Can eating disorders be cured?

Eating disorders are illnesses that cause people to overeat, starve themselves, or adopt other unhealthy eating and weight-related habits. These disorders – binge eating, anorexia nervosa and bulimia – are not just bad habits. They interfere with daily life and, if left untreated, can cause serious health problems. Eating disorders affect at least 9% of the world’s population ^[1].

There is a widespread misconception that eating disorders are a matter of lifestyle choices. But that’s not the case at all.

It is normal to change your eating habits from time to time. But if you feel that food is taking over your entire attention and your life, then this indicates a problem.

Eating disorders are mental and physical illnesses classified into unhealthy relationships with food and severe eating disorders. ^[2].

A painful preoccupation with food, body weight, and shape can also signal an eating disorder.

Interestingly, even a moderate diet is enough to increase the likelihood of developing an eating disorder by 5 times. And extreme dieters are 18 times more likely to develop an eating disorder than those who don’t diet at all. ^[3].

What are eating disorders?

The three most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa (strict food restriction), binge eating disorder (eating exceptionally large amounts of food and loss of control over eating behavior), and bulimia nervosa (binge eating and then compensating). ^[2].

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by food restriction that results in a person being unable to maintain a normal and healthy weight. People with anorexia nervosa have a strong fear of gaining weight, regardless of their current weight and appearance.

bulimia nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory actions such as detoxification or excessive exercise. People with bulimia nervosa often pay undue attention to body shape or weight.

Compulsive overeating

This eating disorder is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating, defined as eating large amounts of food accompanied by a feeling of loss of control. It is more common in overweight and obese people.

Less common disorders

Unsustainable nutrition

Unsustainable eating is a disturbed and unhealthy diet. This can include a restrictive diet, compulsive overeating, or skipping meals.

PICA

PICA is an eating disorder in which people eat things that are not considered food. For example, they can eat dirt, chalk, soap, hair, laundry detergent, and more.

Orthorexia

It is an obsession with healthy or “clean” eating. A person fixates on the benefits of healthy food, its quality, but not necessarily the quantity of food. Orthorexia is not currently recognized as an official diagnosis of an eating disorder, however there is growing recognition that it is a separate disorder.

avoidance disorder

More commonly known as “extremely picky eating”. A person suffering from this disorder often exhibits highly selective eating habits, a disturbed eating pattern, or both.

Other Established Eating and Eating Disorders (OSFED)

OSFED can present with many of the symptoms of other eating disorders, but the individual does not meet all of the criteria for diagnosing these eating disorders.

What are the common symptoms of eating disorders?

There are some warning signs that are common to most people with eating disorders.

If you or someone you know is experiencing more than one of the following symptoms, it is important to seek help immediately to determine if there is a problem.

It is also important to understand that these warning signs are not as easy to spot as they sound. A person with an eating disorder often feels ashamed or guilty about their behavior and tries to hide it. Many people with eating disorders do not realize they have a problem, or even if they do, they may not give up their behavior at first because that is their problem-solving mechanism. Thus, they will do their best to hide the signs of their behavior from the people who care about them.

Behavioral Warning Signs

Behavioral warning signs include:

• a persistent or repetitive diet (eg, calorie/kilojoule counting, skipping meals, fasting, avoiding certain food groups or types such as meat or dairy, replacing meals with fluids);
• regular overeating;
• evidence of vomiting or laxative abuse (eg, frequent trips to the toilet during or shortly after meals);
• excessive or compulsive exercise regimens (eg, exercising when injured or in bad weather, refusing to interrupt exercise for any reason, insisting on completing a certain number of repetitions of exercise, showing distress if they are unable to exercise);
• compiling lists of “good” and “bad” foods;
• changes in food preferences (for example, a sudden interest in “healthy eating”);
• developing patterns or obsessive rituals related to food preparation and eating (for example, drinking only from a specific cup);
• avoiding all social situations involving food;
• frequent avoidance of food under pretexts (for example, claiming that they have already eaten or have an intolerance/allergy to certain foods);
• a strong emphasis on body shape and weight (for example, interest in weight loss websites);
• development of repetitive or compulsive body checking behavior (eg, repeated weighing);
• social isolation or isolation from friends, including avoidance of previously loved activities;
• change in clothing style, such as baggy clothes;
• deceptive behavior around food (for example, secretly throwing food away, secretly eating, or lying about the amount or type of food consumed);
• constant denial of hunger.

