Anorexia nervosa is one of the most common eating disorders, but there are many others. From binge eating to bulimia to anorexia, many women struggle with body image and self-esteem issues that lead to unhealthy eating patterns. Eating disorders don’t harm everyone in the same way, and adults and teens are often affected in different ways.
Treatment for eating disorders like anorexia nervosa can help a woman regain control over her life and her body. In fact, many Hollywood actresses and celebrities have come out to speak about their struggles with anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders, paving the way for others to seek help. The focus of eating disorder treatment is to help regain control, and provide a woman with the opportunity to live a long and healthy life.
What is Anorexia?
Anorexia nervosa is characterized by having a fear or obsession with gaining weight. Many women who suffer from anorexia try to control their weight by starving, taking diet pills, taking diuretic drugs, vomiting, purging, and excessively exercising. The condition is a life-threatening condition because it puts such a harmful strain on the body’s organs and robs the body of essential nutrients.
Anorexia nervosa, like other eating disorders, involves something much deeper than out-of-control dieting. The condition is most common post-puberty, when teens are particularly sensitive to body image and self-esteem issues, but it can develop at any time. Developing the condition at an earlier age usually means that there is a better chance of recovery. Women with anorexia nervosa may form specific habits with their food, such as cutting it into tiny pieces, fixing big meals but not eating it themselves, or not eating at all in front of other people.
We have to keep in mind that eating disorders like anorexia nervosa are not about pant size, weight, or food. They are a maladaptive form of coping with emotions that we may not have the tools to cope with. Many factors lead to anorexia, such as emotional distress, family issues, genetics, and cultural pressures.
Recovery From Eating Disorders Like Anorexia Nervosa
One of the keys to recovering from anorexia nervosa is having the ability to identify the thoughts and situations that trigger the condition. If you decide to not have lunch today because you will run late for a meeting, this is an illness-based thought. You want to try and recognize the fact that you are hungry, and you do have time for lunch. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator to burn calories is an illness-based thought. Recovery from anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders is not something you should attempt on your own – it should be coordinated under the care of a behavioral health professional in order to give you the optimal tools and coping mechanisms for dealing with your disorder in the long run.
Many women struggle with body image and self-esteem. Some women find themselves with an eating disorder without recognizing the symptoms, while others recognize that their behavior is unhealthy and dangerous but are unable to break the behavior pattern. If you or a woman you love is suffering from an eating disorder like anorexia nervosa, please call us today. Destination Hope: The Women’s Program is a full service addiction and women’s health treatment facility in Florida for women who suffer from substance abuse and behavioral health issues.
