Eating Disorders - Symptoms, causes and treatment – ​​Alodokter

Eating disorders are mental disorders when eating food. People with this disorder may eat too little or too much food, and become obsessed with their weight or body shape.

There are several types of eating disorders, but the three most common are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. This disorder can occur at any age, but is more common in teenagers, around the age of 13 to 17 years.

The cause of this eating disorder is usually a combination of genetic factors, biological factors, and psychological problems. To deal with it, psychiatrists can perform psychotherapy, and administer antidepressant or anti-anxiety drugs.

Eating Disorder Symptoms

Symptoms experienced by people with eating disorders vary, depending on the type of disorder. Symptoms of binge eating disorder usually include:

Bulimia nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder that makes sufferers want to immediately dispose of the food they consume in unhealthy ways, including by:

  • Vomiting back food that has been eaten.
  • Using laxatives or drugs that remove body fluids.

This action is done because the sufferer feels guilty for having eaten a lot and is afraid of being overweight. As a result of his behavior, people with bulimia may experience disturbances in the form of:

  • Inflammation of the throat.
  • Swelling of the salivary glands in the neck and jaw.
  • Severe dehydration due to lack of fluids.
  • Digestive disorders, such as acid reflux disease (GERD) or irritable bowel syndrome.
  • Sensitive and damaged teeth.
  • Electrolyte disturbance.

Anorexia nervosa

This disorder makes the sufferer limit his food intake because he feels he is overweight, even though in fact his body is already slim or even too thin. People with anorexia nervosa will also weigh themselves repeatedly.

Too little calorie intake in people with anorexia nervosa can cause disturbances in the form of:

  • Growth of hair or fluff all over the body (lanugo).
  • Dry skin.
  • Muscles become weak.
  • Often feel cold due to low body temperature.
  • Menstruation becomes irregular, not even having menstruation.
  • Hypotension or low blood pressure.
  • Anemia or lack of blood.
  • Porous bones.
  • Some organs do not function (multiorgan failure).

The above disorders can be fatal until the sufferer dies. Hunger can also cause sufferers to feel so hopeless that they attempt suicide.

Overeating disorder

At will eat quickly and in very large portions, even though not hungry. Overeating, sufferers often lose self-control when eating. As a result, people with this disorder will be overweight or obese. Symptoms of binge eating disorder usually include:

  • Consume large amounts of food.
  • Eat very fast.
  • Keep eating when your stomach is full.
  • Hiding while eating because they are embarrassed when people see them.

When to go to the doctor

If you think you are experiencing one of the eating disorders above, consult a psychiatrist immediately, because eating disorders are generally difficult to treat without the help of a doctor.

Unfortunately, people with eating disorders often don't feel that they need help. If you're concerned about someone's unusual behavior while eating, try talking to them about the odd behavior and getting them to talk to a psychiatrist.

Awkward behaviors to watch out for include:

  • Consider eating is not an important thing and not eating is a natural thing.
  • Always worried about weight and very afraid of getting fat.
  • Reflect often.
  • Using supplements, herbal remedies, or laxatives to lose weight.
  • Tends to avoid eating with family or friends.

Causes of Eating Disorders

So far, the exact cause of eating disorders is unknown. But like other mental disorders, eating disorders can result from a combination of factors, including:

  • Genetics

    Some cases of eating disorders are found in people who have certain genes. This gene can make it easier to trigger eating disorders.

  • Descendants

    In addition, eating disorders are also commonly experienced by people who have parents or siblings with a history of the same disorder.

  • Biological

    Changes in chemicals in the brain can play a role in causing eating disorders.

  • Psychological (mental state)

    Eating disorders are often found in people who also have anxiety, depression, and anxiety disorders obsessive compulsive disorder.

In addition to some of these causes, a number of conditions that can also increase a person's risk of having an eating disorder are:

  • Teenagers

    Teenagers are prone to eating disorders because they tend to pay more attention to self-image or appearance.

  • Excessive diet

    Hunger from a diet that is too restrictive can affect the brain, causing the urge to overeat.

  • Stress

    Various problems that cause stress, whether in work, family, or social relationships, can increase the risk of eating disorders.

Eating Disorder Diagnosis

A person can be said to have an eating disorder if the symptoms have lasted for at least 3 months. At the initial examination, the psychiatrist will dig deeper into the patient's perspective, feelings, and eating habits to determine the patient's attitude towards food and eating patterns.

If there is an eating disorder, the psychiatrist will perform another examination to determine the impact of the eating disorder.

The psychiatrist will check the patient's height and weight, heart rate, and blood pressure. The psychiatrist will also observe the presence or absence of dryness of the skin and hair and brittleness of the nails, which is the result of bulimia. Follow-up examinations to be carried out include:

  • Blood and urine tests

    This examination aims to determine the number of blood cells, liver function, kidney function, and thyroid hormone.

  • Scan

    X-rays can be done to determine the presence or absence of fractures due to bone loss in anorexia or bulimia sufferers.

  • Electrocardiography

    Electrocardiography (ECG) is used to determine the patient's heart condition.

Eating Disorder Treatment

Treatment of eating disorders will involve a team consisting of doctors, psychiatrists, and nutritionists. The goal of treatment is to help the patient return to a healthy diet. The handling efforts carried out include:

Psychotherapy

This therapy can help sufferers to change bad eating habits into healthy eating patterns. There are two therapies that can be used, namely:

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy

    Cognitive behavioral therapy aims to recognize, understand, and change behavior, especially those related to diet.

  • Family based therapy

    This therapy is performed on children or adolescents by involving the family. The goal is to ensure the patient follows a healthy diet and maintains an ideal body weight.

Drugs

Medication can't cure eating disorders. However, antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications can be used to control overeating or prevent the urge to vomit.

These drugs can also overcome excessive worries about certain foods or eating patterns.

If the patient is malnourished, the doctor will recommend the patient to be hospitalized.

Eating Disorder Complications

Eating disorders can lead to various complications. The more severe and prolonged the eating disorder, the greater the risk of complications. Complications that can occur due to eating disorders are:

  • stunted growth.
  • Mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety, even to the point of suicidal ideation.
  • Decreased achievement in school or quality of work.
  • Disruption of social relations.
  • Impaired organ function.

Eating Disorder Prevention

Although there is no surefire way to prevent eating disorders, there are several ways to promote healthy eating behaviors in teens, for example:

  • Preventing Diet Efforts

    To prevent this, parents can get used to eating with their families and talk about the importance of a balanced diet with reasonable portions.

  • Melmake time to talk

    This method can prevent dangerous lifestyles in teenagers. Talking to children can change their thinking so they can understand healthy eating patterns.

  • Cultivating a Healthy Physical Appearance Image

    Parents need to instill confidence in their children. Also, don't mock or bad-mouth your own appearance in front of your child, let alone mock your child's physical appearance, even if it's just a joke.