Eating Disorders: Can take many forms - Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa are just the most common.  Please also see addiction link.

At some point in our lives, it is highly likely that most of us have been on some form of diet, have been unhappy with the way we look or the shape we are.  However. for some the need to diet or change the body shape becomes extreme.  Eating disorders can present in many ways with an overlapping of symptoms but perhaps the two most commonly known are anorexia nervosa and bulimia.    These disorders share common elements and a shifting between the two is not unusual, i.e. those suffering with anorexia may also have bulimic eating patterns.  They also differ significantly as people with bulimia are more concerned with their physical attractiveness and are rarely underweight unlike most anorexia sufferers.

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia was first identified back in the late 19th century, the dominant features are: a refusal to maintain healthy body weight, a distorted body image, a fear of becoming fat (with the overall aim to become as thin as possible), eating and food rituals, the cessation of menstruation and often an extreme amount of exercise.   The restriction of food often provides the anorexic with feelings of power - which may not be normally experienced in their life.   Despite their avoidance of eating, most people with anorexia are consumed with thoughts of food.  Unfortunately other psychological problems such as, depression, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder tend to co-exist with anorexia.

Facts and Figures

• Between 80 and 90% of reported cases are female.
• The typical age of onset is between 14 and 18 years.
• A study by Loewe at al. (2001) found that 21 years after the initial diagnosis of anorexia, just over half were considered to have made full recovery, 21% were partially recovered, 10% showed little or no improvement and 10% were dead of anorexic related causes (few had sought any treatment or help).

Bulimia
The dominant features of bulimia are recurring periods of binge eating and then self-induced vomiting (always initiated by binge eating).  The vomiting acts as a compensatory behaviour and occurs at least twice a week, providing relief for the guilt of binging and gaining feelings of control.  Often a person with bulimia then experiences a short lived inflated self-esteem and competence, is often on a high or feels relaxed and drained by the behaviour.  The amount of calories consumed during binge eating is often vast, up to and beyond 5000 and these are usually consumed secretively and rapidly with little pleasure derived.  Bulimia is said to be a cycle of:

 •  psychological tension → binge eating → feelings of loss of control, self-blame and guilt → vomiting.

Facts and Figures
(Anderson and Maloney 2001)

• Approximately 80-90% of people with bulimia vomit after eating (to control their weight).
• 1/3 of people with bulimia use laxatives.
• Approximately 2/3 of people with bulimia exercise excessively.
• Are more likely to have been overweight in the past.
• Are more likely to be impulsive and be susceptible to emotional instability