Physical warning signs

The physical warning signs of an eating disorder are:

• sudden or rapid weight loss;
• frequent weight changes;
• cold sensitivity (feeling cold most of the time, even in warm environments);
• loss or disruption of the menstrual cycle (for women);
• fainting, dizziness;
• fatigue – a constant feeling of tiredness, the inability to perform normal activities.

Psychological warning signs

Of the mental warning signs:

• increased preoccupation with body shape, weight, and appearance;
• persistent preoccupation with food or food-related activities;
• extreme body dissatisfaction/negative body image;
• hypersensitivity to comments or criticism about body shape or weight, eating habits, or exercise habits;
• increased anxiety while eating;
• depression or anxiety;
• low self-esteem (eg, feelings of worthlessness, feelings of shame, guilt, or self-hatred);
• rigid “black and white” thinking (viewing everything as “good” or “bad”);
• Feeling unable to control your eating behavior.

Any combination of these symptoms can be present in an eating disorder because no eating disorder is identical to another. A person can also show several of these signs without suffering from an eating disorder. Only a professional can understand the situation and make the correct diagnosis. ^[4].

Difficulties in treating eating disorders

While eating disorders can be successfully treated, only 1 in 10 people with an eating disorder ever receive treatment. ^[5].

Some people do not seek help because they think their problem is not serious enough. Sometimes they don’t feel “sick enough” to “seriously treat” their eating problems.

It is also not uncommon for people to hide their eating problems. Sometimes this can take a very long time.

Various methods are used to treat eating disorders. Treatment will vary depending on the type of disease, but usually includes the following:

• psychotherapy such as conversation or behavioral therapy;
• medications such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications: many patients and professionals find these medications to help with underlying problems
• nutritional advice and weight recovery monitoring are also of great importance.

However, most of the existing treatment regimens do not take into account the existing metabolic disorders, without the correction of which the treatment effect turns out to be short-lived in a fairly large number of cases.

Is it possible to successfully treat and fully recover from an eating disorder?

Seeking help as early as possible significantly reduces the severity, duration, and consequences of an eating disorder. If you notice any warning signs or symptoms, whether in yourself or someone you care about, you should seek professional help immediately rather than waiting for the disease to progress. Then success is possible.

Individually oriented step-by-step treatment

Individual-centered step-by-step assistance is the most effective way to treat an eating disorder. This approach means that treatment is specifically tailored to the disease, situation, and needs of that person, and it also recognizes that people with eating disorders may need to move up and down these levels of care in different ways throughout their illness.

When considering approaches to treating an eating disorder, it is important to understand that people respond differently to different treatments, even if they have the same eating disorder.

In addition to drug therapy with psychoactive drugs and psychotherapy, it is important to use methods for correcting metabolic disorders. This possibility is provided, for example, by methods of orthomolecular medicine. These evidence-based methods have proven effective in treating eating disorders. For example, the use of a specific dosing regimen of vitamin B1 has shown good results in the treatment of anorexia. ^[6], and the addition of zinc compounds to the diet has been shown to be beneficial in a range of eating disorders. ^[7].

Typically, these methods are not used alone as monotherapy, and a person with an eating disorder usually receives a combination of treatments as part of their recovery program.

Some therapies are better suited to treating certain eating disorders than others, and a multidisciplinary treatment approach is often the best way to treat an eating disorder.

Interdisciplinary treatment includes psychology, psychiatry, dietetics, nutrition, general medicine, family therapy, as well as self-help and various complementary or concomitant therapies.

Such an integrated approach with the restoration of normal metabolism provides a long-lasting and lasting result.

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