{"id":16270,"date":"2020-04-21T05:32:25","date_gmt":"2020-04-21T05:32:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=16270"},"modified":"2021-05-07T17:16:34","modified_gmt":"2021-05-07T17:16:34","slug":"14-common-causes-of-eating-disorder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-common-causes-of-eating-disorder\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Common Causes of Eating Disorder"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Eating disorders are very common but can be very dangerous. They can affect people of all ages and can come in many forms. The type of eating disorder a person has can determine the way they act about food and how much they eat. Some eating disorders involve eating too much food, some involve eating too much food and others involve eating too little food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people binge each, which means they eat a lot of food in a short amount of time and then choose to make themselves throw up so they don\u2019t absorb any of the calories. All eating disorders are dangerous and can result in permanent damage to major organs in the body. Most people require counseling or even inpatient treatment to get over an eating disorder. Knowing the cause of the eating disorder can help determine the right treatment or course of action. Here are 14 common causes of eating disorders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Family History Of Addiction<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People who have a family history of addiction are much more likely to develop an eating disorder than those who have no history of addiction. Many people who have eating disorders<\/a> actually have food addictions. Some have overcome other addictions and now use food as a coping method to help them avoid the other things they were addicted too. Food may seem like the safer option but if a person becomes addicted to food they may find a way to purge it. This can result in an eating disorder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people also deal with addiction by not eating at all. Starving themselves makes them feel a little more in control and this feeling becomes addicting itself they continue to start themselves so they can focus on feeling in control for longer periods of time. Eventually, they may stop eating at all or their eating disorder can lead to other addictions as they search for something that starvation no longer causes them to feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Family History Of Eating Disorders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Eating disorders can ruin a family. This can happen for several reasons. The person may have seen a family member going through an eating disorder and choose to mimic their behavior to get similar results, or they may simply be affected by the same neurological problems that affected the family members who suffered from the disorder before them. It can be particularly hard to treat people who have seen their family members suffer from eating disorders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They may be less likely to admit that they have a problem, or even more embarrassed about their problems. They may also refuse to take advice or help from family members or may even be in denial that they have a problem. Some people are so familiar with eating disorders that they just think it\u2019s normal to live that way and eat in such a way. In some cases, family members can attend therapy <\/a>together to deal with their eating disorders together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Emotional Disorders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Many people have emotional disorders and don\u2019t realize it. An emotional disorder<\/a> may be something as serious as depression or could just include mood swings. These changes in emotions and moods can lead to changes in the way they eat. Instead of eating a regular diet, they may eat more or less based on their mood. Those who eat less may eat an extremely small amount and those who overeat may purge or refuse to eat for days. While it is important to treat the eating disorder itself, it is also important to seek treatment for the emotional disorder that is the underlying cause. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people who suffer from eating disorders linked to emotional order may be less likely to see support. They may realize that they have a problem but fail to see its severity. Medication and counseling can help treat both problems. Many people who are able to overcome their emotional disorders or control them with medication, no longer feel the need to control their eating habits and are able to overcome their eating disorders much more easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Abuse<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People who have been abused are very likely to develop an eating disorder of some sort. There are many different types of abuse <\/a>and many people suffer abuse all their lives. They may be abused as children and even later be involved in adult relationships where the abuse continues. The longer the abuse goes on, the more at risk a person is for developing an eating disorder. Even those who were abused as young children may develop eating disorders later in life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eating disorders are linked to abuse because the abused person looks for a way to deal with the abuse and have some control in their life. They don\u2019t realize that their eating disorder is a form of abuse itself and instead see it as a way to gain some control over their bodies. Many people recover from eating disorders once the abuse stops. Others require therapy that can help them deal with both problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Family History Of Obesity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most people don\u2019t see a relation between obesity <\/a>and eating disorders. One involved overeating and another involves not eating enough. This isn\u2019t always the case. Obesity can be caused by an eating disorder, and people who have a history of obesity in their families may use eating disorders as a way to avoid the condition themselves. Some people binge eat because they crave food and want to eat a lot of it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once the binge is over they feel sad and ashamed at their actions and look for a way to purge the food and remove it from their body. Some people also see family members who are obese and want to do everything possible to not gain that much weight themselves. It can be hard to treat these people because they see obesity as the real sickness and problem and feel that what they are doing is helping to keep them healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Cultural Influences<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In many cultures, eating disorders are not only accepted, but they are also encouraged. Certain genders may be required to look a certain way and definitions and health and beauty <\/a>can also vary by culture. These are some of the hardest eating disorders to treat because these thoughts are ingrained in their beliefs and they may have a hard time understanding that they have a problem. It can take a lot of intervention and education to get people who believe that eating disorders are okay, to seek help. