discursive essay on eating disorders

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Eating Disorders, Essay Example

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Introduction

Eating disorders affect men and women of all ages, although adolescents tend to be the age group that is more susceptible. This is because, as their bodies are changing, they may feel more pressure by society as well as peer groups to look attractive and fit in (Segal et al). Types of eating disorders include Anorexia, Bulimia and Compulsive Overeating, which can also be related to the first two. The reasons behind Eating Disorder usually stem from a reaction to low self-esteem and a negative means of coping with life and stress (Something Fishy).  Eating disorders are also often associated with an underlying psychological disorder, which may be the reason behind the eating disorder or which may develop from the Eating Disorder itself. Mental health disorders that are often associated with Eating Disorder include Anxiety, Depression, Multiple Personality Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, BiPolar, BiPolar II, Borderline Personality Disorder, Panic Disorder and Dissociative Disorder. The longer a person suffers from ED, the more probable that they will be dealing with another mental illness, most likely Anxiety or Depression (Something Fishy). The eventual outcome of Eating Disorder can be deadly. “Some eating disorders are associated with a 10-15% mortality rate and a 20-25% suicide rate. Sometimes, anorexia, bulimia and compulsive eating may be perceived as slow suicide (Carruthers).” In order to prevent the deadly consequences of Eating Disorder and to prevent it from becoming more pervasive in society, it is necessary to recognize the correct treatment method for this disease.  Traditional treatments have focused on providing risk information to raise awareness of the consequences of Eating Disorder (Lobera et al 263). However, since Eating Disorder is a mental illness, a more effective treatment is one that offers psychological evaluation, counseling and treatment. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is emerging as a more robust and effective method that can be used not only to treat Eating Disorder but the associated mental illnesses that may accompany it.

The Problem

Eating disorder is pervasive in society and can have deadly consequences on those that suffer from it. Many time Eating Disorder goes undetected by family members and friends because those suffering will go to great lengths to hide their problem. However, there are some signs and symptoms that can be clues that a person is suffering from some sort of eating disorder. According to Segal, these signs can include:

• Restricting Food or Dieting: A change in eating habits that includes restricting food or excessive dieting. The person my frequently miss meals or not eat, complaining of an upset stomach or that they are not hungry. A use of diet pills or illegal drugs may also be noticed.
• Bingeing: Sufferers may binge eat in secret, which can be hard to detect since they will usually do it late at night or in a private place. Signs of potential bingeing are empty food packages and wrappers and hidden stashes of high calorie junk food or desserts.
• Purging: Those who suffer from bulimia will force themselves to throw up after meals to rid their body of added calories. A sign that this is occurring is when a person makes a trip to the bathroom right after eating on a regular basis, possible running water or a fan to hide the sound of their vomiting. They may also use perfume, mouthwash or breath mints regularly to disguise the smell. In addition to vomiting, laxatives or diuretics may also be used to flush unwanted calories from the body.
• Distorted body image and altered appearance: People suffering from Eating Disorder often have a very distorted image of their own body. While they may appear thin to others, they may view themselves as fat and attempt to hide their body under loose clothing. They will also have an obsessive preoccupation with their weight, and complain of being fat even when it is obvious to others that this is not the case.

There are several possible side effects from Eating Disorders, both physical and psychological. Physical damage can be temporary or permanent, depending on the severity of the eating disorder and the length of time the person has been suffering from it.  Psychological consequences can be the development of a mental illness, especially depression and anxiety. Some sufferers of Eating Disorder will also develop a coping mechanism such as harming themselves, through cutting, self-mutilation or self-inflicted violence, or SIV (Something Fishy).

Physical consequences of Eating Disorders depend on the type of eating disorder that the person has. Anorexia nervosa can lead to a slow heart rate and low blood pressure, putting the sufferer at risk for heart failure and permanent heart damage. Malnutrition can lead to osteoporosis and dry, brittle bones. Other common complications include kidney damage due to dehydration, overall weakness, hair loss and dry skin. Bulimia nervosa, where the person constantly purges through vomiting, can have similar consequences as Anorexia but with added complications and damage to the esophagus and gastric cavity due to the frequent vomiting. In addition, tooth decay can occur because of damage caused by gastric juices. If the person also uses laxatives to purge, irregular bowel movements and constipation can occur. Peptic ulcers and pancreatitis can also common negative heath effects (National Eating Disorders Association).  If the Eating Disorder goes on for a prolonged time period, death is also a possible affect, which is why it is important to seek treatment for the individual as soon as it is determined that they are suffering from an Eating Disorder.

Once it is recognized that a loved one may be suffering from an Eating Disorder, the next step is coming up with an effective intervention in time to prevent any lasting physical damage or death. The most effective treatment to date is Cognitive-behavioral therapy, an active form of counseling that can be done in either a group or private setting (Curtis). Cognitive-behavioral therapy is used to help correct poor eating habits and prevent relapse as well as change the way the individual thinks about food, eating and their body image (Curtis).

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is considered to be one of the most effective treatments for eating disorders, but of course this depends on both the counselor administrating the therapy and the attitude of the person receiving it.  According to Fairburn (3), while patients with eating disorders “have a reputation for being difficult to treat, the great majority can be helped and many, if not most, can make a full and lasting recovery.” In the study conducted by Lobera et al, it was determined that students that took part in group cognitive-behavioral therapy sessions showed a reduced dissatisfaction with their body and a reduction in their drive to thinness. Self esteem was also improved during the group therapy sessions and eating habits were significantly improved.

“The overall effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy can depend on the duration of the sessions. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is considered effective for the treatment of eating disorders. But because eating disorder behaviors can endure for a long period of time, ongoing psychological treatment is usually required for at least a year and may be needed for several years (Curtis).”

  Alternative solutions

Traditional treatments for Eating Disorders rely on educating potential sufferers, especially school aged children, of the potential damage, both psychological and physical, that can be caused by the various eating disorders .

“ Research conducted to date into the primary prevention of eating disorders (ED) has mainly considered the provision of information regarding risk factors. Consequently, there is a need to develop new methods that go a step further, promoting a change in attitudes and behavior in the  target population (Lobera et al).”

The current research has not shown that passive techniques, such as providing information, reduces the prevalence of eating disorders or improves the condition in existing patients. While education about eating disorders, the signs and symptoms and the potential health affects, is an important part of providing information to both the those that may know someone who is suffering from an eating disorder and those that are suffering from one, it is not an effective treatment by itself. It must be integrated with a deeper level of therapy that helps to improve the self-esteem and psychological issues from which the eating disorder stems.

Hospitalization has also been a treatment for those suffering from an eating disorder, especially when a complication, such as kidney failure or extreme weakness, occurs. However, treating the symptom of the eating disorder will not treat the underlying problem. Hospitalization can effectively treat the symptom only when it is combined with a psychological therapy that treats the underlying psychological problem that is causing the physical health problem.

Effectively treating eating disorders is possible using cognitive-behavioral therapy. However, the sooner a person who is suffering from an eating disorder begins treatment the more effective the treatment is likely to be. The longer a person suffers from an eating disorder, the more problems that may arise because of it, both physically and psychologically. While the deeper underlying issue may differ from patient to patient, it must be addressed in order for an eating disorder treatment to be effective. If not, the eating disorder is likely to continue. By becoming better educated about the underlying mental health issues that are typically the cause of eating disorder, both family members and friends of loved ones suffering from eating disorders and the sufferers themselves can take the steps necessary to overcome Eating Disorder and begin the road to recovery.

Works Cited

“Associated Mental Health Conditions and Addictions.” Something Fishy, 2010. Web. 19 November2010.

Carruthers, Martyn. Who Has Eating Disorders?   Soulwork Solutions, 2010. Web. 19 November 2010.

Curtis, Jeanette. “Cognitive-behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders.” WebMD (September 16, 2009). Web. 19 November 2010.

Fairburn, Christopher G. Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Eating Disorders. New York: The Guilford Press, 2008. Print.  

“Health Consequences of Eating Disorders” National Eating Disorders Association (2005). Web. 21 November 2010.

Lobera, I.J., Lozano, P.L., Rios, P.B., Candau, J.R., Villar y Lebreros, Gregorio Sanchez, Millan, M.T.M., Gonzalez, M.T.M., Martin, L.A., Villalobos, I.J. and Sanchez, N.V. “Traditional and New Strategies in the Primary Prevention of Eating Disorders: A Comparative Study in Spanish Adolescents.” International Journal of General Medicine 3  (October 5, 2010): 263-272. Dovepress.Web. 19 November 2010.

Segal, Jeanne, Smith, Melinda, Barston, Suzanne. Helping Someone with an Eating Disorder: Advice for Parents, Family Members and Friends , 2010. Web. 19 November 2010.

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Eating Disorder - Free Essay Examples And Topic Ideas

Eating disorders, severe conditions related to persistent eating behaviors negatively impacting health, emotions, and the ability to function, encompass various types including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. Essays on eating disorders could explore the psychological, biological, and societal factors contributing to these conditions, and delve into the experiences of those affected. Discussions might also focus on prevention strategies, treatment options, and the societal perception and stigma surrounding eating disorders. Through a comprehensive exploration of eating disorders, essays can shed light on the multifaceted aspects of these serious health conditions and the importance of awareness, understanding, and support. We have collected a large number of free essay examples about Eating Disorder you can find in Papersowl database. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

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The association between eating disorders and mental health: an umbrella review

Eng joo tan.

1 School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University Health Economics Group (MUHEG), Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004 Australia

Tejeesha Raut

2 Deakin Health Economics, Institute for Health Transformation, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125 Australia

Long Khanh-Dao Le

Phillipa hay.

3 Translational Health Research Institute (THRI), School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751 Australia

4 Camden and Campbelltown Hospital, SWSLHD, Campbelltown, NSW 2560 Australia

Jaithri Ananthapavan

5 Global Obesity Centre, Institute for Health Transformation, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125 Australia

Yong Yi Lee

6 School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, QLD 4006 Herston, Australia

7 Policy and Epidemiology Group, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, QLD 4076 Wacol, Australia

Cathrine Mihalopoulos

Associated data.

All relevant data are within the manuscript and supplementary materials.

