Eating disorders are not simple and straight forward issues and in most cases they are the results of serious mental health problems. In an bid to improve upon the comprehension of the aforementioned conditions, there is a need to investigate the manner in which mental health relates to the formation and preservation of eating disorders. Furthermore, the emphasis should be made on the significance of combined approaches to treatment, which can shed light on the road of recovery among the people who need it.
Eating disorder is a severe issue of mental health which involves abnormal or unhealthy eating behavior. It may entail severe eating, dietary, weight, and body image related behaviors that usually cause physical and emotional damage. Typical forms are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and Binge eating disorder.
Interaction of Mental health and Eating Disorders
The relationship between mental health and eating disorder has been so intertwined. This coexistence normally complicates diagnosis and treatment as one disease may cover or exaggerate another. It has always been established that victims of eating disorders tend to have a co-exist condition regarding mental health that may include:
Anxiety disorders, which include extreme feelings of concern and fear, cause many individuals with eating disorders and are usually caused by food, a physical image, or social circumstances. Such worries may cause restrictive/ compulsive behaviour. Another frequent co-occurrence is depression, whose symptoms include low energy levels, hopelessness, as well as negative self report. This gives a cyclic effect where eating disorders exacerbates the symptoms of depression and vice versa. Eating disorders often become obsessive compulsive in nature where the person dwells upon obsessive thoughts about the food and body weight and exhibit compulsive behaviors such as over eating or exercise and food restriction.
Contributing Factors
To realize the origins of eating disorders, as well as the association of eating disorders with mental health disorders, it is important to consider numerous factors. With the help of understanding these factors health professionals and educators are able to stop at risk individuals early and give them the help they need. These include:
- Genetics: Scientific studies have discovered that there are genetic dispositions, which can expose one to be more susceptible to either mental disorders or an eating disorder.
- Individual Factor: Stress, trauma, and family matters are among the environmental factors that cause the onset of disordered eating. As an example, it is usually more dangerous to people who had to deal with adversity at childhood.
- Societal Pressures: High beauty standards with unrealistic expectations which are promoted through media and societal subjects or norms most times cause insecurities especially upon the youth. This might result into inferior body image, self esteem, and in extreme cases disordered eating behavior.
The Body Image and Self-Esteem Role
Disordered eating habits are usually caused by negative body image and low self-esteem. The reasons would vary but most people with eating disorders describe and express a certain disappointment about their physical appearance and in a bid to attain the ideal beauty; weight can be dramatically cut by starving, endlessly overeating, or vomiting. Internal and external criticisms combine with that dissatisfaction. Most of the time people live with residual feelings of inadequacy or judgment in which case this just adds to their disorderly behavior. It is important to reduce such underlying problems in order to develop a healthy relationship towards food and their bodies.
Combined Treatment Methods
Mental health problems and eating disorders go hand in hand hence requiring the two to be handled during treatment. Holistic treatment with attention given to physical and psychological parts of such conditions is the most effective one. These important parts are:
- Early Intervention: It is always best to have an eating disorder and co-occurring mental health condition diagnosed earlier so there is a high success of recovery.
- Multidisciplinary Teams: This is a special team that works well together and aims to design an individualized treatment program as it involves a therapist, a dietitian, a medical doctor and a psychiatrist.
- Holistic Care: Effective treatment should be more than just symptoms where care should focus on the relationship one has to food and self-esteem, as well other close support people.
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: An evidence-based method, the focus of this therapy is distorted thinking patterns, which contribute to disordered eating, and gives people the opportunity to exchange unhealthy behaviors with healthier behaviors.
Moving Forward
The relationship between eating disorders and mental health shows that it is critical to look at mental issues as whole. In a patient, the health professional, the educator or the lay person, it is imperative to comprehend this interplay as a means of supporting the patient and eliminating stigma. When something may sour behind your back or that of a friend, the natural or initial direction to take is contacting the authorities to give a helping hand. Diagnosis, along with inbuilt caring care, may make a difference.
