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Food and Thoughts: Does one Control the Other?

Eating disorders are surprisingly prevalent in a country where food is readily available. Or maybe it is not so surprising. As more and more people fight obesity, the image of perfection is a thin person. The ideal situation may seem to be being able to eat all of the wonderful foods available and at the same time, maintaining a slim figure. On the other hand, some psychological disorders do not allow their victims to separate food from fat. While there may be some psychological factors attributed to obesity, there are well-documented psychological factors attributed to self-starvation. Both men and women suffer from Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. Women are far more likely to suffer, however. The symptoms may be difficult to identify until very late in the game. Following are some important facts to know about both disorders.

Anorexia Nervosa

People who suffer from Anorexia Nervosa actually quit eating. They are completely obsessed with weight and do not have a clear idea of what a healthy weight is. They cannot separate eating from the idea of getting fat. Anorexia will take time to show its effects obviously, but it is not difficult to tell once a person is severely underweight. In women, menstrual cycles will cease when body weight decreases too far to support the process. Severe cases of anorexia will cause the person to have stomach ache and even jaundice. Some patients also grow a layer of hair over their bodies, similar to that found on premature infants. It is possibly a protective measure that the body takes when it feels vulnerable. Victims of Anorexia Nervosa are often obsessed with food, even though they do not eat much, if any at all.

Bulimia Nervosa

People who suffer from Bulimia Nervosa are similarly overly concerned with body shape and weight. These victims are harder to spot because they are not usually excessively underweight. They may even be slightly overweight and still be hurting themselves with food. Binging on food as if it were an addictive substance is common in bulimic patients. The person will consistently overeat to incredible extents. To counteract the addictive behavior, another addictive behavior presents itself: that of purging. The bulimic person does eat too much, but is nevertheless concerned with weight and image. To fix the problem, she induces vomiting, uses laxatives or engages is excessively strenuous exercise.

It seems that both of the above mentioned eating disorders are about body weight. Both of the eating disorders are also about control. The people that engage in self-destructive behavior are guaranteed the control over their bodies that they want to have. They may even feel good about their accomplishment in restricting calorie intake into their bodies. Those suffering from Bulimia Nervosa seem less able to actually control their environments, and so take aggressive measures to establish that control in a way that they are able to do so. Treatment is necessary in the case of either eating disorder in order to save the health, and even the lives of those suffering. If food is controlling your thoughts, seek help.

Frances, Allen MD and First, Michael B. MD. Your Mental Health: A Layman's Guide to

the Psychiatrist's Bible. New York: Scribner, 1998.