There have been an increasing number of systematic reviews indicating the association between eating disorders (ED), including its risk factors, with mental health problems such as depression, suicide and anxiety. The objective of this study was to conduct an umbrella review of these reviews and provide a top-level synthesis of the current evidence in this area.

A systematic search was performed using four databases (MEDLINE Complete, APA PyscInfo, CINAHL Complete and EMBASE). The inclusion criteria were systematic reviews (with or without meta-analysis), published in the English language between January 2015 and November 2022. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tools for use of JBI Systematic reviews.

A total of 6,537 reviews were identified, of which 18 reviews met the inclusion criteria, including 10 reviews with meta-analysis. The average quality assessment score for the included reviews was moderate. Six reviews investigated the association between ED and three specific mental health problems: (a) depression and anxiety, (b) obsessive-compulsive symptoms and (c) social anxiety. A further 3 reviews focused on the relationship between ED and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) while 2 reviews focused on ED and suicidal-related outcomes. The remaining 7 reviews explored the association between ED and bipolar disorders, personality disorders, and non-suicidal self-injury. Depression, social anxiety and ADHD are likely to have a stronger strength of association with ED relative to other mental health problems.

Mental health problems such as depression, social anxiety and ADHD were found to be more prevalent among people suffering from eating disorders. Further research is necessary to understand the mechanism and health impacts of potential comorbidities of ED.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40337-022-00725-4.

This review aimed to investigate the association between eating disorders (ED) and mental health problems. A review of existing systematic reviews was conducted to provide a top-level synthesis of the current evidence in this area. Our review found a total of 18 systematic reviews, which investigated the association between ED and a wide range of mental health problems. These conditions include depression and anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), social anxiety, personality disorders, suicidal-related outcomes, bipolar disorders and non-suicidal self-injury. Depression, social anxiety and ADHD are likely to have a stronger strength of association with ED relative to other mental health problems.

Introduction

Eating disorders (ED) such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorders lead to higher physical and psychological morbidity, disabilities, and mortality rates [ 1 ]. The prevalence of eating disorder is increasing, with the lifetime prevalence between 3.3 and 18.6% among women and between 0.8 and 6.5% among men [ 2 ]. Risk factors such as dieting and body dissatisfaction have been considered predictors of ED onset for many years [ 3 ]. Other predisposing factors of ED also include family history of EDs, having close relatives with a mental health problem, personal history of anxiety disorder, and behavioural inflexibility and sociocultural issues such as weight stigma, bullying or teasing and limited social networks [ 4 ].

Many studies have linked EDs to various mental health problems. For example, personality disorders can be found in a portion of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN), and were encountered in the treatment of EDs [ 5 ]. Binge eating disorder (BED) has been found to impact mental health problems such as anxiety and depression which worsens health-related quality of life (HRQL) of an individual [ 6 ]. In a study of a nationally representative sample of 36,309 adults, all three EDs were associated with more than one comorbid somatic condition, which can range from lifetime mood disorders, anxiety disorders, major depressive disorder and alcohol and drug use disorders [ 7 ]. It has been widely recognized that individuals with EDs show higher rates of suicidality, which includes complete suicide, suicidal attempt, and suicidal ideation [ 8 ]. The negative perception of body image, a risk factor for ED, has also been linked to depression and obesity [ 9 ]. Individuals suffering from anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa also exhibit social anxiety disorders, have low self-esteem and more likely to feel nervous about their appearances in public places [ 10 – 12 ].

The significant burden of mental health problems necessitates a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between mental health and ED. Recent evidence suggested that the burden of mental health problems has increased, with suicide as the second leading cause of death among 15–29 years and the annual global cost of depression and anxiety was estimated to be USD 1 trillion [ 13 ]. While previous studies and reviews have investigated the association between EDs and specific mental health problems such as anxiety, depression and substance use disorder, there is no existing review that provides a top-level summary of these associations by using a broader definition of mental health. Consequently, there is a lack of comparative analyses of the various mental health problems and their associations with ED. Addressing this gap in current research can assist researchers and clinicians to develop a suite of interventions that has the most impact on reducing the ED-mental health co-morbidity. In this context, an umbrella review is useful because it allows the findings of existing reviews to be compared and contrasted. Therefore, this umbrella review aims to synthesize contemporary evidence in order to better understand the relationship between eating disorders and various mental health problems across demographic and clinical factors.

This review adhered to the Joanna Brigg Institute (JBI) guidelines for umbrella reviews [ 14 ] and the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) standards [ 15 ]. An ethics exemption for this research was approved by the Deakin University Human Research Ethics Committee (DUHREC) (ref. 202–1030). The protocol was registered with PROSPERO: International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (ref. CRD42021232372).

Search strategies and databases

In consultation with an experienced librarian, a literature search to identify potentially eligible publications was performed by the second author (TR) on 16 November 2020. A second literature search was performed by the first author (EJT) on 8 November 2022 to include potential studies published from 16 November 2020 onwards. Both searches were conducted via the EBSCOhost platform on four databases: MEDLINE Complete, APA PyscInfo, CINAHL Complete and EMBASE. The International Classification of Diseases version 10 (ICD-10) was used to define the mental health problems relevant to this review. For the purpose of this review, the disease category of disorders of psychological development, which included disorders related to speech, language, scholastic skills, motor function and autism were not considered. The search terms used in the study were various combinations of eating disorder keywords (e.g., “anorexi*”) and mental health keywords (e.g., “addiction”) using Boolean operators (or/and). Further details of the search terms can be found in Table S1 in the supplementary information file.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

The aim of this umbrella review was to identify reviews of studies that investigated the association between eating disorders and mental health problems. Therefore, reviews that reported the association or consequences of EDs or ED risk factors and mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, substance use disorders were included. The inclusion criteria required studies to be systematic reviews with or without meta-analyses while scoping reviews, narrative reviews, or literatures reviews without quality assessment were excluded. For the purpose of this umbrella review, a study is considered a systematic review if it had a clearly formulated research question, reported systematic and reproducible methods to identify, select and critically appraise relevant research studies. The studies were limited to the general population although there were no age or gender restrictions on the participants. All the articles included in the study were human studies, published in the English language published in peer-reviewed journals within the last seven years i.e. from January 2015 to November 2022. Non-review studies such as cohort, prevalence, case-control or cross-sectional studies were excluded from this review. Reviews with the wrong setting, study design, outcomes or the patient population were excluded. Further details of the inclusion and exclusion criteria can be found in Table S2 in the supplementary information file.

Identification of relevant studies and data extraction

All studies from the database search results were imported into Endnote and duplicates were removed. The remaining studies were then uploaded to Covidence, an online systematic review management tool, for screening [ 16 ]. A two-stage screening process applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria was conducted: (a) title and abstract screening and (b) full-text screening. Both screening processes were done independently by two reviewers (TR, EJT) and any discrepancies were discussed and resolved by the third reviewer (LL). The following data were extracted from reviews that fulfilled the inclusion criteria: year of publication, number of included studies, type of eating disorders or risk factors of eating disorders, mental health problem, presence of meta-analysis component, study design, population description, country and effect size (if available). Data extraction was performed by TR and independently checked by EJT and LL.

Quality assessment

The bias and quality of the included reviews were assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tools for systematic reviews (The Joanna Briggs Institute, 2017). The purpose of this appraisal tool is to assess the methodological quality of the included studies and to determine the extent of the possibility of bias in design, conduct and analysis. The tool consists of 11 items (further details are available Table S2 in the supplementary information file) include three choices - “Yes”, “No” and “Unclear”. The total score on the scale is 11.

A total of 7,275 potentially relevant studies were identified from the database search. After duplicates were removed, 6,537 studies were available for screening. After title and abstract screening, 94 studies were progressed to full-text screening. Full-text screening resulted in 18 studies meeting the inclusion criteria and being included in the umbrella review. The PRISMA diagram shown in Fig.  1 reports the reason for exclusion for the remaining 76 studies with full-text review.

PRISMA flow diagram of included studies

Characteristics of included studies

Out of the 18 systematic reviews, ten included a meta-analysis component. There were six reviews investigating the association between ED or ED risk factors (e.g. body dissatisfaction) and three specific mental health problems: (a) depression and anxiety, (b) obsessive-compulsive symptoms and (c) social anxiety. Another three reviews focused on the relationship between ED and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) while two reviews focused on ED and suicidal-related outcomes. The remaining seven reviews explored the association between ED and bipolar disorders, personality disorders, and non-suicidal self-injury. Further details of the included studies are presented in Table  1 . The number of individual studies included within the reviews ranged from five to 122 studies with the majority of included studies being conducted using a cross-sectional study design. All but one review investigated the general population, including males and females, and the sample size ranged from 1,792 to 2,321,441 participants.

Summary of included reviews

SMD = standardized mean difference; OR = odds ratio

*The quality score was calculated from the total score out of 11 based on the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklist for Systematic Reviews questionnaire

ED, depression and anxiety, obsessive compulsive symptoms and social anxiety

The evidence from two reviews [ 17 – 19 ] suggest that individuals afflicted with BED or disordered eating have a higher risk of experiencing negative mood, tension, sadness and emotional instability [ 19 ], which can further develop into depressive and anxiety symptoms [ 17 ]. However, limited evidence was found to support any link between disordered eating and obsessive-compulsive symptoms [ 17 ]. There is evidence to suggest that the relationship between anxiety and AN can be bi-directional. For example, the review by Lloyd et al. [ 18 ] demonstrated that the risk of anorexia is predicted to increase in adolescents and young adults diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Meanwhile, Kerr-Gaffney et al. [ 11 ] conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis and found that both BN and AN were associated with social anxiety with a medium effect size of 0.71 [95% CI 0.47, 0.95; p  < 0.001] and a large effect size of 1.65 [95% CI 1.03, 2.27; p  < 0.001], respectively as estimated using the Cohen’s d statistic. The authors concluded that individuals with AN or BN have high levels of social anxiety compared to healthy controls.

