The secret shame, self-loathing, and desperation is overwhelming for people suffering from an eating disorder. They are often stigmatized and judged as being weak or attention seeking but the truth is that eating disorders are a real, treatable condition often brought on by deep-rooted pain. At Los Angeles Christian Counseling, we are committed to helping sufferers overcome their disorder. Find the help, guidance and support that you need to overcome your illness and walk in the freedom that Jesus has promised.
Anorexia Nervosa
The eating disorder anorexia nervosa makes a person associate their sense of self-worth with how thin they are. This triggers an intense and irrational fear of gaining weight and often leads to extreme behaviors such as the refusal of food, excessive exercise, or controlling calories through consumption of diuretics, laxatives, or even by intentional vomiting after meals. People suffering from anorexia typically have an incorrect view of their weight, often believing that they are overweight even when others repeatedly assure them that they thinner than they should be. Christian counseling for eating disorders has a good track record of helping treat anorexia.
What are the Symptoms of Anorexia?
Physical symptoms of anorexia include extreme weight loss accompanied by emotional and behavioral symptoms that are expressed by a strong compulsion to keep body weight under control.
Physical symptoms include:
- Fatigue
- Extreme weight loss
- Low blood pressure
- Dizziness or fainting
- Hair loss or breakage
- Constipation
- Irregular heart rhythm
- Intolerance to cold
Emotional and behavioral symptoms include:
- Acute fear of gaining weight
- Fasting, dieting, and excessive exercise
- Extreme reduction of calorie intake
- Preoccupation with food
- Moodiness
- Depression
- Denial of hunger feelings
The Dangers of Anorexia
The eating disorder anorexia nervosa affects your mental and physical health and can be life-threatening. The continued refusal of food leads to a nutritional deficiency – nutrition that is necessary for the optimal functioning of the whole person.
Anorexia causes long-term damage to your heart. Continued starvation leads to irregular heart rhythms, fainting, and dizziness. Anorexia can also cause a low heart rate and low blood pressure, putting you at risk for heart failure.
It impacts the health of your bones and muscles, decreasing bone density which leads to brittle or fragile bones (osteoporosis) and causing muscle deterioration and weakness because they are not receiving the needed nutrients.
Anorexia makes your skin and hair weak. Poor nutrition leads to an increase in hair breakage and hair loss and fragile skin that is often dry and flaky.
It also depletes energy levels, causing you to become easily fatigued. It also lowers your core temperature. Because your body lacks the necessary layer of body fat for insulation, it is unable to properly regulate its own temperature. Consequently, you will acquire a sensitivity to cold which can lead to the growth of a downy hair all over your body and face (called lanugo) as your body attempts to keep itself warm.
Anorexia is a serious condition that should not be swept under the carpet. Often sufferers are quick to deny that they have anorexia and live in denial about how dangerous and destructive their behavior can be. Almost half of anorexia sufferers will also develop bulimia. If you suspect that you or a loved one may be struggling with anorexia, we urge you to seek professional help as soon as possible. Christian counseling for eating disorders can, along with medical intervention, help you to regain control, rebuild your health (both physical and mental) and address the root causes of your disorder.
Bulimia Nervosa
The eating disorder bulimia is characterized by overeating (binging) followed by induced vomiting (purging) in order to rid the body of the extra calories. This may also be accomplished through the use of enemas, diuretics, or laxatives. As with anorexia, bulimia sufferers are preoccupied with staying thin. One difference, however, is that bulimics tend to keep a healthy weight. Their normal appearance coupled with no visible food issues mean that bulimics can often successfully keep their condition hidden for many. Christian counseling for eating disorders can help you and offer hope if you, or someone you know, may be bulimic.
What are the Symptoms of Bulimia?
Bulimia nervosa is a grave condition that poses a significant health threat. The process of binging and purging has both physical and psychological symptoms.
Physical symptoms:
- Binge eating followed by purging
- Cheek and jaw swelling
- Call used knuckles and backs of hands
- Irregular bowel movements
- Discolored or stained teeth
Emotional and behavioral symptoms:
The Dangers of Bulimia
There are significant risks for bulimia sufferers. Without adequate nutrition, it is impossible for your body to function properly. In addition to poor nutrition, the associated behavior of bulimics also poses health risks. This includes induced vomiting, laxative abuse, and binge eating creating a set of wide-ranging issues.
Simply put, bulimia has a severe impact on your digestive system. The effects of bulimia are extensive, going far beyond a sore throat and stomach discomfort. Other dangerous effects on your digestive system include damage to your teeth, irritation or tearing of the esophagus, as well as heartburn and constipation to name a few.
Like anorexia, bulimia can also weaken your heart. Bulimics often suffer from low blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, and place themselves at high risk for heart failure. In addition, the force of vomiting may rupture blood vessels in the face, often most noticeable in the eyes.
Bulimia will cause damage to your skin and muscles. Through poor nutrition, your muscles are dehydrated and weakened. By regularly inducing vomiting, there is also often scarring damage caused to the hands due to contact with stomach acid.
Your ability to reproduce is impacted. Female bulimia sufferers often suffer from irregular menstrual cycles and have difficulty getting pregnant. If you are pregnant and bulimic there are serious health risks posed to both you and your unborn child.
Statistics show that around four percent of women in America have struggled with bulimia at one point or another. Of these sufferers, it is estimated that a further four percent die from complications related to bulimia. Don’t fight this alone. Los Angeles Christian counseling for eating disorders can help guide you into the light and freedom of Christ.
Binge Eating Disorder
Binge eating occurs when an individual regularly ingests food in much larger quantities than is normal within a given time frame. Chronic weekly binge eating for three consecutive months characterizes a binge eating disorder. Binge eating disorder sufferers have overwhelming feelings of shame for their behavior and consequently many choose to hide their disorder. People suffering from binge eating disorder improve with Christian counseling for eating disorders.
What are the Symptoms of a Binge Eating Disorder?
You might be suffering from a binge eating disorder if binge eating recurs frequently, typically followed by depression and shame. Binge eating carries with it many physical, emotional, and mental side-effects.
- Signs and symptoms of binge eating:
- Consuming immoderate amounts of food (usually within 2 hours)
- Choosing to eat in secret because of shame
- Feeling out of control of your eating
- Frequently eating to the point of discomfort
- Eating when you are not hungry
- Feeling disgusted, depressed and ashamed about your eating
- Frequent dieting without experiencing significant weight loss
- Chronic obesity and weight gain
Dangers of Binge Eating Disorder
There are many health issues associated with overeating. Chronic binge eaters overeat on a grand-scale which causes risky life-threatening conditions.
A binge eating disorder can lead to obesity. Two-thirds of binge eaters are obese and serious weight gain leads to many dangerous health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure.
Binge eating disorder can lead to heart disease. Because it has to work harder, an overweight person’s heart is unable to efficiently pump blood through the body and to the lungs, putting them at high risk for a heart attack or stroke.
Binge eating can also bring on diabetes. Chronic binge eaters are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes which has serious health implications, affecting the entire body, if not treated correctly.
The health implications of a binge eating disorder are serious and there is approximately three percent of U.S. adults who live with it. Of that three percent, almost half need professional treatment. If you suffer from a binge eating disorder, Los Angeles Christian counseling for eating disorders can help provide you with the solutions you need to achieve victory.