Common Questions About Eating Disorders- Rosewood Ranch

2. What triggers eating disorders? • Eating disorders are complex diseases. Genetics and a family history of eating disorders, personality traits such as perfectionism, and psychological factors such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and trauma are all associated with eating disorders. Other research indicates that some people with eating disorders have abnormalities in brain chemicals that regulate mood, stress, and appetite. • Social factors contribute as well. Research shows that major life changes – starting a new school, moving, family problems, relationship break-ups or the death of a loved one, may trigger eating disorders or make mild symptoms worse.

3. I’m worried someone I care about has anorexia. How can I tell if it’s just normal weight loss or if they need help? • Anorexia has behavioral and emotional components, including dramatic weight loss, trying to hide weight loss, preoccupation with weight, food, calories or dieting, refusing to eat certain foods or whole categories of food, maintaining a rigid exercise routine and developing rituals around food (such as insisting on eating foods in a certain order). • Anorexia can also impact how people interact with their friends and loved ones. Irritability, depression, not wanting to eat in public, frequently looking in the mirror to look for perceived flaws and social withdrawal or loss of interest in activities once enjoyed could mean someone is suffering with anorexia.

4. My teenager is acting very secretive and withdrawn, and seems to be spending a lot of time in the bathroom with the water running. Could it be bulimia? • People with bulimia are typically found out when their loved ones detect self-induced vomiting because of sights, sounds or smells. Clues that a person may have bulimia include frequently going to the bathroom during meals or right after eating, flushing the toilet multiple times, running tap water or the shower while in the bathroom to disguise the sound of vomiting, taking more than one shower a day to provide an opportunity to purge, using a lot of mouthwash or breath mints to hide the smell, and a raspy or scratchy voice. • Although harder for friends and family to notice, medical professionals may also spot damaged teeth and gums, swollen salivary glands in the cheeks, and sores in the throat and mouth. People with bulimia may also misuse laxatives, which they mistakenly believe will flush calories from the body, or ipecac syrup to induce vomiting. (Ipecac is intended to be taken after suspected poisoning.)

5. There are times that I feel out of control around food, and terribly guilty after I’ve overeaten. Do I have binge eating disorder? • When people binge eat, they typically eat large amounts of food, rapidly, and continue even when full. They may eat alone, hoard food, or hide boxes and wrappers. After a binge, people often feel disgusted or ashamed by their behavior. People who binge eat may go on and off diets and go up and down in weight. Low self-esteem, social withdrawal and depression may also accompany binge eating disorder.

6. Can people have more than one eating disorder at the same time? • Eating disorder symptoms don’t always fit neatly into one category. For example, some people with anorexia also purge. Some people with bulimia may also exercise excessively to control their weight. Others may alternate between anorexia and bulimia. People with bulimia may also binge eat. • The important thing to understand is that the behaviors associated with eating disorders are often a manifestation of emotional issues. If someone is struggling with food, eating, body image, self-esteem, excessive exercise or other aspects of their mental health, they should receive help.

7. Can You Tell by Looking at Someone That They Have an Eating Disorder? • Often you can’t. People with eating disorders may be a normal weight or look healthy. Their appearance may not match the anxiety around food and eating they feel inside. People with eating disorders also often have a distorted body image. To an outsider, they look perfectly fine. Yet inside the person is preoccupied with their physical appearance, to the point that it is crowding out other thoughts.

8. Can Eating Disorders be Cured? • Eating disorders can be cured, in that people can fully recover and their eating disorder behaviors may never reoccur. Those individuals have not only returned to balanced eating and a healthy relationship with food, but they have also developed a positive body image, learned effective coping skills to deal with stress or anxiety, and moved past the feelings, experiences and fears that contributed to the problem. • In some people, however, even if they are no longer actively engaging in eating disorders behaviors, continue to have eating disorder thoughts creep in. In recovery, they have to pay close attention to their physical health and their mental health to avoid slipping back into dangerous habits. To help these individuals stay on track, ongoing therapy, connection with their therapeutic team and community-based support are crucial. Rosewood has a strong alumni program made of up people from all over the United States who get together to provide that companionship and encouragement to one other.

9. Who is Vulnerable to Eating Disorders? • People of any age, including boys, girls, men and women. The media tends to focus on adolescent girls and young women with eating disorders. As a group, they do tend to have higher rates of eating disorders. But about 15% of our patients at Rosewood are men and boys, a number that has steadily risen. • Members of the LGBTQ community are also vulnerable to eating disorders. Struggles with coming out, gender expression and school or workplace bullying are thought to be contributing factors. These experiences can lead anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and trauma-related issues, which are known to be associated with the development of eating disorders.

10. How Can I talk to Someone If I Suspect They Have an Eating Disorder? • Being confronted about an eating disorder can be difficult for someone to hear. Choose a time when you can speak privately, when you’re calm and when your family member or friend isn’t overly stressed. Explain your concern and give examples of specific situations and behaviors that worry you. Don’t take it personally if the person you care about lies about their behavior or becomes defensive. This is a very common reaction. Being ‘found out’ may feel threatening to them. Be patient, and supportive, and let them know help is available.

11. If you have more questions about eating disorders, contact Rosewood at 844-335-0871. We can provide information about eating disorders, advice on next steps and a confidential consultation.