A Guide to Eating Disorders According to statistics, Anorexia and bulimia affect nearly 10 million women and one million men; sometimes they can be fatal if nothing is done about them. Please don’t suffer in silence, there is always someone to support you though any difficulties you may be having. Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss. Symptoms of anorexia include: Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for height,...

Teen to Teen. Let's talk. By Kaylee. High school, the hardest time in a teenager’s life. With the schoolwork, preparing for college, parents, and the stress of finals can really make us feel the pressure. We feel out of control, but imagine dealing with all of the above mentioned, and also dealing with the battle of your own body. Some teenagers do just that, and some even develop an eating disorder in the process. I am one of those teenagers who deal with body image issues. My name is...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 11 (May 2010). The Truth about Eating Disorders By Jessie (Asylum) Eating disorders are characterized by abnormal eating habits resulting in insufficient or excessive food intake. There are many types of eating disorders including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and eating disorder not otherwise specified. Like many other psychiatric disorders, there are misconceptions surrounding eating disorders and those living...

Eating in public By Cassie (Idyllic.) For people who suffer from eating disorders or anxiety, eating in public isn’t exactly a walk in the park. A fear of eating in public or in front of others is a specific phobia that is a lot more common in people than it is perceived to be. A specific phobia is defined as "a lasting and unreasonable fear caused by the presence or thought of a specific object or situation that usually poses little or no actual danger" source]. Signs of specific phobias...

Men with eating disorders By Jenna (.:BreakingBeautifully:.) It is common knowledge that women are more likely to struggle with eating disorders than men. It is estimated that on any given day, ten million American women struggle with an eating disorder. According to the most recent statistics provided by the National Institute of Mental Health, 4.9% of all American women struggle with an eating disorder at some point in their lives (0.9% with anorexia, 1.5% with bulimia, and 3.5% with...

Kicking comparison to the curb By Maggie (Missmaggie55) The grass is always greener on the other side and unfortunately, many people go through life without ever acknowledging that the very grass on which they stand is the very grass someone else is so deeply infatuated by. It is disturbing to think that more and more children are becoming adults with negative body images. These children were never able to see their true reflection and instead turned to dangerous diet pills, plastic...

Debunking the myths of eating disorders By Jenny (coolkid98) There are a variety of misconceptions about eating disorders which can make it difficult for those with eating disorders to reach out and get help. This article will debunk some of the common myths about eating disorders. In clarifying common misconceptions, it hopes to promote greater understanding of what eating disorders are, and categorically are not. Myth: Eating disorders aren't serious; they're a lifestyle choice. Fact:...

Binge Eating Disorder: An interview with a friend in recovery By Frankie (_Headphones_) Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is categorized by binges, or consuming larger quantities of food; more food than the body needs to function, without purging it (self-induced vomiting) afterwards. Like many issues, BED is unfortunately misunderstood. I did this interview with my friend to refute some of these misunderstandings, and give people a look into what it is like to live with BED. Tell...

Interventions for Eating Disorders for Teens Teen years are not the easiest part of life by any stretch of the imagination. It can be exhausting. Not only is there the intense pressure to perform your best on academic work, there are also love interests, puberty, and the brain is still developing while all this is happening! One of the most difficult things for teens to deal with is possibly the intense social pressure that almost seems to come out of nowhere. All of a sudden,...