Eating disorders really are rampant in our society, yet few states in the nation currently have suitable programs or solutions to stop anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Only a few of schools and colleges have programs to inform our youth about the problems of eating disorders.
Even though eating disorders are so prevalant in our culture these days, they are simply still so misunderstood by the general public and by professionals alike.
Considering that eating disorders currently hold the highest mortality rate out of all of the mental disorders, the truth that they are still so confusing is really a sobering assumed.
So exactly what is an “eating disorder?” The medical definitions are listed down the left hand side. On the other hand, if you are a sufferer on your own, it is highly likely (whether you admit it or not) that you do not need a definition to tell you all is not well.
Personally, I hate the definitions simply because it makes it seem as though every sufferer is defined just by their symptoms, and it also gives for a stereotypical idea of what the eating disordered person is like, when infact the sufferers of eating disorders come from many different backgrounds and are all unique individuals. Having said that, the definitions are really there for the professionals to use.
Eating disorders are deep psychological disorders and are not at all vanity issues, as some would like to believe. Often the pain and suffering goes far further than anybody can see. Purging, binging, starving, the list goes on, are all symptoms of something far deeper, and these are often used as coping mechanisms for something else.
The eating disorder cycle becomes so addictive so quickly and takes over your entire life. It consumes you, it becomes you until you no longer know who you are.
Eating disorders are no fun, contrary to what some may say. Eating disorders are pure hell. Neither are they just a “silly diet” nor a “fad”. People DIE from ALL eating disorders and one important thing to remember is that YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE UNDERWEIGHT. That is such a common misconception amongst people, and one probably not helped by the media either. But people do die at any weight. Bulimia kills too and you do not have to have suffered for a long time.