Several reviews have indicated that certain ED risk factors can potentially contribute to depression. The systematic review and meta-analysis conducted by Puccio et al. [ 20 ] suggested that eating pathology is one of the risk factors for depression and vice-versa. The effect of eating pathology on depression among 18,641 females aged 6–50 years was shown to be significant with an effect size of 0.13 (95% CI: 0.09 to 0.17, p  < 0.001), which was conducted on r values [ 19 ]. A systematic review of body image dissatisfaction and depression found that in men the perception of being underweight or dissatisfaction due to low weight was observed by idealizing a larger body, whereas women perceived their body larger than it was by idealizing a lean body [ 21 ]. Both of these conditions were associated with the presence of depression or depressive symptoms although the review was unable to conclude whether more severe body image dissatisfaction increased chances of also having depressive symptoms or both conditions co-exist.

ED and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

A systematic review conducted by Kaisari et al. [ 22 ] on disordered eating behaviour and (ADHD) among 115,418 participants (including both male and female populations) suggested that the impulsivity symptoms of ADHD were positively associated with overeating in AN and BN. Similarly, Levin & Rawana [ 23 ] explored the association between AN, BN and BED and ADHD among 74,852 participants and showed that childhood ADHD increases the risk of disordered eating or developing ED in later life. The systematic and meta-analysis of ED on ADHD by Nazar et al. [ 24 ] showed that the pooled odds ratio of diagnosing any ED in ADHD populations was 3.82 (95% CI 2.34–6.24). BN has the highest odds ratio (5.71, 95% CI 3.56–9.16) followed by AN (4.28, 95% CI 2.24–8.16) and BED (4.13, 95% CI 3.00–5.67). On the other hand, the pooled odds ratio of diagnosing ADHD in people with eating disorders was 2.57 (95% CI 1.30–5.11) [ 24 ].

ED and bipolar disorder

The systematic review by Álvarez Ruiz & Gutiérrez-Rojas [ 25 ] found that the severity of BN and BED in women was higher among patients with bipolar disorder. The evidence from their review suggested that there is a comorbidity between ED and bipolar disorder, with prevalence rate of EDs in bipolar disorder patients ranging from 5.3 to 31%. In addition, a more recent meta-analytic review of 47 studies reported the lifetime prevalence of AN, BN and BED as 3.8% (95% CI 2–6%), 7.4% (95% CI 6–10%) and 12.5% (95% CI 9.40–16.6%) among individuals with bipolar disorder, respectively [ 26 ].

ED and suicidal factors

A systematic review of 12 cross-sectional and 5 longitudinal studies on BED and suicidal factors among adolescents and adults found that BED is associated with a higher risk of suicide, including suicidal behaviours and ideation [ 8 ]. Similarly, the systematic review by Goldstein & Gvion [ 27 ], which included 36 cross-sectional studies and 2 longitudinal studies, suggested that eating disorders with purging behaviour, impulsivity and specific interpersonal features were associated with greater risk of suicidal behaviours.

ED and non-suicidal self-injury

A systematic review and meta-analysis by Cucchi et al. [ 28 ] reported that, among patients with various EDs, the prevalence of a lifetime history of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) was 27.3% (95% CI 23.8–31.0%) for ED, 21.8% (95% CI 18.5–25.6%) for AN, and 32.7% (95% CI 26.9–39.1%) for BN. Based on 29 studies and 6,575 participants, the review concluded that NSSI is a significant correlate of ED and prevalent among adolescents and young adults with ED.

ED and personality disorders

The systematic review and meta-analysis conducted by Farstad et al. [ 29 ] on ED and personality disorders (PD) included 14 studies and showed that pooled prevalence rates of PD ranged from 0% (95% CI: 0–4%) (for schizoid) to 30% (95% CI 0–56%) (for obsessive-compulsive) in individuals with ED. The authors concluded that increases in perfectionism, neuroticism, low extraversion, sensitivity to social rewards, avoidance motivation, negative urgency and high-self-directedness was found in the people presenting with EDs. This finding is consistent with another review that investigated the association between EDs and symptoms of borderline personality disorder [ 30 ]. The authors found that nine symptoms of borderline personality disorder were significantly elevated in patients with EDs compared to controls.

In a meta-analytic review of 59 studies, the lifetime and current prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder was reported to be 13.9% [95% CI 10.4–18.1%] and 8.7% [95% CI 5.8–11.8%] respectively across EDs, which included all ED subtypes [ 31 ]. Another meta-analysis review reported lifetime comorbidity rates for obsessive-compulsive disorder of 19% in AN patients and 14% in BN patients based on cross-sectional studies [ 32 ]. These rates increased to 44% in AN patients and 18.5% in BN patients when longitudinal studies were considered.

Quality of included systematic reviews

The scores achieved by the included reviews ranged from 45% (i.e. 5 out of 11 questions) to 100% (i.e. 11 out of 11 questions). On average, the reviews met 72% of the JBI criteria. The details of the score are presented in Table S3 in the supplementary information file. Overall quality was acceptable and most reviews performed well in the design of review question, inclusion criteria, search strategy and criteria used for study appraisal. The main loss of scores were from the criteria of methods to minimize errors in data extraction and assessment of publication bias.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first umbrella review to examine the overall evidence of the association between eating disorders and mental health across the age spectrum. While previous reviews were focused on investigating the relationship between eating disorders and specific mental health problems, our review captured all relevant mental health problems, including mental disorders, personality disorders and suicide-related outcomes. The findings of this review were synthesized from contemporaneous systematic reviews (i.e. in the last 7 years) and highlighted the growing body of evidence in this area, particularly the frequency of comorbidity of ED and mental health problems. In addition, our review provides a top-level summary of the strength of the association between the various mental health problems and eating disorders, and the direction of effect where possible.

A total of 643 individual studies were reviewed by the 18 systematic reviews included in this umbrella review. The synthesis of evidence revealed that there is a significant association between ED and mental health problems in general. However, among the various mental health problems investigated, only reviews focusing on depression, social anxiety and ADHD reported an effect size or odds ratio from their respective meta-analysis. Therefore, based on quantitative evidence, the association between these three mental health problems and ED is more prominent compared to other mental health problems. There is also evidence to suggest that depression and anxiety are significantly associated with different types of EDs and their risk factors. For example, symptoms of depression and anxiety were often observed in individuals suffering from AN, BN and BED or those with ED risk factors such as body dissatisfaction [ 16 , 21 ]. Interestingly, existing research shows that childhood ADHD increased the risk of disordered eating or developing ED in later life and vice versa while the risk of ADHD in individuals with ED is increased three-fold, compared to control groups [ 24 ]. This phenomenon is particularly relevant for prevention efforts given that diagnosis of ADHD in young girls or women can be delayed or missed [ 33 ]. As such, there are potential shared benefits to be gained when addressing both conditions. Further research is required to explore the underlying mechanisms and comorbidity between EDs and mental disorders. The prevention or treatment of this comorbidity also needs to be addressed by future intervention studies.

While females continue to be disproportionately affected by ED, including through its association with other mental health problems, there is also growing evidence to indicate the adverse impacts of the ED-mental disorder comorbidity on the male population. For example, the correlation between the risk of developing eating pathology due to childhood ADHD was observed to be stronger in males compared to females [ 23 ]. Furthermore, restrictive eating behaviour has been linked to ADHD-related hyperactivity symptoms in boys although the causal pathway is still not fully understood [ 34 , 35 ] As the population group investigated by the reviews included in this study was predominantly females, the association between ED and mental health may be underestimated in males. A balanced representation of the two sexes should be considered in future studies and will lead to an improved understanding of the function of gender in this emerging comorbidity.

Our umbrella review also reported that most of the research were undertaken in high-income countries, whereas limited studies have been conducted in low- and middle-income countries. This is not surprising given that previous evidence have indicated a severe scarcity of mental health research resources in low- and middle-income countries, especially in Asian and African countries [ 36 ]. Furthermore, ED-related epidemiology research in low- and middle-income countries often focused on prevalence studies and less on comorbidity between ED and mental health problems [ 37 ]. Therefore, there is a need to address this gap in the literature and investigate the generalizability of present evidence across different regions.

One of the limitations of our umbrella review is that it did not include reviews published in languages other than English. In addition, our literature search was limited to the last 7 years, therefore, reviews published before 2015 were not considered. However, it is likely that the more recent reviews in our study have included previous evidence. Another limitation is that no recent individual studies were included. Although this omission may have an impact on the findings of our study, it is unlikely to change the overall conclusion.

Overall, there may be several clinical implications from our findings. First, there is a need to increase awareness and screening for ED in general mental health settings and broader demographics. Compared to general mental health, ED is often underdiagnosed in primary care and therefore the health burden of ED is largely hidden even though it is substantial [ 38 , 39 ]. Second, it is necessary to address the unmet need for treatment of ED. Evidence has shown that although a majority of community cases with a diagnosable ED who seek treatment received treatment for weight loss, only a small proportion received appropriate mental health care [ 40 ]. There is a need to promote supported integrated treatments such as the introduction of mood intolerance module in temperament based therapy with supports [ 41 ].

The outcome of the umbrella review suggests that eating disorders and mental health problems are significantly associated with each other. Mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, suicidal attempts are found to be more prevalent among people suffering from eating disorders. EDs also arise from impulsive behaviours, poor emotion regulation, history of childhood physical and emotional abuse, pain tolerance and interpersonal fears such as perceived burdensomeness [ 16 , 27 ]. Our findings suggest that there is a need for further research to understand the health impacts of eating disorder and mental disorder comorbidities. For instance, there is a limited assessment of risk factors of suicide in people with ED and, therefore, historical and contemporary data need to be collected in order to better understand the risk of suicide in ED. Further efforts should also be made to identify effective and cost-effective interventions for the prevention or treatment of ED and its comorbidities.

Acknowledgements

Not applicable.

Author contributions

EJT and LKDL conceptualized and designed the study. TR, EJT, LKDL contributed to the acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of data for the work, drafted the initial manuscript, and reviewed and revised the manuscript. PH, JA, YYL and CM contributed to the conception and design of the work and the acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of data for the work and critically revised the manuscript. All authors approved the final manuscript as submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

This study was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council Ideas Grant (APP1183225). LKDL is funded by the Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellow. The funder of the study had no role in study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, or writing of the report. The corresponding author had full access to all the data in the study and had final responsibility for the decision to submit for publication.

