Aimee Zink
For the Corvallis Clinic
National Eating Disorder Awareness Week is from Feb. 26 to March 4. With the hashtag #NEDAwareness, the National Eating Disorders Association hopes to help people understand the danger and prevalence of eating disorders throughout the United States. About 20 million women and 10 million men suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their life. These are extremely dangerous conditions, as they have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.
The main eating disorders are:
- Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by an extremely low intake of food, to the point where the individual becomes dangerously underweight.
- Binge Eating Disorder (BED), is characterized by episodes of eating a large amount of food at one time followed by intense feelings of guilt and shame. This is the most common eating disorder in the United States.
- Bulimia Nervosa takes binging one step further and includes “purging” after binge eating. This means expelling the food from their body either by using laxatives or by forcing themselves to vomit.
Warning Signs
The National Eating Disorders Association advises that the most important thing to keep an eye out for is change, such as a shift in someone’s attitudes and behaviors toward food or their body or both, a dramatic weight loss, or a sudden change in personality.
“People will often avoid social situations where food is involved,” added Laura Luczkiw (looch-Q), a dietician nutritionist at The Corvallis Clinic’s Weight Loss Center, who suffered from anorexia when she was a teenager.. Sufferers sometimes engage in food rituals, she says, such as cutting their food into tiny bites, hoarding food, or eating in secret. They may spend time staring in the mirror, searching for flaws, and show signs of extremely low self-esteem and distorted body image. Any of these signs could indicate an eating disorder.
What to Do
If you think you might have an eating disorder, Luczkiw advises that you reach out for help immediately. “When you realize that you might have a problem, that’s your opportunity, your open window. You’ll to want to hide into yourself quickly again. So get out there and tell someone that you need help.”
If you think a loved one might have an eating disorder, it’s important to express your concerns without delay. The earlier they get help, the more likely they will make a full recovery. Speak to your loved one in a loving and supportive way, but be prepared for a difficult conversation.
“When you talk to someone, remember that they are in a hard spot, and you never know when their heart will be open to talk about it,” says Luczkiw. “Be willing to know that you might not be received right away, but the person may still be thinking about it and chewing on it for a while.”
The National Eating Disorder Association runs a helpline at 1 (800) 931-2237 and have an online chat feature available.
Related story: Clinic dietitian inspired to help others from care she got an anorexia sufferer
