Eating Problems
SOCIETY SEEMS TO BE SENDING ALL THE
WRONG MESSAGES TO YOUNGSTERS STRUGGLING WITH THEIR
SELF-IMAGE
Eating problems (known as eating
disorders) are the secret that many teen-agers and young people especially
(women) spend time hiding from others.
Anorexia is characterised by a dramatic
weight loss from self-starvation or from severe dieting. Bulimia is
characterised by binging and purging, accompanied by frequent weight
fluctuations rather than profound continuous weight
loss.
Cases of anorexia and bulimia have been
reported beginning at an early age, but young people seem more susceptible at
two particular times in their lives. The first is just before or just after
puberty. Some experts believe this may be the individual's subconscious’s effort
to delay the physical maturing of the body.
The second is when a young person is
undergoing major stress or changes in their life i.e. moving,
divorce of parents, death of a parent, a broken relationship, ridicule by others
that the individual is fat or becoming fat.
While medical causes such as biochemical
imbalances or hormonal disorders may contribute to the development of eating
problems, psychological and social factors are generally considered the root of
the problem. Sometimes the difficulties in family relationships may play a
role.
The emphasis society places on being thin, young people and women
try to attain the bodily perfection depicted in the media. The most common route
to the perfect body is through dieting.
The irony, of course, is that diets
do not necessarily improve everyone's health, and any improvement that may occur
is only temporary as the weight loss itself is. For some people, dieting can
will cause health problems because of poor nutrition not meeting all the
body’s requirements.
Eating problems have been linked with
depression, , alcoholism, self-abuse, self-esteem and self-mutilation. Eating
problems can affect any kind of family.
Doctors used to give patients nutritional
advice, now medical recovery includes work with psychologists as well as
dieticians. Families, particularly parents, feel a huge sense of relief when and
if professionals intervene.
In trying to help someone, people tend to
concentrate on food intake. It requires more than that, it requires professional
help to work on the negative emotions that a patient has channelled into the
destructive mechanism.
Psychologists point out the role guilt
plays in eating problems, simply, non- threatening help may allow a patient to
let someone get close enough to help.
HERE'S WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR:
Although
victims of anorexia and bulimia do not exhibit every symptom, there are a number
of generally observable signs.
PHYSICAL:
Eating
problems
Extreme weight change, hypothermia, insomnia, constipation,
skin rash and dry skin, loss of hair and nail quality, dental caries and
periodontal disease, cessation of the menstural cycle.
Behavioral:
Unusual eating habits: eating foods
of a particular texture or colour, no longer eating regular meals with families,
arranging food on a plate, excessive chewing. With bulimics, household food
supplies may be quickly exhausted.
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