Most Common Types Of Eating Disorders That Might Affect You

An eating disorder is a serious mental condition affecting people of any age and gender. People who suffer from this usually have disordered eating behaviour that can change their eating habits and lifestyle. According to the American Psychiatric Association, eating disorders usually develop in the adulthood and adolescence stages of life, and the change in behaviour includes uncontrolled eating habits. 

Different types of eating disorders affect people at different stages of life, irrespective of their current diet plan. The majority of people aren’t aware of this kind of disorder and avoid taking any preventive measures. This post will discuss different types of eating disorders and possible treatments.

What Are Eating Disorders?

Eating disorders are considered serious health conditions affecting physical and mental health. It is the most common condition in which a person thinks about food, eating habits, weight, and shape to cope with difficult situations. Its symptoms can cause long-term effects on mental health. 

Apart from this, people who suffer from different eating disorders are also concerned about their body shape and try to harm themselves. Some common behavioural changes during eating disorders are misusing laxatives, making yourself sick, fasting, and excessive workout. In the absence of getting treatment on time, eating disorders can cause long-term health problems in the future.

Different Types Of Eating Disorders

Eating disorders can be of different types depending on the types of symptoms. Each disorder has unique signs and diagnostic criteria that allow medical experts to categorise it.

Here are the different types of eating disorders:

1- Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa is characterised by a change in eating habits like self-starvation that results in low weight. It has the highest mortality rate compared to the other types of eating disorders. During this condition, a person usually has a body mass index (BMI) under 18.5, driven by the fear of gaining weight. In Anorexia Nervosa eating disorder, an individual eats low-calorie foods and focuses on doing exercises.

2- Binge Eating Disorder

This type of eating disorder is considered a severe mental illness in which a person eats food in a large quantity unconsciously. It occurs in episodes and can cause long-term adverse effects on overall health. Binge eating disorder is the most common among all types of eating disorders. Some common signs of this eating disorder are eating too fast, eating food until feeling uncomfortable and eating alone in different uncontrolled episodes. 

3- Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia Nervosa is one of the common types of eating disorder in which a person eats food in large amounts and tries to compensate for overeating by vomiting, fasting, taking a laxative, and working out. It should not be confused with binge eating disorder, as during bulimia disorder, an individual eats food consciously. As a result, a person suffering from this eating disorder is preoccupied with thoughts of food, weight, and shape that negatively affect her self-worth.

4- Rumination Disorder

Rumination disorder is a type of mental condition in which a person is habitual in eating hardly digested foods. It is one of the common types of eating disorders seen among adults and causes conditions like nausea. Since most of the foods consumed in this eating disorder are hard to digest, vomiting is quite common in this disorder which involves retching in the stomach. Rumination disorder can cause malnutrition, weight loss, and dental erosions if not treated on time.

5- Orthorexia Eating Disorder

Orthorexia is one of the rare types of eating disorders in which a person has an unhealthy obsession with eating pure food. The behaviour may vary from person to person, including inspecting the food in-depth before consuming it. An individual is trying to cope with negative thoughts and feelings by being cautious about the type of food. It might include behavioural, psychological, and physical changes.

How Can Eating Disorders Be Treated?

An eating disorder is a mental condition whose treatments depend on the type of eating disorder. It is vital for anyone who suffers from an eating disorder to undergo a diagnostic test like an eating disorder test. It is an online test that includes a set of questionnaires aimed to let you know about the type and symptoms of eating disorders. Here is the possible treatment for an eating disorder:

Psychotherapy: One of the effective treatments for different types of eating disorders is psychotherapy. After diagnosing a particular eating disorder, your mental health can come up with the right therapy, like cognitive behavioural therapy.

Medications: One of the major causes behind the eating disorder is stress and anxiety, which medications can treat. We advise you to consult with your doctors and take only prescription-based medicines.

Nutrition Counselling: It is the most effective treatment for almost all types of eating disorders, and you undergo a nutrition counselling session. A certified dietician can help you develop healthy habits and a nutrition diet plan.

Wrap Up

An eating disorder has become a common health problem often linked to mental health. There are different types of eating disorders whose symptoms may vary from one person to another. It is vital to take a diagnostic test and consult a medical expert to get the proper treatment or therapy. We hope you will find this blog helpful for yourself.