The 2016 Baltimore Eating Disorder Symposium: A Wakeup Call

Dustin Forte

 |  Dec 13, 2018

Events like the 2016 Baltimore Eating Disorder Symposium are a sign that people are beginning to be aware of the dangers of suffering from an eating problem, and they want to either prevent themselves from having it or cure themselves of it.

A knowledge and understanding of the definition and types of eating disorders are essential in being able to grasp the importance of healthy eating. Anyone can be affected by these disorders, but statistics have it that women are more inclined to succumb to an eating problem compared to the men.

Source: Pixabay.com

Bulimia And Anorexia

People with bulimia nervosa, which is described as bouts of purging, binge eating, over-exercising, and using laxatives, have insecurity and confidence issues. They feel that they need to do these things to make them feel better.

Those with anorexia nervosa, on the other hand, always feel and look at themselves as fat – even obese – despite their very small body frames. They also over-exercise but unlike bulimia, they don’t eat too much. Instead, they don’t eat at all.

These common characteristics of only two of the most common eating disorders are what will lead affected individuals to severe health conditions and even to their death.

Other equally crucial symptoms that one should look out for are:

• Mood changes
• Digestion problems
• Worry, anxiety, and depression
• Avoids social events or even family affairs
• Irregular menstrual cycle for women
• Abrupt weight loss or weight gain

Source: Commons.wikimedia.org

Seeking Help For Your Eating Disorder

Admitting that you have an eating disorder is not an easy thing to do, but the first step is confiding this to your doctor. Perhaps you could bring along a family member or a close friend to make things easier for you. The most important thing is that you are willing to follow your doctor’s advice, slowly but surely.

Perhaps you can educate yourself on the basics of eating disorders, including the other symptoms and of course the potential side effects their complications. Joining symposiums like the one …

Traveling To Beat Eating Disorders

Dustin Forte

 |  Nov 9, 2018

Source: picserver.org

Travelers have various reasons why they want to see the world. For some, they seek knowledge. For others, it’s to find a network of friends for an advocacy or goal to accomplish in life. For me, I traveled to help myself recover from my eating disorder.

But let me tell you a very important thing. I didn’t find traveling abroad effective when I wasn’t receiving any formal treatment yet. You need to have had a course of treatment and on your way to recovery for traveling to be able to work.

Why Did Travel Not Work For Me When My Eating Disorder Was On Its Acute And Booming State?

Health experts explain that when you have just been diagnosed with an eating disorder and are not getting any treatment, the mental, emotional and physical risks will certainly outweigh the benefits of traveling.

Source: flickr.com

In the thick of my ED, I was incapable of controlling the symptoms despite the travel. I was still bingeing and purging, which is why I can testify that traveling is not the best solution. The only thing I got from my first attempt to travel with my ED was bad memories that overshadowed the benefits of traveling.

When Did I Finally Reap The Healing Benefits Of Travel?

My therapist handed me a checklist after two months of treatment that included counseling and medications. The checklist contained these questions:

Are you able to control your symptoms?

Does the thought of traveling excite you or does it make you feel anxious and afraid?

Am I physically and mentally stable?

Now, when you answer these questions, try to be as honest as you can be to yourself. That’s what the therapist told me, and when I did, that was when I realized that I wasn’t very much excited to travel for a while, not until I was confident enough, like a month after that. I did several types of therapy and counseling and I felt really secure and good about myself. Finally, …

Adolescent Depression And Binge-Eating Often Go Hand-in-Hand

Dustin Forte

 |  Apr 9, 2018

A lot of adolescents today are struggling with and eating disorder known as binge-eating disorder. One of the signs of the disorder is uncontrollable rapid consumption of large amounts of food, even when the person is not hungry. People suffering from this disorder have a high risk of depression and it also goes the other way around. Those individuals with depression are also at great risk of developing binge-eating disorder. While the cause remains unclear, these two disorders go hand-in-hand. It can be a vicious cycle of feeling depressed leading to eating too much or eating too much, then feel depressed about it.

Tailoring a Plan to Fit the Needs of the Individual

Intervention will be hard in these cases. Parents simply tend to chastise their child for overeating and gaining weight which then leads to depression. This will be a big problem in the future. There are, however, tailored plans that can be customized depending on the needs of the individual that will help treat both mental health disorders.…

Eating Disorders Among Celebrities

Dustin Forte

 |  Jan 21, 2018

Each one of us is not spared from being affected by eating disorders. Adolescents, teens and middle-aged individuals – men and women alike are prone to having one of the several types of this group of diseases. In fact, nearly 30 million Americans have an eating disorder, including famous personalities like actors and actresses, and musicians.…

Anxiety And Eating Disorders

Dustin Forte

 |  Dec 7, 2017

ANXIETY ATTACK HELP

Anxiety is a normal human reaction to stressful events, but usually, it dissipates when the situation normalizes. There are some people however who suffer from feelings of anxiety for no apparent reason. Those who suffer from an anxiety disorder can find it very difficult to cope with everyday life. In such situations, Betterhelp has given some sound advice on how to help sufferers.

THE CONNECTION BETWEEN EATING DISORDERS AND ANXIETY

Anxiety and depression have always been linked to eating disorders, but recent thinking is that anxiety may cause the eating disorder and not the other way around. People who suffer from anxiety and depression and those who have eating disorders all suffer from low self-esteem, so it is easy to understand how these conditions can be inter-related.…