Common Types Of Eating Disorders

Overweight individuals are more at risk of health issues. These include high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. However, sometimes individuals can take eating healthy to the extreme. Many individuals suffer from eating disorders, which are recognized as mental illnesses. Eating disorders are not the same thing as trying to follow a healthy diet. Every eating disorder has been linked with serious health concerns, both physical as well as mental. There is also a high mortality rate with certain eating disorders.

This is why everyone with an eating disorder needs treatment. This often comes from an eating disorder recovery center or another acute center for eating disorders. Some patients may even find their doctors recommend online eating disorder therapy in addition to in-person visits. In all cases, however, it is important to know the common types of eating disorders.

Anorexia Nervosa

The most common type of eating disorder is called anorexia nervosa. Anorexia is the most physically recognizable eating disorder. This is because patients suffering from it often deal with extreme weight loss due to a distorted body image. That said, individuals with larger bodies can still have anorexia. This eating disorder typically first appears during an individual’s adolescence. Women are the most at risk of developing anorexia, though men can also suffer from it.

Iconic symptoms of anorexia include severe weight loss, fainting, constantly feeling cold, acid reflux, abdominal cramps, erosion of tooth enamel, brittle nails, thinning hair, yellow skin, and fine body hair. They will also often comment on feeling fat even if they are a healthy weight and have been losing weight recently. Refusing to eat in front of others and giving excuses such as they are not hungry or have already eaten is also common. When they do eat, they will have severe restrictions as to what they will eat. Anorexia patients also obsessively count calories.

Get the details on another common eating disorder that restricts food intake next.

Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder

Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, typically shortened to ARFID, is a newer eating disorder. However, it shares a serious similarity with anorexia: severe restrictions in food consumed. This is part of what makes it a common eating disorder. It is different, however, in that these patients are not concerned about being fat in the same way. This condition is much more than picky eating. Individuals who are simply picky eaters will get enough calories to maintain their body’s functions, but those with ARFID will not.

Individuals with avoidant restrictive food intake disorder will experience extreme weight loss. They will also deal with other physical symptoms, including constipation, fatigue, pain in their abdomen, and always feeling full around mealtimes with other individuals. They will not be interested in food, dress in baggy clothing, and the foods they allow themselves to consume will often become narrower as time passes.

Discover another common eating disorder now.

Bulimia Nervosa

Patients with bulimia nervosa are preoccupied with weight gain. However, instead of refusing food, bulimia patients will eat in front of others. They will also often eat a large amount of food with no control over doing so. This is known as binge eating. That said, after they eat food, they will head to the bathroom and purge what they have just eaten. They may misuse laxatives and diuretics to induce a bowel movement or vomiting. Manual purging by sticking a finger down the throat is also common.

Individuals with bulimia nervosa will erode their tooth enamel and deal with sensitive teeth due to vomiting. They will also experience weight fluctuations, dizziness, dry nails, and thinning hair. Behavioral symptoms of bulimia include drinking water excessively, frequently dieting, purchasing lots of laxatives, wearing baggy clothes, and always heading to the bathroom after eating. They may also chew high quantities of gum to mask the scent of vomit.

Continue reading to learn about a common eating disorder that is surprisingly life-threatening next.

Binge Eating Disorder

Binge eating disorder is best defined as repeatedly eating a significant amount of food in short periods. Patients will also feel out of control during these periods of binge eating. They will often feel guilt and shame after eating. However, it is important to note that this eating disorder does not involve purging after the episodes of binge eating.

Patients will often eat faster than normal and often until they are uncomfortably full when they suffer from binge eating disorder. They may not even start out hungry. Additionally, patients will often eat alone due to their feelings of shame and guilt. They will go on diets quite often, experience weight fluctuations, and have strict rules around eating. Individuals with binge eating disorder will also deal with constipation, abdominal cramps, and acid reflux.

The next eating disorder on this list involves eating items not considered real food.

Pica

Patients who suffer from pica feel like they have to eat inedible items. What they eat varies, but common items include paint, dirt, soap, hair, and even paper. The need to consume these inedible items must occur over a long time. It must also be noted that some cultures do say consuming certain items, such as clay, is medicinal. Thus, individuals with pica must not be a part of a culture that supports what they are eating. Additionally, a child putting something inedible into their mouth is a normal part of development. This is why children are not typically diagnosed with pica.

Get the details on an eating disorder that takes eating healthy to the extreme next.

Orthorexia

Orthorexia is not included in the DSM-5. However, more individuals are becoming aware of this eating disorder as time passes. It is only a matter of time before it is officially recognized. Orthorexia is an intense obsession with always eating healthy food. Occasionally being concerned about how healthy food is and what nutrients it contains is not an issue. What separates orthorexia from this is that individuals with this condition obsess over their food to the point of damaging their mental-well being.

Patients will continuously check ingredient lists and nutrition labels on foods. They will often cut out multiple food groups. They will deal with intense upset when their food is not as healthy as they would like it to be. They will follow multiple health food blogs as well.

The next common eating disorder involves food coming back up the esophagus.

Rumination Disorder

Individuals who regurgitate their food fairly regularly for at least a month are often diagnosed with rumination disorder. They may spit out the food they regurgitate. However, chewing and swallowing food again is also common. When individuals with rumination disorder regurgitate their food, they will do so without visible effort. They are also not normally disgusted or stressed about doing so. Rumination disorder patients may exhibit symptoms such as nausea, bad breath, and unexplained weight loss. They may also have pain in their abdomen that regurgitation relieves. To be diagnosed with rumination disorder, the regurgitation must not be connected with another eating disorder or medical condition.