Eating disorders are particularly devastating to the individual suffering and to their friends and family. It is important to recognize that the main issue with this illness is that the person has a distorted view of themselves and their body. Other times the person has a need to feel in control of something and it manifests in their eating habits. If you have a family member or friend who is struggling with an eating disorder, understanding the illness and knowing how to help them can be extremely important.

This section of tips includes information about the causes of anorexia and bulimia. You'll also find articles about the symptoms of these and other common eating disorders.

Tips, Tricks, and Answers

The following articles are available for the 'Eating Disorders' topic. Click the article''s title (shown in bold) to see the associated article.

   Anorexia Causes
Anorexia has many causes, including some that are hard to identify. There are biological components to the disease as well as psychological and society components. Stressful events and life changes may also cause some people to develop eating disorders. Knowing more about the causes can help you identify and find treatment for the disease.

   Anorexia Symptoms
Anorexia most often affects women, especially those ranging in age from 13 to 20, generally as they are coming of age and trying to figure out their body image, emotions, and where they fit within the expected norms of society. Be aware, it is also a disorder growing amongst the male population, too.

   Bulimia Causes
Bulimia is a type of eating disorder where the person affected eats a lot of food in a short amount of time and then tries to purge the food to get rid of it. The causes of bulimia are being studied at an increasing rate. We now know that similar to anorexia, bulimia is caused by cultural factors, psychology and biology. There are also components of stress and life changes that might lead to a person becoming bulimic.

   Bulimia Symptoms
Bulimia Nervosa is an eating disorder similar to Anorexia, as they both seek to purge the body of excess weight. While women are generally the recognized stereotypical group of sufferers, approximately 10% of men are now diagnosed as bulimic.

   Common Eating Disorders
This article covers the most common eating disorders: Anorexia Nervosa, which is a serious disease characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss. Bulimia Nervosa, also a serious eating disorder characterized by a cycle of bingeing and purging. Binge Eating Disorder is the other disorder discussed. It is characterized by recurrent binge eating without use of purging.

   Symptoms of Eating Disorders
Anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating are three common eating disorders. The symptoms of eating disorders can include starvation, bingeing and purging and these may manifest themselves in a number of different ways. There will likely be a pervasive obsession with food, weight and body image associated with any of the disorders. Symptoms might also include physical indications such as hair loss, bloodshot eyes and complaints of often feeling cold. Any eating disorder should be taken seriously and be addressed by a healthcare professional.