Eating Disorders. Discussions Facts_& workshops
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Contents
Contents Introduction from Kerry What is an Eating Disorder? Workshop #1 - Mindmaps! Types of eating disorders Signs & symptoms Workshop #2 - How do you feel? Men and eating disorders How to approach someone with an eating disorder Facts and helplines
Hi! Im_Kerry I’m 23 years old and I am currently recovering from an eating disorder. Since 2010 I have had a personal struggle with mental illness and body image, which eventually developed into severe anorexia. In 2014 I visited a doctor, who sat me down and explained he believed I had an eating disorder and referred me to an eating disorder service in my local area. In September of 2014 my weight and health had reached a severe level and I was written off work in order for me to begin my recovery. I am now at a stage where I am healthier and managing to live my life to its fullest potential again and I believe I have managed to reach this stage due to early intervention within the most severe stages of my illness. I hope that by sharing some of the things I’ve learnt in this booklet, that young people will be encouraged to speak about topics that have previously been considered ‘taboo’. Hopefully this will help break down stigma and, in turn, reach out to those who feel they may be struggling to seek help sooner. As well as this I hope to give an insight into different aspects of eating disorders and the effect they have both on the individual suffering and those around them.
An eating disorder is not a term to describe a fussy eater. An eating disorder is a complex and often serious mental illness which affects the sufferer both physically and physiologically, and can be characterised by the abnormal eating habits of an individual. This can consist of many different habits such as: Bingeing This is when someone consumes a high number of calories and a large quantity of food within a short space of time. Bingeing within an eating disorder is not an ‘I’ve eaten a little bit too much chocolate tonight’ scenario; it is a frequent occurrence and is often carried out before engaging in purging. Purging Essentially when someone purposefully aims to rid their body of any calories or food they have consumed. Purging comes in all shapes and sizes (just like us humans) and can involve someone making they sick, using an excessive amount of laxatives or diuretics or misusing enemas. Starvation/fasting This one speaks for itself! Starvation and fasting come hand-in-hand and are the acts of a person skipping meals frequently which, as an eating disorder develops and becomes stronger, may lead to them being unable to eat at all. Over-exercising Similar to purging in the sense that the individual takes part in the activity as a way to control the amount of calories the body ‘absorbs’ by ‘burning it off’. Ritualistic eating habits These can show themselves in a number of ways and are similar to someone with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in that the person believes something bad will happen if the ritual is broken. In the case of an eating disorder, the individual usually believes they will become fat if the ritual is broken. The person may have to eat at certain times, stick to certain portion sizes, eat only certain types of food or eat in a particular way. The most common ritual surrounding eating disorders is extreme awareness of calories and excessively counting them. Ritualistic eating habits usually lead on to other habits as listed above.
*Information has been sourced from : b-eat.co.uk
What_is_an_Eating_Disorder?
Eating Disorders
Welcome to workshop one. Using this mind map, discuss the question: ‘What is an eating disorder?’ What words, thoughts, stereotypes and social understandings would you associate with ‘eating disorders’?
Mindmap
Bulimia
Binge Eating
‘Bulimia nervosa is when a person goes through periods of binge eating, followed by being deliberately sick or using laxatives to try and control their weight.’
‘Binge eating is when a person feels compelled to eat large amounts of food in a short space of time.’
Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa ‘Anorexia nervosa is when a person tries to keep their weight as low as possible, typically through starving themselves or exercising excessively.’
Eating disorders are often blamed on the social pressure to be thin, as young people in particular feel they should look a certain way. However, the causes are usually more complex. An eating disorder may be associated with biological, genetic or environmental factors combined with a particular event that triggers the disorder. There may also be other factors that maintain the illness. *Information has been sourced from : NHS.UK
Types_of_eating_disorders
Welcome to workshop two. Using this drawing of a person, note how you think eating disorders make people feel, both mentally and physically. Consider their thoughts, physical changes, male and female perspectives.
inside_out
“If I eat, I am weak”
Becoming increasingly agitated and irritable, especially around meal times. Lack of energy.
Rapid weight loss.
“I don’t deserve to eat”
Amenorrhea (Loss of monthlys in females) Sleep difficulties.
Stomach aches and cramps
Hair becoming dry and brittle, or beginning to fall out. Lips turning blue.
Becoming physically weaker.
“I don’t matter”
Wearing excessive layers of clothes, even when it’s warm outside. Looking pale.
Hands and feet turning blue.
Constipation and bloating.
Always feeling cold.
Signs_and_symptoms
“I will never be perfect”
Obsession over body image.
Increasing need to be in control.
Awareness of Calories and nutritional food.
Becoming withdrawn and secretive especially around meal times.
Low self esteem.
Obsession to become thin.
“I’m just fat, fat, fat...”
“I just WANT to tear my skin off”
Body Dysmorphia
Lying about wieght loss.
Over excercising, or becoming addicted to exercise.
Fear of becoming fat or overwieght.
Becoming afraid of certain food groups, or cutting them out of your diet.
