight or becoming fat despite being obviously underweight.
3. Distortions in the perception of one’s body weight or shape, unjustifiable power of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the present low body weight.
4. For females who have reached menarche, the absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles.
Below are the criteria to be diagnosed of having bulimia nervosa:
1. Having recurring episodes of binge eating that shows the following:
a. Eating an amount of food in a separate period of time that is definitely larger than most people would eat.
b. Throughout this discrete period, there is a deficient of control over eating.
2. Having recurrent inappropriate behaviors in preventing weight gain such as self- induced vomiting; misusing of laxatives, diuretics, enemas, and other medications to induce vomiting; fasting, and excessive exercise.
3. The average episode of binge eating and inappropriate purging behaviors is at least twice a week for three months.
4. In self-evaluation, there is the influence of body shape and weight.
Luckily, important progress for eating disorder treatment has been made in the recent years. There are now many ways for one to recover from the bad effects eating disorder brings. One of the most effective eating disorder treatments is the use of medications. In reducing binging and vomiting, tricyclic antidepressants are being used. There are also extra medications such as monoamine oxidase and fluoxetine that are related to the effects the tricyclic antidepressants brings. Although on an significant aspect, these drugs have addictive substances. The use of these drugs can create dependency which can lead to addiction.
Another important and effective way to treat eating disorders is getting the patient into an eating disorder rehab centers. Eating disorder rehab centers are there to give an institutionalized manner of treatment. The patient will be kept in a rehab centers with fellow individuals who too has an eating disorder. The environment will be more controlled and the patients’ physicians are able to monitor closely to ensure recovery.
Eating disorder treatment is a very dangerous disorder that is why it is important for one to avail of an eating disorder treatment like going to a rehab.
