Different Types of Eating Disorders

Bigorexia/Muscle Dysmorphia:-
is an eating disorder known as Bigorexia or Muscle Dysmorphia when a person constantly worries about being too small, weak and frail looking. Those with this bigorexia will not be really weak, frail or underdeveloped and will have typically muscle mass. Muscle dysmorphia is often found in body builders and frequent gym-goers. This kind of disorder is found mostly in men than in women. These people will be under the risk of using steroids and unhealthy over-eating.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD):-
is an eating disorder in which a person is extremely concerned with the outward appearance, and imagines severe flaws, or distortions, on the body. Mostly these flaws will be only slight imperfections or only imaginary. Flaws in the skin, hair and face are most common, although these “flaws” can appear anywhere in the body.

The ugliness felt by those with BDD draws them away from social situations that might draw attention to themselves. Body dysmorphic disorder is sometimes considered a ‘social phobia’ or a form of obsessive compulsive disorder. Those affected with this disorder are at an increased risk for depression and/or suicide.

Plastic surgery is also common among those with this disorder. The poor body image those with BDD suffer from is common in people with eating disorders. People with eating disorders will often seek eating disorder treatment at a local eating disorder residential center in hopes of recovery.

Orthorexia Nervosa:-
is an eating disorder in which a person is compulsively obsessed with eating pure and healthy food. This proper food might include organic or other packed food from health stores. Obsession over a perfect diet is sometimes so intense that when rules are broken, those with this disorder are forced to punish themselves, often by maintaining an even stricter diet or by unnecessary fasting.

Those with orthorexia nervosa obsess over what is eaten, how much of it is eaten and how it was prepared. This disorder is dangerous because the obsession with the “right” kinds of food takes over a person’s life, disabling them, and making life impossible to live due to the constant focus on food. In people with this kind of disorder, relationships, work, school and all other things of value will become unimportant and will be neglected.

Night Eating Syndrome:-
is an eating disorder in which a person will consume most of their calories in the evening hours. This will be due to lack of eating in the morning hours. Mostly the food eaten later in the evening or night, usually after dinner, will contain a lot of fat and sugar.

Sometimes, those with Night eating syndrome will get up in the middle of the night to eat. Insomnia and other sleeping problems will be associated with this disorder. Night eating syndrome is most common among overweight and obese people

Pica:-
is an eating disorder in which a person has a strong desire to eat, lick, or chew non-food items. These items will consist of:-

  • dirt,
  • paint chips,
  • rust,
  • glue,
  • fingernails,
  • hair,
  • chalk,
  • starch,
  • cigarette ashes, other ashes and
  • clay.

This disorder is common in pregnant women, small children and people with mineral deficiencies and those who do not get enough to eat.

Accidental poisoning is the biggest danger associated with pica. Other complications include:-

  • malnutrition,
  • damage to the teeth,
  • tears in the intestine lining,
  • infections,
  • constipation and
  • blockages in the digestive tract.Pica will be very much dangerous to the health of the patient like other eating disorders.

Prader-Willi Syndrome:-
is an eating disorder in which a person cannot stop from eating. The persons with this disorder will often steal, hide food or eat the pet’s food. The other common factors associated with this disorder are:

  • mental retardation,
  • friendliness,
  • lack of muscular tone,
  • obesity,
  • short stature,
  • incomplete sexual development and
  • a stubborn attitude.

The insatiable appetite of the persons with prader-willi syndrome is a congenital condition, present at birth, caused by an abnormality in the genes. This constant need for food is caused by a defect found in the hypothalamus, a part of the brain. This part of the brain determines the hunger of a person, and the person with this disorder will never achieve a state of complete fullness/satisfaction in eating.

Sleep Eating Disorder (SED-NOS)/Nocturnal Sleep-Eating Disorder:-
is an eating disorder in which a person will eat and sometimes prepare his/her own food, during the sleeping time or in a semi-conscious state. The patient will rarely remember that he/she has done so and will be embarrassed by the behavior. Sleep walking will be associated with this type of disorder.

This disorder is a combination of both a sleeping and eating disorder. Mostly this disorder will affect women and people who are overweight or obese. Foods typically eaten in these midnight binges are often high in fat and sugar. People with this disorder often find themselves tired the next morning with feelings of anxiousness, stress or anger.

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