Availability of data and materials

Declarations.

An ethics exemption for this research was approved by the Deakin University Human Research Ethics Committee (DUHREC) (ref. 2021-030).

Dr Long Le is a Guest Editor for the collection of “Environmental Influences on Eating disorders, Disordered eating and Body Image” in Journal of Eating Disorders. All other authors do have any competing interest to declare.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Contributor Information

Eng Joo Tan, Email: [email protected] .

Long Khanh-Dao Le, Email: [email protected] .

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Argumentative Essay on Eating Disorders

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Eating Disorders Argumentative Essays Examples

Type of paper: Argumentative Essay

Topic: Eating , Disorders , Anorexia , Bulimia , Eating Disorders , Health , Psychology , Medicine

Words: 1500

Published: 01/30/2021

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In recent years the notion of “eating disorder” has gained a lot of attention and is widely discussed by nutritionists, psychologists as well as ordinary people. According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), “eating disorders include extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues. Eating disorders are serious emotional and physical problems that can have life-threatening consequences for females and males”. Each of us may notice that sometimes we eat more, sometimes less, however we rarely think of our eating behavior as a reason for concern. Nevertheless, the scientists have made a profound impact to this field of study classifying eating disorders for better understanding. First of all, this essay focuses on the causes of eating disorders. Later it discusses the most popular eating disorders of our time which are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder (which sometimes is referred to as obesity). In addition, effects of such eating behaviors will be discussed. First of all, it is important to understand who develops unhealthy eating habits and what the reason for such behavior is. As it was estimated by National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, “up to 24 million people of all ages and genders suffer from an eating disorder (anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder) in the U.S.” In addition, Goodheart, Clopton, and Robert-McComb provide the information that “between 3 % and 4% of children and adolescents struggle from eating disorders and nearly 3% of adolescents die from eating disorders” (33). Thus, as we can see, not only adolescents suffer from these illnesses, but also children. Talking about gender, despite the opinion that women are usually the ones who develop abnormal eating habits, men also tend to suffer from eating disorders. The most widespread factors leading people to these illnesses are generally of psychological nature and only some of them are biological. NEDA claims that in order to overcome the disease, the roots of it need be found in the person’s psychological state, his or her relations with those around one, in person’s social life and passions and finally the reason for disease may be on biological level. They state that psychological factors contributing to eating disorders are “low self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy or lack of control in life, depression, anxiety, anger, stress or loneliness”. Meanwhile, there are interpersonal factors which probably are mostly experienced by adolescents. Some of them are troubled personal relationships, difficulties in expressing emotions and feelings, being teased or ridiculed because of size or weight as well as being physically abused. Social factors express themselves in fashion, perfectionism in seeking for the “perfect body”, narrow definitions of beauty, cultural norms that pay attention only to person’s appearance, but on his or her inner strengths and abilities. One more cultural aspect, according to NEDA, is “stress related to racial, ethnic, size/weight-related or other forms of discrimination or prejudice”. Finally, biologically, eating disorders may appear because of genes, as Mayo Clinic states. People whose siblings or parents suffer from eating disorders may develop this illness too. Perhaps, the most well-known and, for some people, even “fashionable”, eating disorder is anorexia nervosa. According to Crisp, the English language references to this illness can be traced back to the seventeenth century (3). Later, about a hundred years ago, it was described in great details by physicians. Nowadays, this illness is mostly “westernized”, in other words, skinny models, their lifestyle and appearance affect the youth and their perception of beauty causing them to suffer. NEDA specialists say that anorexia nervosa typically appears in early to mid-adolescence. Hall and Ostroff define anorexia as self-starvation and refer to the Greek roots of the word which is “loss of appetite”. Although they also state that “loss of appetite” is a misleading phrase, since anorectics usually overcome hunger (17). Smith claims that anorexia nervosa may affect all of the person’s body functions since he or she loses about 15% of the total weight (12). This disease may often be characterized by exhaustion, persistent desire to being skinny and unwillingness to maintain normal weight. Being mostly a psychological disease (as it can be understood from the very name “nervosa”), people who suffer from anorexia are always too much afraid of gaining weight, girls and women often have irregular menstrual cycle. Some girl’s horrible experience of being sick was quoted in Smith’s book: “At my worst I fainted nearly every day. The anorexia stopped my period for two years. I was taking laxatives regularly because I was constipated. But I used them so much I couldn’t control my bowel movements at all” (13). Anorexia nervosa is quite a dangerous disease, since it affects the whole body. Hall and Ostroff describe the health problems to which anorectics are exposed. Cardiac problems are very widespread among anorectics resulting in heart rhythm’s abnormality as well as in reduction of heart’s size. In addition, such people suffer from gastrointestinal disorders (31). Other consequences are low blood pressure, high risk for heart failure, reduction of bone density (osteoporosis), muscle loss and weakness, kidney failure. Fainting, fatigue, overall weakness, dry hair and skin, according to NEDA, are also common features of anorexia. Unfortunately, mortality rates are high, since it is estimated that “between 5-20% of individuals struggling with anorexia nervosa will die” (NEDA). In order to recover, anorectics need to be closely observed by nutritionists as well as psychologists. Bulimia nervosa is one more dangerous eating disorder. Hall and Cohn describe it as “an obsession with food and weight characterized by repeated overeating binges followed by compensatory behavior, such as self-induced vomiting or excessive exercise” (25). In addition, bulimics tend to overuse laxatives or diuretics. In contrast to anorectics, bulimics are not underweight, their weight is usually normal in relation to their age and height. However, similarly to anorectics they are afraid of gaining weight, desire to lose some kilos and are dissatisfied with their body. Psychological disorders, such as depression and anxiety or psychoactive substances misuse, are also common among bulimics. Graves claims that bulimia nervosa may be fatal in some cases and result in heart attack. However, in any way the person experiences many health problems such as dry hair and skin, loss of hair, energy rate decline. Bulimia has a serious impact on person’s mental health, for example, the ability to think logically (39). On the social level, bulimics think that they are isolated and lonely. They usually hide their behavior because they are ashamed of it, which is why scientists find difficulty in estimating the number of people who have bulimia. However, it is estimated that about 80% of bulimics are women (NEDA). Nevertheless, bulimia is treatable, as Grave states, and although recovery is long and problematic (42), it is worth it. Finally, the third eating disorder is binge eating disorder. An important note is that while anorexia and bulimia may occur together, binge eating disorder never goes together with anorexia or bulimia. According to American Psychiatric Association, “binge eating disorder involves frequent overeating during a discreet period of time (at least once a week for three months), combined with lack of control”. They also associate this disease with eating more rapidly than normal or until feeling uncomfortably full. Some eat large amount of food even if they are not hungry. In contrast to anorectics and bulimics, after excessive food intake, people who suffer from binge eating disorder do not try to vomit, fast or exercise. As a result, such people often have excess weight or suffer from clinical obesity. NEDA continues to list the potential health risks of binge eating disorder and claims that some of them are: high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, heart disease, diabetes mellitus and other problems. On psychological level, American Psychiatric Association states, people suffering from binge eating disorder often feel “disgusted with oneself, depressed, or very guilty afterward”. In addition, anxiety, depression and personality disorders may also turn out. What is interesting, in case with this illness gender almost has no importance, since it was estimated by NEDA that 60% of women and 40% of men are struggling with this disorder, which is almost equal.

Works Cited

anad.org. Eating Disorders Statistics. Web. . 19 Apr. 2015. apa.org. Eating Disorders. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. Crisp, Arthur Hamilton. Anorexia Nervosa: Let Me Be. 1995. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. Goodheart Kristin, James R. Clopton, and Jacalyn J. Robert-McComb. Eating Disorders in Women and Children: Prevention, Stress Management, and Treatment. 2011. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. Graves, Bonnie. Bulimia. 2000. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. Hall, Lindsey and Leigh Cohn. Bulimia: A Guide to Recovery. 2013. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. Hall, Lindsey and Monika Ostroff. Anorexia Nervosa: A Guide to Recovery. 2013. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. mayoclinic.org. Eating disorders. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. nationaleatingdisorders.org. Types & Symptoms of Eating Disorders. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. Smith, Erica. Anorexia Nervosa: When Food is the Enemy. 1999. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

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Reading Disorders: Pro-Eating Disorder Rhetoric and Anorexia Life-Writing

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• Literature and Medicine 34(2):484-508
• 34(2):484-508

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103 Eating Disorders Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on eating disorders, 📚 eating disorders research paper examples, 👍 good eating disorders research topics & essay examples, 🎓 most interesting eating disorders research titles, 💡 simple eating disorders essay ideas, ❓ eating disorder research questions.

