Integritus Prime

It is generally true that eating disorders do not come out of nowhere; most times it is related to some sort of trauma (a distressing and disturbing experience that lingers). The common types of serious eating disorders are bulimia, anorexia and binge eating. In our Beyond Medicine: Food and Trauma series we had a conversation regarding this situation.

First, let’s look at some simple definitions of these conditions:

• Bulimia is a condition where large amounts of food are consumed, maybe even secretly, and then purging (induced vomiting or diarrhea) is initiated to avoid putting on weight. Sometimes going on a very strict diet, fasting for long periods or starving occurs in this condition as well.
• Anorexia Nervosa is a condition where there is severe restriction of food intake that could lead to unhealthy loss of body weight and other health problems, like malnutrition.
• Binge eating is where a large amount of food is consumed often and over a short period of time. There seems to be an inability to stop eating.

These three eating disorders are related to trauma. There may be other causes of eating disorders such as physical diseases, mental disorders, intake of certain medications and/or drugs, emotional and behavioral triggers. However, many times it is related to trauma which could be in the form of body shaming, neglect, physical or sexual abuse, peer pressure to be a certain weight or body type, low self-esteem, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other mental disorders leading to self harm.

The holiday season can be a trigger, as people may feel pressure to be romantically partnered or physically attractive during the festive season. In many families, holiday occasions can be fraught with animosity, which could worsen these conditions.

So, the act of purging may represent getting rid of these negative emotions and a rejection of the self and one’s wellbeing. Over-eating could be to fill a void or attract attention, to subconsciously protect the self, or striving to gain approval of a loved one, or as a oping mechanism for anxiety.

To successfully treat eating disorders, there is a need to find the root cause:

Approximately one-third of women with bulimia, 20% with binge eating disorder and 11.8% with non-bulimic/non binge eating disorders met criteria for lifetime PTSD. Overall, the most significant finding was that rates of eating disorders were generally higher in people who experienced trauma and PTSD (Mitchell et al. 2012).

National Eating Disorders Association

Referring people for coaching or counseling may help avert or heal these life threatening conditions.

Share with us your experience with people who face eating disorders.