Eating disorders are characterized by an obsession with body weight and body image – and an overwhelming need to control eating habits. Young women, especially teenagers and college-aged women, are especially likely to develop an eating disorder – only about 5-10 percent of people with an eating disorder are men. Here are two of the most common types of eating disorders:

Anorexia nervosa

Usually, anorexia nervosa begins when a young woman goes on a diet to lose a few pounds. She starts to skip meals, and her “diet” spirals out of control – she becomes obsessed with weight, food and calories. Finally, she loses the ability to see herself as others see her – family and friends tell her she looks like a “skeleton,” but she still says she feels fat. Most people with anorexia honestly believe that their emaciated bodies and strange eating habits are normal – so the first step of treatment is to help them understand that they do have a problem.

Here are the main symptoms of anorexia nervosa:

• Emotional
  • Patient reports feeling fat although she's extremely thin
  • Weight of 85 percent or less than what is recommended for age and height
  • Preoccupation with food, calories and food preparation
  • Inabillity or unwillingness to deal with anger or anxiety
  • Bizarre rituals surrounding food or eating
• Physical
  • Menstrual periods stop
  • Pubic hair falls out
  • Patient is unusually sensitive to cold

Complications
Anorexia nervosa can cause serious physical complications, some of which are irreversible – including:

• Irregular heartbeat or cardiac arrest
• Kidney and liver damage
• Malnutrition
• Permanent loss of bone mass

Bulimia

Bulimia is an eating disorder characterized by “binging and purging.” People with this disorder eat excessive amounts of certain foods, often sweets, and then vomit, misuse laxatives or fast to get rid of the extra calories. Unlike people with anorexia, bulimia sufferers generally realize that their eating behavior isn’t normal – so they’re much more likely to seek treatment on their own.

Here are the symptoms of bulimia:

• Emotional
• Excessive fear of becoming fat
• Feeling out of control while eating
• Refusal to deal with emotions, especially anger
• Physical
• Binge eating
• Vomiting and/or misuse of laxatives
• Diets when not binging
• Usually, a normal body weight

Complications
Bulimia can lead to serious complications, including:

• Serious dental problems caused by repeated vomiting – stomach acids can destroy tooth enamel
• Rupture of esophagus and loss of muscle mass
• Disruption of body’s mineral balance
• Irregular heartbeat

Bulimia is usually treated with behavior modification techniques and psychotherapy. Sometimes, antidepressant medication is also used.