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In many cases, the person must become severely ill before they learn that their eating behaviors are the cause of the problem. They will require counseling and may even need to stay away from certain family members who force their cultural influences on the patient and actually encourage them to continue their eating disorders. Some people will never accept help and may struggle with eating disorder throughout their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Brain Abnormalities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some people who have eating disorders are also diagnosed with brain abnormalities. These abnormalities can range from minor to serious and can have a big impact on the types of food a person wants, and the amount of food they choose to eat. The brain <\/a>abnormalities can lead to eating disorders in a variety of different ways. They can cause a person to see themselves as overweight when they are actually underweight, or it can tell them they aren\u2019t hungry even when they are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain abnormalities can also cause a person to think that food is bad or can hurt them. They may not realize they have an eating disorder or see it as a bad thing. If the brain abnormalities are physical, surgery may be necessary. If it\u2019s psychological, it may be able to be treated with mediations or therapy. Many people are able to recover completely with proper treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Hormonal Abnormalities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your hormones <\/a>can have a big effect on your eating habits. When your hormone levels fluctuate, so can your cravings. Some people have severe hormonal fluctuations that make them more likely to have an eating disorder. Their hormones make them think they aren\u2019t hungry or can even convince them that they are overweight and shouldn\u2019t eat. Their hormones can also cause them to overheat which can result in them making themselves throw up or go long periods without eating. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hormonal abnormalities can be caused by different illnesses or diseases so it\u2019s important to find the underlying cause of the abnormalities before trying to treat the eating disorder. Once the hormone levels are back to normal, the person may be able to overcome the eating disorder on their own or with some therapy. Some people do require more treatment even after their hormones are normal again and may struggle with eating disorders for years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Social Economics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A person\u2019s social economics can determine if they are at risk for developing an eating disorder. The types of food available and the cost of food plays a role in how people eat. Some people develop eating disorders because they grew up with very little food and had to binge eat when food was available. They may also have gone many days without eating and be used to living their lives this way. It can be hard to break these habits <\/a>even when it becomes easier for them to obtain and afford food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In many cases, they will always have binging tendencies and will require therapy that will help them learn to eat smaller amounts of food more often so they don\u2019t have to binge or fast for long periods. While social economics do play a role, eating disorders can affect people from all social classes and can cause lasting problems for everyone who experiences them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Pica<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pica <\/a>is a disorder where a person craves things that aren\u2019t food or shouldn\u2019t be eaten. It is normally caused by a lack of a mineral or nutrient in the body, but it can also occur for no reason. It is common in pregnant women, but it can affect anyone. The types of things eaten with this eating disorder can range from eating laundry detergent to even rocks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can be extremely dangerous as the things the person is craving can be very harmful to the body. The person may even be aware that they are eating harmful things, but their cravings are so severe that they can\u2019t help it. Pica is treated by determining the underlying cause. If it is a vitamin or mineral deficiency, the person receives a strong dose of the vitamin they are lacking and may lose their cravings. Other causes may need to be treated with therapy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Bullying<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People who have been bullied about their weight are very likely to develop eating disorders. This is especially true for people who are overweight. This is common with young children and teenagers, but it can affect people of all ages. When a person is told that they are overweight <\/a>and bullied for their weight, it can cause them to have body image problems. They may see themselves as obese and take drastic measures to lose weight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They may not have any intention of developing an eating disorder in the process but may find that once they have started losing weight they want to keep it up. Many will resort to unhealthy methods of weight loss. Therapy and counseling are often needed to treat eating disorders caused by bullying. Many people do better when they leave the school or workplace where the bullying is occurring and many require inpatient treatment to get over their eating disorder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Response To Stress<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People react to stress differently. Some people cope with stress by eating and others do so by not eating. Many eating disorders are the result of stress<\/a>. Some people eat when they are stressed and later feel bad about it and purge. This can lead to the development of an eating disorder and many bad habits. While eliminating the cause of the stress can help, most people will always experience some type of stress in their lives and will continue to revert back to their coping methods, even if they are unhealthy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Successful treatment means helping the patient learn healthy coping methods. They learn to stop using food to deal with stress and learn how to handle it in other ways. Most people are able to recover from eating disorders caused by stress one they disconnect the two from each other and learn how to handle their situations in a healthy way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. Sports<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Certain sports require a certain body type and athletes will often do anything to obtain the perfect physique. They may resort to unhealthy methods of controlling their weight <\/a>including eating disorders. Many gymnasts, wrestlers, and dancers will starve themselves in order to look the part or to perform better. They may find that it works in the beginning, but after a while, it gets harder for them to lose weight and they have to resort to more extreme measures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some cases, they can\u2019t perform well because their bodies are denied food and nourishment that is needed to function. Athletes are often very good at hiding their eating disorders and many know that what they are doing is not right, but they are so happy with the results that they refuse to stop. It an take a lot of therapy and convincing to get athletes with an eating disorder to get the help they need. Recovery is possible once the athlete learns healthier ways to maintain their weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Obsessive-compulsive disorde<\/a>r is a need to control and repeat things. It can be mild or severe and extremely noticeable and mild and go undetected. Many people who have eating disorders also have obsessive-compulsive disorders. They need to control the food they eat and may count calories and even go as far as to measure their bowel movements to determine how much weight they have lost. Obsessive-compulsive disorder can be treated with therapy and in some cases, medication. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once the disorder is under control, those who suffer eating disorder as a result of it may also get under control. In some cases, people who have OCD and eating disorders will need to arrange for different types of therapy to help them overcome each problem separately. It is possible for people to overcome these types of eating disorders, but most will have to work hard and will struggle with OCD for much of their lives. It can be a constant battle and they will need a lot of support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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