• Essay on Eating Disorders in Adolescents
• Eating Disorders: Diagnosis and Treatment
• “The Globalization of Eating Disorders” by Susan Bordo
• Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa
• Treatment of Eating Disorders
• Eating Disorders: Types and Causes
• Binge Eating Disorder: Information for Patients
• Eating Disorders: “Out of Control?” by Claes et al. The study “Out of control?” by Claes et al. aims to investigate variations between restrictive and bingeing/ purging eating disorders.
• Food Allergies and Eating Disorders Along with food allergies, mental health disorders are widely spread diseases. Eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating, are common among young women.
• Media Effects on Eating Disorder Symptoms In terms of modern technology-based society, media exposure has significantly increased its influence and role in the lives of its large audience.
• Anorexia Nervosa: Treatment of Eating Disorders The main goal of treatment for patients with anorexia nervosa is to restore healthy nutrition, which cannot be achieved through pharmacological treatment.
• Eating Disorders Among Athletes The pressure from the necessity to become successful is one of the major factors contributing to the emergence and development of eating disorders in athletes.
• Anorexia Nervosa & Bulimia Nervosa Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are both eating disorders; due to the peculiarities of the course of disorders, it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish them.
• Effect of Social-cultural Factors on Eating Disorders Research however shows that women get the disease at a lower age compared to men, with most of them beginning at adolescence.
• Behavioral Addictions: Gambling, Eating Disorders, Shopping Gambling, shopping, and internet addiction are complicated issues that can be difficult to handle owing to a variety of economic and political variables.
• Psychosocial Risk Factors for Eating Disorders by Keel and Forney Idealization of thinness and subsequent issues with body image and weight are emphasized by Keel and Forney in the findings.
• The Impact of Media on Eating Disorders Media and celebrities need to recognize their role in projecting body image and influencing people. Some advertisements can harm the younger generation.
• Anorexia Nervosa Among Eating Disorders in Adolescence Anorexia nervosa is characterized by an incessant desire to be thin, hence the unhealthy eating behaviors that include starving.
• Eating Disorders and Therapeutic Support Eating disorders are significant mental and physical diseases that entail complicated and harmful interactions with food, feeding, exercising, and self-image.
• Social Control in Eating Disorders The need for food is a basic need aimed at maintaining homeostasis and obtaining the energy and nutrients necessary for life.
• Eating Disorders and Programs That Address Body Image Issues The paper states that excessive weight and disordered eating are significant public health issues in America and other western countries.
• The Scoff Questionnaire: Risk of Eating Disorders The paper discusses a method to identify children at risk of eating disorders. The children were provided with both relevant referrals and treatment.
• Eating Disorders and Social Interactions The paper indicates that social surroundings can make people feel insecure and push towards the development of eating disorders.
• Eating Disorders: Finding the Right Treatment An eating disorder is becoming a significant health concern among people. There are many factors connected to the root cause of eating behavior.
• Bulimia Nervosa Diagnosis and Procedural Plan The patient has been showing the tendency to vomit after every instance of food intake, which is the primary sign of bulimia nervosa.
• Obsessive-Compulsive and Eating Disorders in Children In both OCD and ED, developmental milestones are crucial to consider because they can help indicate points of positive versus adverse health.
• Anorexia and Eating Disorders Treatments In the research paper, the source could be used to discuss research gaps related to anorexia treatments and raise the topic of controversial practices in treating EDs.
• Swan’s Case as an Example of an Eating Disorder Being focused on success in ballet and becoming a recognized dancer, Swan demonstrates anxiety because of the possible weight gain.
• Teen Anorexia: Mental Illness and an Eating Disorder Adolescents have increasingly been diagnosed with anorexia. They often have a nervous type of pathology, which is a psychological illness and is accompanied by an eating disorder.
• Eating Disorders in Adult Women This paper discusses eating disorders in adult women and treatment alternatives to reverse the health care challenge, which is threatening the health of this group.
• Anorexia Among Young Adults and Family Treatment The population needs to encourage family teaching to intervene with anorexia since parents are frequently unsupportive of their children with complexes.
• Orthorexia as an Eating Disorder in the DSM Adequate nutrition ensures quality of life, including the level of health and the body’s ability to cope with physical, mental, and psycho-emotional stress.
• Eating Disorders Like Bulimia Nervosa and Anorexia Nervosa Though the loss of weight might be a positive aspect of healthy diets, people with orthorexia Nervosa do not have a disordered body image nor a determination for thinness.
• Genetic Factors as the Cause of Anorexia Nervosa Genetic predisposition currently seems the most plausible explanation among all the proposed etiologies of anorexia.
• Orthorexia Nervosa and Eating Disorder Orthorexia nervosa is becoming a serious problem for the patient’s physical and psychological health, hence the attention of nutritionists should be focused on studying this disorder.
• Anorexia Nervosa: Signs and Symptoms, Treatment One of the types of eating disorders is anorexia nervosa, which is widely spread nowadays, especially among young girls and women.
• The Problem of Anorexia Among College Students Anorexia nervosa and eating disorders in college students and adolescents are the problems that require immediate intervention.
• Eating Disorders: Why Do We Need to Control Our Nutrition? People with confirmed diagnoses of eating disorders need qualified help from specialists since neglecting a healthy diet is fraught with dangerous health outcomes.
• Anorexia Nervosa: History, Diagnosis and Treatment Anorexia nervosa among the eating disorders which is considered in the psychiatric illness. There are categories that have been advanced in the diagnosis of this illness.
• Plausible Causes for Male Eating Disorders These days, however, things have changed significantly and out of five million Americans who suffer from eating disorders each year the percentage of males is tangible.
• Anorexia Nervosa as a Brain Disorder Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by an uncontrollable desire to be thin, low weight, food restrictions, and a fear of gaining pounds.
• Anorexia Nervosa, Its Etiology and Treatment One of the eating disorders that affect a significant number of young individuals nowadays is anorexia nervosa.
• Normal Dieting and Eating Disorders Healthy dieting behaviors are essential for people’s health and well-being. This paper discusses the difference between normal dieting and eating disorders.
• Anorexia Nervosa: Perspectives and Treatment The purpose of this paper is to review the causes of anorexia nervosa and to propose a treatment plan for patients experiencing this health problem.
• Anorexia Nervosa: Psychological and Physiological Therapy The design of therapy of anorexia nervosa needs to incorporate both psychological and biological components so the patient could resume proper dieting and gain weight.
• Inpatients’ Eating Disorders and Countermeasures This paper explores the efficacy of meal supervision, patient and nurse education as the tools for improving the efficacy of nutrition, and enhancing patient outcomes.
• Eating Disorders in Adolescents: Causes and Treatment People should have regular checkups for any disorders, especially when they start noticing body changes anytime they eat a certain type of food.
• Eating Disorders in Adult Population The major part of this paper is the design of the group proposal about group therapy and its application in the eating disorder in adult population.
• Theoretical and Methodological Considerations for Research on Eating Disorders and Gender
• Body Dissatisfaction and Eating Disorders
• Eating Disorders Among Different Cultures
• Causes, Effects, and Solutions to Eating Disorders
• Adonis Complex Eating Disorders
• Are Eating Disorders Really About Food
• Eating Disorders and the Treatment Applicable Effectiveness
• Linking Eating Disorders With Genetics
• Childhood Sexual Abuse and Eating Disorders
• Nutrition Intervention for Eating Disorders
• Photoshopping Images and How It Impacts Eating Disorders
• Eating Disorders and Its Effects on the Lives and Relationships
• The Correlation Between Social Media and The Development of Eating Disorders
• Eating Disorders Affecting American Women
• How And Why People Develop Eating Disorders
• Theories Behind Eating Disorders: Negative Impact on Young Youth
• Examining Eating Disorders and Social Learning Theory to Draw Useful Conclusions
• Hidden Eating Disorders During Bodybuilding
• Eating Disorders and Methods of Its Treatment
• The Relationship Between Ghrelin and Eating Disorders
• Body Image and Eating Disorders Among Young Ballerinas
• Eating Disorders Are Common Among American Children
• Fashion Triggers Eating Disorders
• Bulimia and Anorexia: The Dangers of Eating Disorders
• Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Eating Disorders
• The Three Major Eating Disorders in the United States
• Childhood Factors and Eating Disorders Symptoms
• Causes and Analysis of Eating Disorders and The Theory of Social Learning
• The Prevalence and Causes of Eating Disorders in the United States
• The Role Of Social Identity In Eating Disorder
• Why Do Athletes Struggle With Eating Disorders?
• What Is the Connection Between Body Image and Eating Disorders?
• Can Affirmations End Binge Eating Disorder?
• Do People With Eating Disorders See Themselves Differently?
• What Is Eating Disorder Most Common Among College Students?
• How Does Beauty Standards Cause Eating Disorders?
• Why Is Looking in the Mirror So Hard for People With Eating Disorders?
• Do Athletes Struggle With Eating Disorders?
• How Can a Patient Overcome an Eating Disorder?
• Which Personality Trait Is Linked to Eating Disorders?
• Can You Control if You Have an Eating Disorder?
• What Kinds of Medicine Are Helpful to Patients With Eating Disorders?
• Do Eating Disorders Have a Genetic Link?
• Which Eating Disorder Is Most Likely to Be Helped by Antidepressants?
• Can Perfectionism Translate Into Eating Disorder?
• What Interpersonal Factors Can Cause Eating Disorders?
• Is Clinical Depression Associated With Eating Disorders?
• What Are the Four Main Psychological Emotional States That Associated With Eating Disorders?
• Which Personality Type Is Most Likely to Have an Eating Disorder?
• Can Stress Cause Eating Disorders and Depression?
• Why Might There Be a Strong Connection Between Eating Disorders and Depression?
• Which Eating Disorder Has the Highest Mortality?
• Do Females Have the Same Rates of Eating Disorders as Males?
• What Is the Most Important Part of Treating Eating Disorders?
• How Does Social Media Influence the Prevalence of Eating Disorders?

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These essay examples and topics on Eating Disorders were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on June 21, 2024 .

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, discussing my eating disorder in college essays – too personal or potentially impactful.

Hey guys, so here's the thing – I’ve battled with an eating disorder, and it’s been a significant part of my high school experience. Should I write about overcoming this challenge in my essays, or would it be better to choose a less sensitive subject?

Your courage in facing and overcoming such a personal challenge is commendable. When choosing an essay topic, the key is to focus on how the experience has shaped you and enabled personal growth. If you believe that your journey with an eating disorder has been a transformational part of your high school experience and has changed you in a significant way, it is worth considering as an essay topic.

However, ensure that your narrative is one of resilience and that it showcases how this experience has helped you build up your strengths, rather than solely focusing on the struggle itself. For example, avoid graphic descriptions of what you dealt with, as they may be uncomfortable for admissions officers to read, especially if they have struggled with eating disorders themselves—remember, you never know who is going to be reading your essay.

Rather, focus on how overcoming the hardship of this experience has taught you important life skills, by talking about accomplishments or formative experiences that were enabled by the abilities you developed as a result of your struggle with your eating disorder. This approach will give colleges what they are interested in in any personal statement, which is your ability to persevere and how your experiences have prepared you for the challenges of college life.

In summary, this topic is not too personal if framed correctly. If you're wondering if your approach is working, you can always check out CollegeVine's free peer essay review service, or submit it to an expert advisor for a paid review. Since they don't know you, they can provide an objective perspective that will hopefully give you a sense of how an actual admissions officer would read you essay. Good luck!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

161 Eating Disorders Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best eating disorders topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on eating disorders, 💡 most interesting eating disorders topics to write about, 📃 simple & easy eating disorders essay titles, ⭐ good research topics about eating disorders, ❓ research questions about eating disorders.

