Types of Eating Disorders and How to Treat Them
Eating disorders are not reserved for young teenage girls. The disorders can affect males and females at any age. An eating disorder is more about a person’s mental health than their physical appearance. There are two main types of eating disorders, but it is not unusual for a person to fall into both categories.
Anorexia is the term used to describe a person who is essentially starving to death. A person may start out drastically cutting calories to the point that 100 calories a day seems like too much. Excessive exercising is another symptom of the eating disorder. Treatment for anorexia will address the body’s physical health as well as a person’s emotional health. Intense counseling is often necessary and in some cases inpatient therapy is needed to get a person on the road to health.
Bulimia involves a person eating and then immediately vomiting. In many cases, the person will eat a large amount of food before forcing themselves to vomit. The binge will often consist of fattening foods. Again, bulimia is a potentially deadly disease and can wreak havoc on the body. Counseling is needed to help a person overcome and learn to manage the problems in their life contributing to the disorder.