The biggest myth surrounding eating disorders is that it happens to wealthy women of Western Countries and the condition is not related to mental illness. The myth buster – eating disorders affect people of all ages, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities, income levels, and countries of origin.
Eating disorders like anorexia nervosa [a serious eating disorder characterised by severe weight loss, difficulty maintaining appropriate body weight, and often poor body image] and bulimia nervosa [another serious eating disorder characterised by cycles of binge eating and compensatory, purgative behaviour like vomiting] are widely misunderstood; especially in the Indian context. Previously thought to be a “culture-bound syndrome” limited to Western populations, recent research now points to the prevalence of eating disorders in non-Western populations as well.
Reliable studies on eating disorders in India are scarce, however, and because of this, misconceptions abound. Many men out there are suffering from an eating disorder too. However, because of our cultural misunderstandings around how they affect people, many men go without treatment — their struggles unnoticed. During times of COVID-19, the lockdown has only furthered the vulnerability of those with eating disorders, say medical professionals.
It’s not easy for a family member to realise that their loved ones suffer from eating disorder. A story of a young girl will make us aware of the condition that lies at the underbelly of eating disorders.
Radha (name changed) a 15-year-old-girl wrote in her diary “Dear diary, Today, my sister celebrated her 17th birthday. She looked perfect, like an angel. I wish I did too but my cousin keeps telling me that I am not as pretty as my didi. I feel bad. I want to look pretty too. I ate six pastries today but I was scared that I might gain weight … so, I vomited…’
Out of competition to look better than her sister she began finding comfort in secretly binging on food. “I used to consume excessive amounts of food of all kinds. Especially the ones that were fried, cheesy, and high on sugar. I wasn’t gaining weight despite my excessive eating. But the reality was different. I had lost control of how much I was eating and to avoid the extra calories, I used to purge as soon as I stuffed myself with food,” recalls Radha, who was diagnosed with bulimia nervosa, an eating disorder involving excessive eating and purging.
Now, four years of treatment, therapy and counselling later, Radha has been able to, if not bid adieu to the condition, keep it under control.
Binge-eating disorder, on the other hand, is an eating disorder in which you frequently consume unusually large amounts of food and feel unable to stop eating. Almost everyone overeats on occasion, birthdays or parties. But for some people, excessive overeating that feels out of control and becomes a regular occurrence crosses the line to binge-eating disorder. When you have binge-eating disorder, you may be embarrassed about overeating and vow to stop. But you feel such a compulsion that you can’t resist the urges and continue binge eating.
Eating disorders usually begin as an emotional health problem, snowballing into mental health illnesses with alarming implications on one’s physical well-being. An eating disorder is caused by a complex interplay of genetic, biological, sociocultural, environmental and psychological factors. An eating disorder is characterized by extreme emotions, thoughts and behaviours around food and weight. Often, individuals with an eating disorder display an intense preoccupation with food or weight, and base their self-worth almost entirely on their shape, weight and their ability to control it. Genetic and biological factors are beyond anyone’s control, and psychological factors require professional therapy to address.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF AN EATING DISORDER?
- Intrusive thoughts of food or negative body image.
- Trouble having meals with others.
- Feeling guilty for being hungry.
- Hiding food at strange places.
- Dysfunctional pattern between eating and emotions.
- Difficulty functioning or concentrating on a daily basis.
If you are suffering from an eating disorder…Be your own cheerleader and keep motivating yourself to start a new journey of transformation.
References
- https://www.awakeningstreatment.com/blog/eating-disorders-considered-mental-illnesses/
- https://kids.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frym.2020.545034
- https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/fitness/the-truth-about-eating-disorders/article30622662.ece
- https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2020/dec/16/taking-a-bite-off-eating-disorders-2236795.html
- https://theswaddle.com/cultural-risk-factors-of-eating-disorders-in-india/
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/binge-eating-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353627