• Minuchin Family Therapy of Eating Disorders It is for this reason that the family-based treatment was conceived and implemented to involve the family in the recovery of adolescents.
• Influence of Modelling in Teenager’s Eating Disorders The body types required for the models to have demand of them to maintain their body shape and sizes. The models influence on the teenagers is considered too great to cause eating disorders in them.
• Differential Diagnosis in a Patient: Anorexia Nervosa The first step is to avoid malingering and make sure that a patient is not pretending to be sick. Julia’s and the roommate’s stories are not contradictory; hence, it is safe to say that Julia […]
• Humanistic Therapy: Mental Disorder in Patient With Anorexia As the narration unravels, it becomes clear that the girl also shows signs of anorexia nervosa – a mental disorder distinguished by an unhealthy low weight and destructive dietary patterns. DSM-5 serves as the principal […]
• The Problem of Anorexia: “There Was a Girl” by Katy Waldman In her essay, the writer strives to embrace the concept of anorexia and explore the mindset that encourages the development of the specified disorder.
• Anorexia Nervosa in Psychological Point of View Anorexia nervosa is more common in the industrialized countries, where being thin is considered to be more attractive, and is more frequent in Whites than the nonwhite populations. In the age group of 10-14 years, […]
• Eating Disorders in the Military Exposure to trauma is frequently linked to the emergence of eating disorders. As a result, soldiers develop an eating disorder due to external factors, which affect their mental and physical health, but it remains one […]
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Eating Disorders Thus, first of all, to assess John’s current condition, several questions were asked to form an appropriate image of the problem, such as: When and why did you first start thinking about your weight and […]
• Bulimia Nervosa: The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Subsequently, the research hypothesis is the following: CBT is a more effective treatment intervention in terms of patient outcomes than psychoanalysis, DBT, and integrative therapy.
• Treatment Interventions for Bulimia Nervosa: Case Analysis The essence of the approach is to combat the lack of self-care of the patient, where the responsibility for progress lies with Rita.
• Anorexia as Social and Psychological Disease Many who were used to his weight knew, though Bob is not the most handsome, but a charming person, kind and friendly.
• Bulimia Nervosa: Treatment and Safety Measures It is important to know about related safety measures, considerations and medications and therefore outcomes of bulimic patients are more likely to be optimistic.
• Bulimia: A Severe Eating Disorder The main symptoms of bulimia include intermittent eating of enormous amounts of food to the point of stomach discomfort, abdominal pain, flatulence, constipation, and blood in the vomit due to irritation of the esophagus.
• Eating Disorders Among Medical Students Ehab and Walaa point out that for one-third of medical students, there is a risk of developing ED. Consequently, the problem of ED among medical students is urgent and requires attention.
• Adherence to Medical Advice in Patients With Bulimia Patients’ non-adherence to medical advice presents a common problem in the health care system. The use of health apps allows patients to overcome shame or guilt in eating disorder treatment, increasing adherence.
• Eating Disorders: Diagnosis and Treatment The idealization of an extremely skinny body in the fashion world, television, press, and social media resulted in the rise in the number of individuals with eating disorders.
• Bulimia in Teenagers: How to Make a Change This paper hypothesizes that to make a change a complex of psychological measures should be taken that includes the use of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, formation of the right attitude to food and body weight, and building […]
• Binge-Eating Disorder: Diagnosis and Treatment The second part of the case focuses on the empirically tested treatments for the diagnosed problem, justifying the choice of treatment for Alice with available clinical data.
• Eating Disorder Among Youth and Its Aspects It is due to the fact that often the above sociological factors cause the development of psychological issues, especially among young people.
• Anorexia Nervosa and Its Treatment Anorexia nervosa is a treatable eating disorder when people significantly limit the number of calories and types of foods they eat, which leads to excessive weight loss. The objectives of anorexia treatment include weight recovery, […]
• Predictors and Long-Term Health Outcomes of Eating Disorders The authors of the article Predictors and long-term health outcomes of eating disorders aimed to study this topic and bring new information into existing research.
• Emotional Eating in Eating Disorders: A Comprehensive Study Eating concerning adverse emotions and ED psychopathology. Analysis of emotional eating concerning under- and overeating is important.
• Mental Health Project: Binge-Eating Disorder The result was the start of the Binge-Eating Disorder Association, a non-profit organization. The main role of the organization was to advocate, support, and help the binge-eating disorder society.
• Bulimia Nervosa: A Literature Review With binging episodes being characterized by loss of control, some of the bulimic patients consume food they are not entitled to, worsening their relationship both with food and with their social circle. Purging behaviors lead […]
• Genetic Disorder: “A Genetic Link to Anorexia” The author effectively proves that the development of anorexia nervosa may occur not only due to the exposure to the social pressure of beauty standards, but also the presence of a genetic predisposition.
• Eating Disorders in Adolescents Thus, the purpose of the present paper is to dwell on the specifics of external factors causing the disorder as well as the ways to deal with this issue.
• Eating Disorders: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention An eating disorder is a mental illness that is primarily characterized by unhealthy eating habits. An individual either eats too much or too little.
• Eating Disorders: Types, Signs and Treatments Eating disorders encompass a wide variety of illnesses that are characterized by abnormal eating habits, obsession with body image, and sudden weight fluctuations.
• Lifestyle Impact on Eating Disorders In contemporary societies men have been socialized to believe they should have certain physical body structures that describe their masculinity; the fact is reinforced in the television and video programs, music, and the general societal.men […]
• Acculturation and Eating Disorders in Western Countries In one of the studies, the relationship between acculturation and eating disorders was found to be non-existent. As evident in the table, most of the researchers have noted that acculturation and eating disorders are strongly […]
• Eating Disorders in Male Adolescents: Understanding and Intervention The research indicates that the prevalence of eating disorders in the male population has increased in the recent years. This paper aims at reviewing available scientific literature on eating disorders in the male adolescent population […]
• Bulimia: Causes and Treatment Bulimia is an eating disorder which is portrayed by binging on food and subsequently vomiting in several attempts of purging.”removal of nutrients in form of purging entails forced vomiting, excessive exercise, laxative use, or fasting […]
• Controlling the Problem and the Treatment Anorexia Nervosa Finally, the paper will be looking at the possible measures of controlling the problem and the treatment of the victims. When female are in their teenage, most of them are affected by the problem of […]
• Regulation of Metabolism and Eating Disorders When a person feels full, hormones, such as cholecystokinin and peptide YY3 36, are released to promote the feeling of satiety and suppress the appetite.
• American Girls’ Eating Disorders and Change Action They will be also offered encouraging interviews with those who managed to overcome the problem of eating disorders including my sister.
• Daily Patterns of Anxiety in Anorexia Nervosa The researchers failed to indicate the distinct and important sections such as the study objectives and the significance of the study.
• Anorexia Nervosa and Life-Sustaining Treatment Therefore, the primary care for patients with anorexia nervosa requires administration of various dietary and mental medical interventions and a clear understanding of different concepts and ethical issues related to the treatment of the disorder.
• Media’s Role in Influencing Eating Disorders The media has distorted the issue of beauty to a point where beauty is no longer “in the eyes of the beholder” but on people’s body size.
• Anorexia Studies. “Thin” Documentary The nutrition of a single person has a strong cultural aspect, being influenced by traditions of a family circle and the whole nation.
• Concepts of Eating Disorders On the other hand, the quantity of food consumed does not determine satiety; rather, it is the quantities of nutrient consumed. In addition, the moving of lipid components into the duodenum helps individuals to reduce […]
• Eating Disorders: Anorexia and Bulimia Anorexia Nervosa is the disease in which the patient avoids eating because of the fear of getting fat. Bulimia Nervosa refers to the pattern of binge eating.
• The Anorexia Nervosa as a Mental Illness While tracing the history of the disease, many authors have come to the conclusion that the disease is to some extent due to the living styles that people have adopted over the years and also […]
• Impact of Advertising on Eating Disorders among University Students The study aimed at measured the self-image and the ideal self-image of the participants and correlated them with the participant’s tendency in associating with eating disorders, the exposure to media, and the desire of the […]
• Anorexia Nervosa: Medical Issues In response to this, the writer wishes to state that the purpose of this paper is to present a brief outline of anorexia and its causes to the millions of Americans out there without knowledge […]
• The Portrayal of Women With Anorexia Body image distortion, wherein the individual has an inaccurate perception of body shape and size is considered to be the cause of the intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat witnessed in individuals with […]
• Issue of Personal Concern: Eating Disorders Moreover, the lack of sufficient funding, insurance coverage, and outlets for people with eating disorders contribute to progressive development of anorexia, bulimia, and other health-related problems.
• Binge Eating Disorder Treatment: A Grounded Theory This disorder can be a chronic problem and is associated with negative consequences that may reduce the quality of life for the individuals who struggle with it.
• The Role of Family in Developing and Treating Anorexia The rest of the poem confused and inspired me as a reader because Smith, as well as millions of people around the globe, proved the impossibility to have one particular definition of anorexia in modern […]
• Eating Disorders & Cancer Screening: Comprehensive Approach In this scenario, I would analyze the patient’s family history of breast cancer and past biopsies, as well as evaluate the level of breast density before deciding on the screening method.
• Eating Disorders: Public Service Announcement Thus, seeking help and battling the disorder is a way to accept that all people were created by God and loved by Him regardless of how thin they are.
• “Skinny Boy: A Young Man’s Battle and Triumph Over Anorexia” by Gary A. Grahl Grahl suffered from anorexia in his youth, and the book is a memoir-like account of the event, serving to open the door to the psychology of the disease in the male populace a vulnerable population […]
• Anorexia Nervosa and Its Perception by Patients In the control group, 80 laymen and women were selected randomly to participate in the study and they completed a modified IPQ-R questionnaire to elicit their perceptions towards AN.
• Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and LGBTQ Suicide Awareness Concerning the format, the design of the poster is good and the words are readable. The colors and contrasts enhance the readability of the content and stress the key points, such as AN indicators, risk […]
• Eating Disorder Patient’s Assessment and Treatment I should explain to the patient the severity of eating disorders and their possible adverse influence on the patient’s health and life.
• Bulimia Nervosa and Antisocial Personality Disorder The patient said that his head is constantly aching, but the man avoids going to his doctor because he does not want to hear bad news about his health and does not want to cope […]
• Social Media Impact on Depression and Eating Disorder When they turn to the social media, they are bombarded with a lot of information that they cannot properly comprehend. In the social media, they get to understand that beauty is associated with one’s body […]
• Eating Disorder Screening and Treatment Plan The strong point of this article is the combination of the eating disorders and behavioral aspects of the problem as the mixture of the possible reasons for the psychological problem.
• Understanding Eating Disorders: Impact of Social and Cultural Factors Assessing the role of social and cultural factors in the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders involves the same processes as those used with other population disorders.
• Eating Disorders in Traditional and Social Media One can argue that traditional media, through the depiction of ED stories, started the discussion about mental health, introducing concepts of anorexia, bulimia, and other conditions, often described in a negative light due to the […]
• Addressing Eating Disorders: Urgent Measures Needed for Public Health The initiators made a petition to the representatives of the Senate and also appealed to the former head of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Anthropology: Anorexia and Idiopathic Seizures Considering the relation between this disease and cultural issues, it is possible to refer to life of people in society. It is essential to consider anorexia and idiopathic epilepsy from the point of view of […]
• Eating Disorders, Insomnia, and Schizophrenia Of course, this readiness does not exclude the necessity to identify such people and provide the necessary treatment to them, which is proved to be effective.
• Anorexia Nervosa: Diagnosis and Treatment in Psychotherapy In the meantime, it is, likewise, vital to determine the cause of the condition’s appearance and point out the necessary alterations.
• Controlling Eating Disorders It is important to manage these problems as they compromise the physical health of the individual. The individuals are usually disturbed by the size and shape of their body.
• Eating Disorders in Adolescent Girls This will involve making them appreciate their body the way they are and dispelling the idea that only thinness is a sign of beauty.
• Influence of Media on Anorexia As the children grow, they disregard big-bodied people, and try as much as possible to maintain a slim figure, as they see from the magazines and televisions.
• Psychological Factors Underlying Anorexia Nervosa The condition also occurs where individuals deny hunger as well as restrict energy and nutrients to levels that are minimal and inadequate to maintain the functioning of the normal body health and mass. In addition, […]
• The Problem of Anorexia in Modern American Society However, in spite of frightening statistics, nowadays many sufferers have a good chance to recover due to increasing number of programs and campaigns aimed at overcoming this disease. 7% – Hispanic people, and the rest […]
• Eating Disorder Prevention Programs Through the article, Stice and Shaw evaluated the current information on eating disorders based on risks and maintenance aspects rather than on a particular analysis.
• Gender and Demographic Aspects of Eating Disorders In the situation involving African American women, body image is much more of several factors that include how others react to them, comparisons of their bodies with those of the others in the same environment, […]
• Eating Disorders Among Teenage Girls According to recent research conducted, mass media has affected most teens negatively in the following ways: Media Version of physical beauty The teens are not mindful of the fact that the messages that they are […]
• The Eating Disorder – Anorexia Nervosa It is noted that majority of the people that suffer from anorexia disorder are those that suffer from low-self esteem. The eating disorder makes bodies of people suffering from Anorexia nervosa struggle to manage insufficient […]
• The Concept of Normality In Relation To Eating Disorders Among the dominant sociological understanding of normality that will be used to argue through the concept of eating disorders in this paper are the views such as; what is considered normal can be differentiated from […]
• Healthy Lifestyles in the Context of Anorexia and Obesity In addition, a thorough evaluation of one’s lifestyle is imperative so as to rectify that which is causing the anorexia. As discussed in this paper, it is clear that physical activity and a healthy balanced […]
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• Anorexia Nervosa: Signs, Effects and Therapies Nurses in the labor and delivery units need to be trained on the proper way of diagnosing and handling anorexia patients to reduce cases of infant mortality. A combination of medical attention and accommodating psychotherapy […]
• Treatments of Anorexia Nervosa Because the mortality rates and co-morbidity incidence of aneroxia nervosa remains critically high despite the array of various intervention strategies that are currently available to health professionals, it is justifiable to have a reassessment of […]
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Essay on Eating Disorder