Buying wieght loss tablets, laxatives, diuretics. “When will these voices leave me alone”
During my time battling an eating disorder, these are just some of the thoughts and feelings I had, some signs and symptoms have been sourced from b-eat.co.uk, as It may be different for other people.
Eating disorders are typically perceived to be conditions that only affect women – but this is far from true. Approximately 11 percent of people experiencing eating disorders are male. But the majority of men who have eating disorders struggle to get access to appropriate support and treatment. Therefore it is difficult to know how many men are actually affected by the conditions. Men get eating disorders too, this is a fact. The issue is under-represented, ignored or not considered, so one of the goals of this booklet is to raise awareness of this issue and campaign for more people, particularly men, to talk about eating disorders. Eating disorders can be a coping mechanism or an expression of underlying emotional stress – this is applicable to males as much as females. Any unresolved distress can be a risk factor in developing eating problems. In addition, there are a number of other risk factors that can contribute to an eating disorder developing: Men being overweight and/or teased about their size. Bullying seems to be a common experience for adults as well as children. They are dieting – one of the most powerful eating disorder triggers in both males and females and, in as much as 70 per cent of young people, will be dieting. They participate in the sport that demands a particular body shape (thin or big). Runners and jockeys are at higher risk of developing anorexia and bulimia, while footballers and weight lifters will focus on getting bigger (which can be known as ‘bigorexia’). They have a job or profession that demands thinness. Male models, actors, and entertainers seem to be at higher risk than the general population. There is debate as to why the gay and bisexual male community is at particular risk but this may be partly because they are judged on attractiveness in the same way that women are in the heterosexual community. Fear of coming out and worry about rejection is also a possibility. *Information sourced from : mengetedstoo.co.uk
Men_&_Eating_disorders
From my experience, talking to someone with or who you suspect may have an eating disorder can be a very sensitive subject. I can remember feeling very reluctant to speak about what was happening in my head, even when my habits were being pointed out to me, at least until I was a long way in to my recovery. I was very much in denial that I had a problem. To me, how I was living was normal. This is something that eating disorders, as an illness, can do to the individual suffering. Judgement of the reality of what is happening is often clouded. Below are different ways I found which aided in me in being able to come to terms with my problems and begin to accept the help that was being offered. Timing! Personally, I found that if someone tried to express their concerns, or begin to ask about my eating disorder when I already felt very tense, or was in a mood that revolved around negative feelings, the response I gave them was often not the most pleasant. However if someone approached me when I was in a calmer mood and when the environment we were in was much more private and peaceful I would find it easier to open up more. Patience! Patience to me was a very important aspect when being approached. There were many times when even though my mood had been ‘spot on’, I still struggled to speak about the problems I was experiencing, because of this I would often ignore the subject or lie about what was happenin. Eating disorders are complicated. Sometimes I felt ashamed and embarrassed, but also it was often shocking when someone would approach me and ask about my eating habits. Because of this I did feel that talking to someone, when they first began any conversation around the subject, to be very difficult. It would take me a fair amount of time to open up to them and explain. But as time went on, I would open up, if they allowed me the time I felt I needed, I needed to come to terms with my diagnosis myself. The people who pestered and asked repeatedly, in the beginning, hindered my recovery as my anorexic thoughts made me feel that I had something to prove to them by giving in to the voices. Manner! I’m not talking about someone minding their p’s and q’s around me, more so the way in which they approached me. If someone approached me in a loving and caring manner, instead of portraying that they were merely asking out of intrigue, or to be nosey, I would feel more comfortable. If the person talking to me was positive and respected my feelings it made me much more likely to open up to them.
How_to_talk_to_someone
Facts / It’s estimated that more than 725,000 people in the UK are affected by an eating disorder. / Eating disorders can affect anyone of any age, this includes reported cases of people as young as six and as old as 70. / The average duration of anorexia is suggested to be around eight years. Bulimia is five years. / Research has found that 20% of anorexia sufferers will die prematurely from their illness. Bulimia is also associated with severe medical complications, and binge eating disorder sufferers often experience the medical complications associated with obesity. In every case, eating disorders severely affect the quality of life of the sufferer and those that care for them. / Research suggests that around 46% of anorexia patients fully recover, a 33% improving and 20% remaining chronically ill. Similar research into bulimia suggests that 45% make a full recovery, 27% improve considerably and 23% suffer chronically. / The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence estimates around 11% of those affected by an eating disorder are male. *Information sourced from : b-eat.co.uk
Background image sourced from Flickr : Charlotte Astrid. CC 2.0 - Image was modified using various brush tools.
This booklet was created by Kerry, a Fixer from Nottingham who has suffered from eating disorders, and now wants to help those who are still suffering. This booklet has been produced with the help of Fixers, the campaign that gives young people a voice. These are the views / experiences / opinions of a young person and should not be relied on or substitute formal (medical or other) advice. --For more information, to seek help, or just talk to someone, please visit: b-eat.co.uk / 0345 634 1414 mind.org.uk / 0300 123 3393 eating-disorders.org.uk / 0845 838 2040 --For anyone suffering from a suspected eating disorder, your first port of call should always be your GP.