Anorexia and Bulimia Counseling
Celebrities are speaking more openly about their struggles with body image and eating disorders. Demi Lovato, Russell Brand, Shawn Johnson, Elton John, Hillary Duff, Zoe Kravitz, Zayn Malik, Lily Collins, Jane Fonda, and Kesha are a handful of the stars who have shared about their diagnosis of bulimia or anorexia. But eating disorders do not just plague Hollywood—many normal people fight compulsive eating habits and distorted feelings about their body.
Anorexia and bulimia are not simply phases that teenagers outgrow, nor are they just signs of being a picky eater. No, those are dangerous misconceptions about eating disorders. The reality is that bulimia and anorexia can cause major health problems, including death. Approximately 30 million people, both men and women of all ages, struggle with bulimia and anorexia. However, only about 10% receive the treatment they require. Fortunately, eating disorders have proven, effective treatments. Nutritional, medical, and psychological interventions are available and can be customized to address each individual’s unique needs and symptoms.
Aloha Care Therapy provides treatment for bulimia and anorexia. If you or someone in your life is fighting disordered eating and a distorted body image, know that our counselors are here to help. We want to provide each client with holistic care.
How Do Anorexia and Bulimia Develop?
The particular circumstances of where, why, when, and how bulimia or anorexia develops are unique and personal to each individual. And yet, therapists also speak generally about two ways eating disorders form: through biological causes and through environmental causes.
Genetics, nutritional deficiencies, and irregular hormone functions are a few examples of biological causes.
Living in a culture obsessed with body type and impossible concepts of beauty; peer pressure to be a certain size; and childhood abuse or trauma are a few examples of environmental causes
Diagnostics and Health Effects
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) recognizes many varieties of eating disorders that are characterized by some form of obsessive preoccupation with one’s body size accompanied with unhealthy and irregular eating habits. Eating disorders affect both men and women, and they can occur at any time during a person’s life, although they most often develop initially during adolescence or early adulthood. Anxiety disorders and depression often accompany eating disorders.
Anorexia and bulimia share many similarities, but they are separate disorders and have distinguishing diagnostics and health effects.
The DSM-5 outlines the following criteria for diagnosing anorexia nervosa:
- Limiting food consumption to less than one’s body needs (in relationship to healthy standards for one’s sex, weight, age, physical health, and developmental trajectory) so that a significantly lower body weight occurs.
- A distorted self-perception so that one’s body shape and weight are experienced as larger and heavier than reality.
- Experiencing terror at the idea of gaining weight or being fat; engaging in obsessive behaviors that hinder weight gain.
Anorexia is linked to many severe health problems such as increased risk of heart disease and failure, low blood pressure, abnormal heart beat, low heart rate, disrupted menstrual cycles, infertility, disrupted endocrine system, premature osteoporosis, anemia, kidney damage, and low white blood cells. The highest death rate of any psychiatric disorder belongs to anorexia.
The DSM-5 outlines the following criteria for diagnosing bulimia nervosa:
- Body weight and shape dominate one’s self-image.
- Repeating times of binge eating
- Out of control food consumption during the binge.
- Eating, during a binge, more food than most people would eat in similar circumstances and during the same period of time.
- Compensating for the food binge with behaviors that try to impede weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting; misusing medications like laxatives or diuretics; fasting too often and too long; or unreasonably exercising.
Bulimia is linked to many severe health problems such as heart failure, tooth decay, gastric rupture, ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease, electrolyte imbalance, kidney damage, and constipation.
Bulimia or Anorexia: Finding Treatment
Do you recognize any of the behaviors or thought patterns outlined in the diagnostic criteria for bulimia or anorexia in yourself or someone you care about? Disordered eating can be difficult to identify, but it’s important to acknowledge the signs and seek help. If you or a loved one is struggling, you don’t have to face it alone.
We understand that it takes great courage to recognize an eating disorder and take the first step toward healing. We’re committed to making the process of finding treatment as straightforward and supportive as possible.
Support is available for those dealing with bulimia, anorexia, and other eating disorders. Whether you’re seeking guidance for yourself or someone close to you, we are here to offer the care and compassion you need. Reach out to Aloha Care Therapy today, and let us help you navigate this challenging journey toward recovery.