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Eating disorders represent a complex intersection of psychological, physical, and social issues. They are not just about food but are serious mental health conditions. This essay aims to delve into the various aspects of eating disorders, exploring their types, causes, effects, and treatments, providing a comprehensive understanding for students and individuals keen on understanding this intricate topic.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions characterized by an unhealthy preoccupation with eating, exercise, and body weight or shape. They can have devastating physical and psychological consequences. The most common eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.

• Anorexia Nervosa: Anorexia is characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted body image, leading individuals to restrict their food intake drastically. This can result in severe malnutrition, physical health issues, and even life-threatening conditions.
• Bulimia Nervosa: Bulimia involves recurrent episodes of binge eating, followed by behaviors aimed at compensating for the excessive calorie intake, such as purging through vomiting, excessive exercise, or laxative use. This cycle of overeating and purging can have serious health consequences.
• Binge-Eating Disorder: Binge-eating disorder is marked by recurrent episodes of consuming large quantities of food in a short period, often without control. Unlike bulimia, individuals with this disorder do not engage in purging behaviors, which can lead to obesity and related health issues.
• Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID): ARFID is characterized by highly selective eating patterns, avoiding certain foods or food groups based on sensory issues, aversions, or limited interest in food. This disorder can result in nutritional deficiencies and impaired growth in children.
• Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders (OSFED): OSFED, previously known as EDNOS (Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified), includes a range of eating disorders that do not fit the strict criteria for anorexia, bulimia, or binge-eating disorder. It encompasses various disordered eating patterns.
• Night Eating Syndrome: Individuals with night eating syndrome consume a significant portion of their daily caloric intake during the nighttime. They may wake up to eat, often experiencing insomnia and emotional distress.
• Muscle Dysmorphia (Bigorexia): Muscle dysmorphia primarily affects men and is characterized by an obsessive desire to gain muscle mass and an intense fear of being inadequately muscular. It can lead to excessive exercise and supplement use.

Causes of Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are caused by a complex interplay of genetic, biological, behavioral, psychological, and social factors.

• Genetic Factors : Family and twin studies suggest a genetic predisposition to eating disorders.
• Psychological Factors : Low self-esteem, perfectionism, and impulsive behavior are commonly associated with eating disorders.
• Social Factors : Cultural pressures that glorify thinness and body shaming can trigger eating disorders.

Effects of Eating Disorders

The effects of eating disorders can be severe and far-reaching.

• Malnutrition: Eating disorders often lead to severe malnutrition, resulting in vitamin and mineral deficiencies, weakened immune system, and fragile bones.
• Gastrointestinal Issues: Individuals with eating disorders may experience digestive problems such as constipation, bloating, and acid reflux.
• Cardiovascular Problems: Heart complications, such as irregular heart rhythms, low blood pressure, and increased risk of heart attack, can occur.
• Dental Issues: Frequent vomiting associated with some eating disorders can lead to dental problems, including tooth decay and erosion.
• Hair and Skin Problems: Hair loss, brittle nails, and dry, discolored skin are common physical effects.
• Anxiety and Depression: Eating disorders are often co-occurring with anxiety and depression, exacerbating these mental health conditions.
• Obsessive Thoughts: Individuals with eating disorders may become obsessed with food, body size, and weight, leading to distressing and intrusive thoughts.
• Low Self-esteem: Persistent body dissatisfaction and distorted body image contribute to low self-esteem and poor self-worth.
• Social Isolation: Eating disorders can lead to social withdrawal, isolation, and strained relationships with friends and family.
• Emotional Instability: Mood swings, irritability, and emotional instability are common effects of eating disorders.
• Secrecy and Deception: Many individuals with eating disorders engage in secretive behaviors related to eating, hiding their disordered eating habits.
• Ritualistic Eating: Rigid food rituals and routines, such as eating specific foods in specific orders, are common among those with eating disorders.
• Excessive Exercise: Over-exercising is often seen in individuals with certain eating disorders, leading to physical strain and potential injuries.
• Food Hoarding or Bingeing: Some may hoard food or engage in secretive binge-eating episodes, followed by guilt and shame.
• Electrolyte Imbalance: Frequent purging behaviors (vomiting, laxative use) can disrupt electrolyte balance, leading to potentially life-threatening conditions like cardiac arrhythmias.
• Osteoporosis: Malnutrition can result in bone density loss, increasing the risk of fractures and osteoporosis.
• Lanugo Hair: Fine, downy hair growth on the body, known as lanugo, may develop in response to malnutrition.
• Organ Damage: Long-term consequences of eating disorders can include damage to vital organs, such as the liver and kidneys.
• Menstrual Irregularities: In females, eating disorders can lead to amenorrhea (absence of menstruation) or irregular menstrual cycles.
• Fertility Problems: Reduced fertility and complications during pregnancy may occur due to hormonal imbalances and nutritional deficiencies.

Treatment of Eating Disorders

Treating eating disorders generally involves a multidisciplinary approach, including medical care, nutritional counseling, and therapy.

• Medical Treatment : Focuses on addressing any immediate health risks.
• Nutritional Counseling : Helps in developing a healthy relationship with food.
• Psychotherapy : Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is particularly effective in treating eating disorders.

Coping Strategies and Support

• Support Groups : Sharing experiences with others facing similar challenges can be comforting.
• Healthy Lifestyle Choices : Engaging in regular physical activity and eating a balanced diet can improve mood and health.
• Professional Help : Seeking timely professional help is crucial for recovery.

In conclusion, Eating disorders are complex conditions that require a comprehensive understanding of their causes, effects, and treatment options. Awareness and education are key in preventing these disorders and encouraging those affected to seek help. As a community, it is vital to foster an environment where body positivity is embraced, and mental health is taken seriously.

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A Personal Narrative: My Eating Disorder Found Hope in Recovery

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Eating Disorders are a distorted perception of your body, one often caused by the unreasonable expectations women feel by society. Each image of a slender tall model seen on an advertisement impacts you. Social media influencers of beautiful women and the comments made by their followers impact you. In the back of your brain these cultural beauty standards make you question your self-worth. Am I good enough? Why don’t I look like that? These can slowly root and distort your concept of a perfect body, till it’s firmly a belief accepted and unquestioned, by you. Most women at some point feel like their body isn’t good enough. 

