Common Questions About Eating Disorders- Rosewood Ranch

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What triggers eating disorders?

• Eating disorders are complex diseases. Genetics
  and a family history of eating disorders,
  personality traits such as perfectionism, and
  psychological factors such as depression,
  anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and trauma
  are all associated with eating disorders. Other
  research indicates that some people with eating
  disorders have abnormalities in brain chemicals
  that regulate mood, stress, and appetite.
• Social factors contribute as well. Research shows
  that major life changes starting a new school,
  moving, family problems, relationship break-ups
  or the death of a loved one, may trigger eating
  disorders or make mild symptoms worse.

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Im worried someone I care about has anorexia.
How can I tell if its just normal weight loss or
if they need help?

• Anorexia has behavioral and emotional components,
  including dramatic weight loss, trying to hide
  weight loss, preoccupation with weight, food,
  calories or dieting, refusing to eat certain
  foods or whole categories of food, maintaining a
  rigid exercise routine and developing rituals
  around food (such as insisting on eating foods in
  a certain order).
• Anorexia can also impact how people interact with
  their friends and loved ones. Irritability,
  depression, not wanting to eat in public,
  frequently looking in the mirror to look for
  perceived flaws and social withdrawal or loss of
  interest in activities once enjoyed could mean
  someone is suffering with anorexia.

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My teenager is acting very secretive and
withdrawn, and seems to be spending a lot of time
in the bathroom with the water running. Could it
be bulimia?

• People with bulimia are typically found out when
  their loved ones detect self-induced vomiting
  because of sights, sounds or smells. Clues that a
  person may have bulimia include frequently going
  to the bathroom during meals or right after
  eating, flushing the toilet multiple times,
  running tap water or the shower while in the
  bathroom to disguise the sound of vomiting,
  taking more than one shower a day to provide an
  opportunity to purge, using a lot of mouthwash or
  breath mints to hide the smell, and a raspy or
  scratchy voice.
• Although harder for friends and family to notice,
  medical professionals may also spot damaged teeth
  and gums, swollen salivary glands in the cheeks,
  and sores in the throat and mouth. People with
  bulimia may also misuse laxatives, which they
  mistakenly believe will flush calories from the
  body, or ipecac syrup to induce vomiting. (Ipecac
  is intended to be taken after suspected
  poisoning.)

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There are times that I feel out of control around
food, and terribly guilty after Ive overeaten.
Do I have binge eating disorder?

• When people binge eat, they typically eat large
  amounts of food, rapidly, and continue even when
  full. They may eat alone, hoard food, or hide
  boxes and wrappers. After a binge, people often
  feel disgusted or ashamed by their behavior.
  People who binge eat may go on and off diets and
  go up and down in weight. Low self-esteem, social
  withdrawal and depression may also accompany
  binge eating disorder.

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Can people have more than one eating disorder at
the same time?

• Eating disorder symptoms dont always fit neatly
  into one category. For example, some people with
  anorexia also purge. Some people with bulimia may
  also exercise excessively to control their
  weight. Others may alternate between anorexia and
  bulimia. People with bulimia may also binge eat.
• The important thing to understand is that the
  behaviors associated with eating disorders are
  often a manifestation of emotional issues. If
  someone is struggling with food, eating, body
  image, self-esteem, excessive exercise or other
  aspects of their mental health, they should
  receive help.

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Can You Tell by Looking at Someone That They Have
an Eating Disorder?

• Often you cant. People with eating disorders may
  be a normal weight or look healthy. Their
  appearance may not match the anxiety around food
  and eating they feel inside. People with eating
  disorders also often have a distorted body image.
  To an outsider, they look perfectly fine. Yet
  inside the person is preoccupied with their
  physical appearance, to the point that it is
  crowding out other thoughts.

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Can Eating Disorders be Cured?

• Eating disorders can be cured, in that people can
  fully recover and their eating disorder behaviors
  may never reoccur. Those individuals have not
  only returned to balanced eating and a healthy
  relationship with food, but they have also
  developed a positive body image, learned
  effective coping skills to deal with stress or
  anxiety, and moved past the feelings, experiences
  and fears that contributed to the problem.
• In some people, however, even if they are no
  longer actively engaging in eating disorders
  behaviors, continue to have eating disorder
  thoughts creep in. In recovery, they have to pay
  close attention to their physical health and
  their mental health to avoid slipping back into
  dangerous habits. To help these individuals stay
  on track, ongoing therapy, connection with their
  therapeutic team and community-based support are
  crucial. Rosewood has a strong alumni program
  made of up people from all over the United States
  who get together to provide that companionship
  and encouragement to one other.

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Who is Vulnerable to Eating Disorders?

• People of any age, including boys, girls, men and
  women. The media tends to focus on adolescent
  girls and young women with eating disorders. As a
  group, they do tend to have higher rates of
  eating disorders. But about 15 of our patients
  at Rosewood are men and boys, a number that has
  steadily risen.
• Members of the LGBTQ community are also
  vulnerable to eating disorders. Struggles with
  coming out, gender expression and school or
  workplace bullying are thought to be contributing
  factors. These experiences can lead anxiety,
  depression, low self-esteem and trauma-related
  issues, which are known to be associated with the
  development of eating disorders.

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How Can I talk to Someone If I Suspect They Have
an Eating Disorder?

• Being confronted about an eating disorder can be
  difficult for someone to hear. Choose a time when
  you can speak privately, when youre calm and
  when your family member or friend isnt overly
  stressed. Explain your concern and give examples
  of specific situations and behaviors that worry
  you. Dont take it personally if the person you
  care about lies about their behavior or becomes
  defensive. This is a very common reaction. Being
  found out may feel threatening to them. Be
  patient, and supportive, and let them know help
  is available.

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• If you have more questions about eating
  disorders, contact Rosewood at 844-335-0871. We
  can provide information about eating disorders,
  advice on next steps and a confidential
  consultation.