05/05/2025
Eating Disorders are serious mental health conditions marked by disturbed eating behaviors, distorted body image, and often severe physical and emotional consequences. They are not just about food—they are deeply connected to self-esteem, control, trauma, and emotional regulation.
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Major Types of Eating Disorders (DSM-5)
1. Anorexia Nervosa
• Core Features:
• Intense fear of gaining weight
• Restriction of food intake leading to significantly low body weight
• Distorted body image or denial of the seriousness of low weight
• Subtypes:
• Restricting type: weight loss through dieting or fasting
• Binge-eating/purging type: involves bingeing or purging (vomiting, laxatives)
2. Bulimia Nervosa
• Core Features:
• Recurrent binge eating (eating large amounts with a sense of loss of control)
• Compensatory behaviors (vomiting, fasting, excessive exercise)
• Binge-purge cycle occurs at least once a week for 3 months
• Usually normal or above-normal weight
3. Binge-Eating Disorder (BED)
• Core Features:
• Recurrent episodes of binge eating without compensatory behaviors
• Associated with distress, guilt, or shame
• Most common eating disorder and can lead to obesity
4. Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
• Core Features:
• Avoidance or restriction of food not related to body image
• Due to sensory sensitivity, fear of choking, or disinterest in eating
• Can result in weight loss, nutritional deficiencies, or feeding tube dependence
5. Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED)
• For those who do not meet full criteria for the above disorders but still have significant eating-related distress or impairment (e.g., atypical anorexia, purging disorder, night eating syndrome)
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Causes: Genetic or Environmental?
Both.
Genetic/Biological Factors:
• Family history of eating disorders, anxiety, or depression
• Neurochemical imbalances (e.g., serotonin, dopamine dysregulation)
• Personality traits (e.g., perfectionism, obsessionality)
Environmental/Psychosocial Factors:
• Cultural pressure for thinness or ideal body image
• Trauma, abuse, or early attachment disruptions
• Peer or parental criticism of appearance
• Dieting behavior in early adolescence
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Common Comorbidities
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• PTSD
• Borderline Personality Disorder
• Substance Use Disorders
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In short:
Eating disorders are life-threatening psychological conditions, not lifestyle choices. They are often driven by underlying emotional pain, distorted thinking, and a need for control, and require medical, nutritional, and psychological treatment.
