Eating disorders are still something of a taboo but they are also becoming more and more prevalent, particularly amongst young people. The most commonly diagnosed eating disorders include Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa and both conditions can have a very serious impact upon the health of those who suffer them, even ending in death in some cases. That is why it is so important that effective eating disorder treatment is sought as soon as the problem becomes apparent.
Common Symptoms
If you notice any of these symptoms in your children, friends or family members, then you should seek eating disorder treatment immediately:
Anorexia Symptoms
Weight loss
Refusal to eat
Loss of periods
Body image worries
Fear of gaining weight
Bingeing
Food limiting
Bulimia Nervosa Symptoms:
-Regular binge eating
-Purging food
-Use of laxatives
-Excessive exercise
Seeking Eating Disorder Treatment
If you notice any of these symptoms and become worried, you should encourage the person involved to seek eating disorder treatment. Your first port of call will usually be your GP who can help to diagnose an eating disorder and can talk through eating disorder treatment options with you.
May eating disorder sufferers benefit from a stay in an eating disorder treatment centre where they can be monitored by highly knowledgeable staff that has an experience in eating disorder treatment programs.
It is important that the root cause of an eating disorder is discovered if any progress is to be made and this means that psychiatric help is often a good idea. Counselling and cognitive behaviour therapy have been found to help those with eating disorders to get a much better perspective of food and their relationship with it but, it is by no means a miracle cure and depending on how severe an eating disorder is, more drastic measures may need to be taken.
Seek Help
If you have read this article and are worried that someone you know may be at risk, it would be a good idea to seek more information from a reputable source such as an eating disorder charity or a medical professional before taking further steps.
Care UK Eating Disorders Services are a team of specialists who provide eating disorder treatment in a friendly residential setting. They can help those struggling with eating disorders to overcome their illness.
