The night eating causes significant distress and/or impairment in functioning. The night eating is not better explained by external influences such as changes in the individual’s sleep-wake cycle or by local social norms. ![]() ![]() There is awareness of recall of the eating. Night eating syndrome: Recurrent episodes of night eating, as manifested by eating after awakening from sleep or by excessive food consumption after the evening meal. self-induced vomiting misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or other medications) in the absence of binge eating.ĥ. Purging Disorder: Recurrent purging behavior to influence weight or shape (e.g. Binge-Eating Disorder (of low frequency and/or limited duration): All of the criteria for binge-eating disorder are met, except that the binge occurs, on average, less than once a week and/ or for less than 3 months.Ĥ. Bulimia Nervosa (of low frequency and/or limited duration): All of the criteria for bulimia nervosa are met, except that binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors occur, on average, less than once a week and/ or for less than 3 months.ģ. Atypical Anorexia Nervosa: All of the criteria for anorexia nervosa are met, except that despite significant weight loss, the individual’s weight is within or above the normal range.Ģ. The “side effects” of self-medicating with eating disorders are what makes them have the highest mortality rate (even greater than depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, etc.) in all of psychiatry.ġ. An ED is a way to “self-medicate” just as alcohol, illicit drug use, gambling, sex, shopping addictions, and other harmful behaviors are for others. Granted, not a healthy one, but nonetheless, to the individual it is an escape from dealing with life stressors that cause pain to a person’s ego. Still, an eating disorder, despite its harmful and even potentially lethal effects, serves a purpose: it acts as a coping tool. Frustration occurs because there is no true happiness when a goal is reached. They do not feel sad, they “feel fat.” A false perception is formed that happiness can be achieved by reaching their eating disorder goals. There is no need to, nor time to, focus on the stressors in life that can create pressure. They can avoid certain foods, events, picnics, and restaurants. They can decide what food goes in, and even what comes out. They can measure calories or their weight and attempt to regulate those numbers. But with an ED one can look at foods, hold them, see them. People often feel they cannot control what emotions “come in,” and what emotions “go out.” The emotional aspect of stressors in life can often not be avoided. There are no numbers or units associated with emotions so one cannot measure them. You cannot visually see emotions and they cannot be avoided. An eating disorder is NOT a choice.Īn eating disorder takes the intangible emotional world that at times can make someone feel they have no control over, and refocuses their thoughts on more tangible things. ![]() It is this component of the eating disorder that others are unaware of in a person who struggles, yet it is this component that makes an eating disorder so devastating. Additionally, that internal voice is very self-demeaning telling oneself that they are a bad person, undeserving, and not worth anything. It is an internal voice that is constantly thinking and worrying about food, weight, body image, calories, exercise, and related eating disorder obsessions. It is this mental dialogue that causes the great distress that truly defines an eating disorder. ![]() Furthermore, outsiders can only see a fraction of the behaviors and physical attributes of an eating disorder and never can see or experience what is going on inside the mind of a person suffering from an eating disorder. As a result, patients often lose connections with friends and family and suffer setbacks in work and academics. An eating disorder numbs and preoccupies an individual’s thoughts to the point where there is an “escape” from reality. This is akin to saying an alcoholic drink because he is thirsty. Often, the general public and misinformed individuals believe that an ED is about one’s preoccupation with wanting to “look good” and a desire to be thin. And while many individuals with an eating disorder may seem resistant to changing their behaviors, they usually wish they never had the ED to begin with. However, an eating disorder can also be thought of as a dysfunctional coping mechanism similar to other dysfunctional coping mechanisms such as alcohol and substance abuse. An eating disorder (ED) is a medical/psychiatric condition that consists of disordered eating patterns that cause significant psychological distress and leads to impairment in an individual’s life in areas such as personal relationships, academics, work, and/or social interactions.
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