Stephen Price is a recovered agoraphobic who has started a website to help others who suffer from agoraphobia. Since his recovery he has earned masters degrees in counseling and psychology and published original research on anxiety.
Compulsive Eating Disorder Causes, Treatment and Prevention
Bulimia also called bulimia nervosa. Bulimia is a very dangerous weight loss strategy. Anorexia nervosa is one type of eating disorder. It is also a psychological disorder. Bulimia is characterized by episodes of secretive excessive eating (bingeing) followed by inappropriate methods of weight control, such as self-induced vomiting (purging), abuse of laxatives and diuretics, or excessive exercise. Anorexia is a condition that goes beyond out-of-control dieting. A person with anorexia initially begins dieting to lose weight. Over time, the weight loss becomes a sign of mastery and control. Bulimia is estimated to affect between 3% of all women in the U.S. at some point in their lifetime. About 6% of teen girls and 5% of college-aged females are believed to suffer from bulimia.
Most bulimics know that their eating patterns are not normal, but they feel unable to change their behavior. Approximately 10% of identified bulimic patients are men. Bulimics are also susceptible to other compulsions, affective disorders, or addictions. Some people use food as a way to cope with emotional ups and downs or low self esteem. People with bulimia can look perfectly normal. Most of them are of normal weight, and some may be overweight. Women with bulimia tend to be high achievers. Many experts consider people for whom thinness is especially desirable, or a professional requirement (such as athletes, models, dancers, and actors) to be at risk for eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa. Vomiting is a common source of problems. When a person vomits, he or she brings up partially digested food and stomach acid.
People with anorexia nervosa see themselves as overweight even though they are dangerously thin. Bingers eat when they are not hungry. They eat quickly. Binge eaters eat when they feel anxious, lonely and/or depressed. Anorexia eating disorders symptoms include thinning hair, dry, flaky skin and cracked or broken nails. Woman with anorexia eating disorders symptoms often stop menstruating. Another sign of anorexia eating disorder symptoms is the tendency to exercise obsessively – well beyond what is needed to maintain good health. Individuals with anorexia eating disorder also weigh themselves frequently. They often restrict not only food, also relationships, social activities and pleasure.
Causes of Compulsive Eating Disorder
1.Neurological or medical conditions.
2.Rigors of dieting.
3.Biological and genetic factors.( neurotransmitter serotonin ).
4.Poor body image.
5.Psychological factors (depression and anxiety ).
Symptoms of Compulsive Eating Disorder
1.Weakness
2.Vomiting blood
3.Fatigue.
4.Exhaustion
5.Heart burn.
Treatment of Compulsive Eating Disorder
Different kinds of psychological therapy have been employed to treat people with anorexia. Cognitive behavior therapy, group therapy, and family therapy have all been successful in treatment of anorexia. Bulimia can sometimes be treated with a self-help manual with occasional guidance from a therapist. Antidepressant medications (citalopram,escitalopram oxalate ,fluvoxamine maleate (Luvox) ,paroxetine (Paxil, Seroxat, Aropax), fluoxetine (Prozac) and sertraline )have been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of bulimia. Marital therapy, or couples therapy, helps to strengthen the relationship between life partners and helps to resolve communication problems. Support groups are led by trained volunteers or health professionals. To decide if a self-help support group will be effective in your binge eating treatment plan.
Juliet Cohen writes articles for medical diseases. She also writes articles for depression treatment and cancer treatment.
Why Most People With Agoraphobia Take A Year Or More To Start Recovery
Understanding agoraphobia is the first step toward recovery. However, the average person with agoraphobia takes at least one full year to get diagnosed and even longer to learn enough about agoraphobia to start recovering.
Here are four reasons why:
1) Most people don’t know what is wrong with them at first. The symptoms of agoraphobia, especially during panic attacks, feel like those of a physical illness. For example, when you are hyperventilating it is easy to suspect something is wrong with your lungs. When your heart is racing it is easy to think something is wrong with your heart. When you are sick at your stomach day after day it is easy to think something is wrong with your digestive system. Plus, one symptom of agoraphobia is to “scan” your body for physical symptoms and worry about every little twinge as if it may be a major life-threatening illness.
2) Many doctors don’t know how to diagnose agoraphobia. People with agoraphobia commonly visit a succession of doctors trying to find a diagnosis. Most doctors will listen to physical complaints and run tests. They will report that the tests are negative, but often fail to suggest the presence of agoraphobia due to a lack of training. Doctors who can tell that your symptoms are caused by a panic attack may still not be able to tell what type of anxiety disorder you have or provide information about it.
3) Most people go through a period of denial. If finally faced with a diagnosis of a psychological disorder like agoraphobia, the human reaction is to throw up defenses and deny it. Most of us don’t think of ourselves as the type of person who would have a “mental problem” or “psychological disorder.” Psychological problems carry a stigma in society that physical illnesses and injuries do not.
The average person tends to consider a psychological disorder as personal weakness or lack of will power. People are more likely to treat a psychological disorder like agoraphobia as your fault than they would in the case of a physical illness or injury. If you were diagnosed with cancer, no one would stand over your bed during chemotherapy and question your will power, work ethic, or desire to go to work or school. But try having agoraphobia. People will do exactly that. Since no one wants to be viewed that way, it is hard for most people to admit to anyone they have agoraphobia.
4) Most people are reluctant to seek treatment for a psychological disorder because of the stigma. Even people who are able to admit to themselves that they have a psychological disorder might still have trouble admitting it to anyone else. It’s hard enough to try to explain irrational fear and panic attacks to your friends and family, and even harder to seek out professional help.
A word to the wise – the best course of action to take if you start experiencing panic attacks or the symptoms of agoraphobia is:
- See a doctor to rule out medical problems.
- Consult a mental health professional to get a diagnosis and/or begin treatment.
- Learn everything you can about your disorder.
Knowledge is the first step to recovery and the sooner you get started on your recovery from agoraphobia the faster it will be.
On the flip side, the longer it takes you to get diagnosed and admit that you have a disorder – the more agoraphobia has a chance to take root, and the more difficult your recovery may be.
If you suspect that you or someone you know might have agoraphobia, don’t take a year to start learning everything you can about it. Start today.