The contemporary disorder that I am focusing is Anorexia Nervosa. Anorexia Nervosa is starving yourself. It is a weight loss goal that when surpassed still continues. It is a need for control that slowly feeds on any part of who you were before it. These disorders become your identity, your desire, your passion. As it grows stronger you begin to hide behind it, isolating you from anyone who might ask if you need help. Ultimately leading the disorder as your only companion. 

Anorexia became mine. 

Although I had never been jealous of my best friends’ looks, I had secretly wished I was as small as her. When we ate junk food I felt resentment in the back of my mind, that I would gain weight, while she would remain the same. None the less, I was a 14-year-old girl, and my confidence wore thick. I was more than comfortable with my body, and how I looked, and yet before I knew it, in what felt like a single moment, I had forgotten was it was like to love myself.

I began to slowly walk down the staircase towards the living room where my mom was sitting watching tv on the couch with our golden retriever. She could tell I wanted something, which only made my tone less confident. Just say it, just say it, repeated in my head as I looked at her with blank stares.

I was able to mumble a few words, explaining that volleyball season made me want to eat more, and since it was over it had been hard for me to stop, I felt hungry all the time. My mother continued to look at me waiting to see what my drawn-out reasoning’s were about. I looked at the ground as I asked for diet pills shamefully. She reacted calmly, only wanting to know why diet and exercise wasn’t the best option. Inside I felt the confidence seep back into my bones and looked up at her explaining that it was only for me to get my cravings under control, and after a week or two I probably wouldn’t even need them. We went back and forth for a while until she agreed to at least go to the store and see what was available.

That night my mom came to my room and pulled out a bottle from a grocery bag and told to me they were only to help suppress my appetite. She told me to take them twice a day, for a couple weeks until I had it under control. I remained calm, but inside I felt powerful, like the world hadn’t truly seen what I was capable of yet.

So much so, I couldn’t sleep. I felt this intense urge to begin my diet immediately. I grabbed my computer and googled weight loss exercises, and quietly slipped out of my bed and started to do abs on my floor. I looked in the mirror. I wanted to remember exactly how I looked in this moment. I pictured myself five pounds lighter and started to smile.

The next morning, I woke up, rushed downstairs, grabbed my first diet pill and took it. I waited anxiously for 30 minutes, then grabbed my cereal. I couldn’t believe it; I had barely touched my bowl. After a few bites and I felt like throwing up. Usually, I was on my second helping. I grabbed the barely eaten bowl of special k chocolate delight and poured it down the sink. As I walked away an incredible rush of confidence flooded my body. I knew that I looked the same. I knew that I hadn’t lost any weight, yet it felt as if everything had already changed. It was like nothing I had ever experienced.

After a few weeks, I had shed off at least five pounds. I stood in my room, looking at myself in jeans that once struggled to get up to my waist and button now slip on, with a slightly loose waistline. Adrenaline swooped over my body with gratification filling every inch. I grabbed all my jeans from my closest. Each pair fit better than the last. I couldn’t get enough. I Imagined what the jeans would look like after another five pounds gone.

It was my little cousin’s birthday, and we were going out to eat for pizza. I begged my mom the night before to let me skip, but she said I had to go. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to see my family, because I did, but going to a pizza place felt like I was asking myself to gain weight.

I asked my mom to back me up if anyone asked if I wanted more than a salad, because I was still on my diet. It was the first time I hid my true feelings. It wasn’t just the desire to not eat pizza I was worried about; I was terrified to. I knew this was not a diet, because I had no intention of stopping at my goal weight, in fact it wasn’t just about the weight anymore. I was hooked on the control it gave me.

I began to feel anxious, praying nobody would say I looked good or skinny. I couldn’t have anyone asking questions that might lead to suspicion. Plus, it wasn’t their business, my eating disorder was personal, they weren’t allowed to have any part of it. Honestly, I had only lost seven pounds, which wasn’t much anyways. I felt ridiculous even worrying.

The salad bar had tones of options, I grabbed a bowl and filled it with lettuce to fill me up. I added a pinch of cheese and a few croutons. I decided to add a couple peanuts on top so the protein would help curb my appetite. I was barely taking my pills. My body got used to me eating so little it didn’t need them anymore. Which was great, because I could tell my mom I stopped using them.

As we ate, I looked around and felt sorry for them. If only they knew the intoxicating pleasure of refusing food. I was the lucky one, because I was able to see the gift of control while other people stuffed their faces with pizza. I knew they would never be as happy as me. How could they when they had no ability to stop eating whatever they wanted knowing the consequences.

I always spent a weekend during Christmas season at my grandma’s house with the rest of my family. The fear of family dinner had worsened since the birthday party, it now outweighed my desire to socialize. It was almost as if I felt a tattoo saying, I have an eating disorder but don’t want anyone to ask me about it, would somehow appear on my face the moment I arrived.

I instantly could feel the sensation of anxiety creep at every cell in my body as I entered the door. I was on constant look out to remain aware of everyone’s consumption and whether mine would stand out.

The night of Christmas dinner was the final stretch. After three long days of avoiding my family shoving Christmas cookies down my throat and asking me if I had enough to eat every 20 minutes, I was exhausted. As I helped myself to a dinner proportion of my acceptance, I felt every eyeball on me, I repeated in my head, it’s the last roadblock, then no more uncomfortable social interaction and back to focusing on my weight loss.

I felt like a criminal by not overindulging myself while everyone else did. I never realized how much food is around, it was like I couldn’t do anything without people wanting to gather around and stuff their faces in the highest calorie food they can find.

I had worked pretty hard to lose more weight before this cotillion dance, where all the 9th graders in school got together to learn dances. I bought a black dress with one strap, and dangle earrings to match. I wasn’t much for high heels but after seeing my legs look slimmer, I was more than convinced it was the right choice. My Mom helped me curl my hair, and for once in my life it actually stayed curled. I looked great and I felt even better. After my weekly self-weigh in I discovered I was down to 105. It wasn’t exactly my goal weight, but I had to give myself credit, I was two pounds away from losing 25 total since September. I can’t believe I ever let myself weigh that much; it was disgusting.

My mom took me to my friend’s where we started to take pictures, a lot of pictures. I was getting tired. I was happy my mom was there; I honestly didn’t want her to leave. Apart of me didn’t want to stay the night anymore, I liked being at home, playing games with my mom. It was the best way to make sure I never ate my food earlier then the set time. Plus, now that I was counting calories, it was harder to spend the night places.

Later at our sleepover I was lying in bed with my friend trying to sleep when my stomach started to growl. Luckily, she had already fallen asleep. I looked through my bag on the floor next to me and grabbed some peppermint gum to suppress my appetite. I felt homesick, why did I stay, I couldn’t wait for this nightmare to end. I never slept over at friends after that.

I was 101 pounds now and didn’t see myself ever stopping.

I was completely alone. Isolated by my own self destruction, I started to feel myself missing my old life. I wanted out, but if I leave who will be? A world where I wake up and eat whatever I want for breakfast? One where I no longer say no to sleepovers with my friends, not that we talk much anymore. Was it worth it? Losing every sense of who I once was, I had forgotten that guys even liked me yet my desire for flirting was depleted. My days were filled with fake surfaced level conversations with people that I wasn’t close with, because I didn’t have the energy to fake a smile for the friends, I used to have deep conversations and eat frozen blueberries out of giant container with. They just wouldn’t get it, and they never even asked. It felt like it was easier for everyone to pretend nothing had changed even as we continued to grow further apart. Each day I waited till I could go home and see my mom. The only one who did listen for hours about the same calories and the same dieting thoughts that continued to circle in my head 24/7. She did so with no complaint or judgement, her patience and ability to show complete strength amazed me, but she cried in the garage behind the closed doors of her car, because she knew I was lost, and felt no desire to change. I was okay with sacrificing friendships because losing weight gave me a high better than any closeness with a person. Except my mom.

My mom told me it was time to get help. I was fragile, the bones on my ribs felt like they would crumble with one touch. My mind was checked out, and I was a shell of a human. I had not cried in months, and conversations with anyone felt like a task, I just wanted to be alone. I really missed myself, the one who didn’t eat grapes at 11pm and look at Instagram judging girls who I once thought were skinny because I had passed their body weight long ago.

Even after rehab, I was not recovered, but I knew I could no longer go back to the girl who ate 400 calories a day. It took year for me to fully let it go. Years went by till I was able to embrace myself for who I am. It took that long to no longer look in a mirror only to see what needed to be fixed. It took that many years for me to not feel shame eating in front of people. Yet the part most don’t get is this disease is yours to carry for life. If you are stressed you want to fall back, if you get your heart broken, it screams at you to reunite itself and it would be so easy.

Present Day

I no longer feel afraid of the part my anorexia had in my life.

I no longer want to go back to a place of loneliness and isolated.

It gives me the strength to listen and be involved with organizations that allow me to be a beacon of hope for someone who might be feeling alone, just like I was. It's essential I use my experience to empower young individuals to be mindful of their self-care and to speak up when they begin to struggle.

It is nothing to be ashamed of and I want those who are struggling right this moment to know that you are not alone, and we are here to help you get the information and help you deserve.

It’s essential that we as individuals choose to let go of comparing ourselves to unrealistic body images that have been distorted and falsely claimed as real.

Not allowing yourself to see the beauty that is internal is depriving yourself of living the life that is your own.

Our bodies hold the beauty inside of us, not the other way around.

I was lucky to have someone on my team.

My mother was my small dim light that kept me alive when I no longer had the strength to feel what happiness was, and because of that I have felt unconditional love, and it gave me the power to love myself unconditionally. There is not a single thing that I could do to repay the humble role she kindly took on during that time, but what I can do is make an impact to change our perception on eating disorders.

Thanks to my anorexia hidden and dim inside me is now my powerful drive for prevention of this disease.

The more we stand in this power to stop this corrupted, deceitful lie from industries and corporations who see eating disorders as their price to pay for all the money, entertainment and jobs they provide.

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