Disordered eating involves a mental obsession about food, weight, diet, and body image. It affects our self-esteem and robs us of the quality of life that we deserve. We may become depressed, withdrawn, or anxious because of our eating patterns. It affects every area of our lives and our family’s lives.
There is a difference between unhealthy eating habits and disordered eating. A person with disordered eating is using food to cope with life. We overeat as a means to stuff down feelings or thoughts. We refrain from eating or go on a diet to feel in control. We may use the eating to avoid or block some painful part of our life.
Psychological factors that contribute to eating disorders include: low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, perfectionism, feelings of lack of control, inadequacy, loneliness, emptiness.
Situations that can set us up to develop eating disorders are limited coping skills to deal with feelings, denial of feelings, secrets, sexual abuse, excessive ridicule (real of perceived), unrealistic expectations for achievement, parental enmeshment, family disharmony or enmeshment, a cry for help, perfectionism, peer pressure.
Disordered eating has varied definitions and types. It is eating when you are not physically hungry and/or not stopping when you are full. It may result in excessive body fat. It is not necessarily apparent on the outside. We can be normal weight, but we know what we are doing to stay there. We may be bingeing, then starving or exercising excessively. We may use diet pills or other drastic measures. Labels associated with disordered eating are compulsive overeating, binge eating, anorexia, and bulimia (several types). We may go from one disorder to another and another.
Rebecca Cooper, MA, is the author of the Diets Don’t Work® disordered eating recovery program. For more information about her program or if you have missed part of the artical series, contact her at 800-BULIMIA or rebecca@DietsDontWork.org.
