Eating Disorders are a set of illnesses having to do with the behavior of eating, food, and body image that negatively affect people both mentally and physically. One of the most challenging things to understand about eating disorders is that everyone is impacted differently and there is no standard set of symptoms and responses to treatment. While young people are more prone to developing eating disorders, likely due to various social factors such as familial pressure, an emphasis on body image on social media, and more; anyone can be diagnosed with one, regardless of background.
Some different types of EDs include Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, Rumination Disorder, and more. To provide a quick overview, Anorexia Nervosa is essentially when the individual has an immense fear of weight gain and constantly takes action to prevent that by disturbing their intake of energy. Bulimia Nervosa involves constant binge eating episodes, followed by harmful preventative measures against weight gain such as purging. Binge Eating Disorder is the occurrence of those episodes mentioned above, while Rumination Disorder is the constant regurgitation of food following consumption.
While there is a lot of stigma associated with mental health, eating disorders seem to have a unique kind of it. Perhaps one of the biggest contributions to the stigma surrounding eating disorders is the vast amount of misinformation surrounding them. Regarding this, AMSA member Hanna O-Lee said: "I think the biggest misinterpretation people have about eating disorders is that they can easily be solved by "eating more" or "eating less". It's a serious health issue that requires more medical attention than simply being told to change your diet. Moreover, I think a lot of people underestimate the serious impacts of eating disorders on the people who have them, and as a community, we should learn to recognize and respect eating disorders as much as we do for other major health issues so that people can be more comfortable seeking help and support when they need it."
It's is crucial to seek medical help if you or someone you know might be struggling with anything related to the subject of eating disorders. As always, mental health resources can be found when clicking on the Resources tab in the menu bar.
