Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are extremely common and if not dealt with can have life-threatening consequences. They can affect people of both sexes and of any age, and typically involve the person having an obsession about their weight. Eating disorders are often categorised as Anorexia, Bulimia Nervosa or Binge Eating Disorders.

Common Symptoms:

• Dramatic weight loss or gain in a fairly short period of time.
• Obsession with weight
• Obsession with calories and fat content of foods.
• Loss of sexual desire
• Mood swings, feeling depressed and tired
• Insomnia or poor sleeping habits.
• Experiencing low self-esteem
• Experiencing suicidal thoughts or attempting suicide
• Obsessing about food and body image
• Isolation and fear of eating while others are around
• Unusual food rituals and secretive eating patterns
• Hiding food in strange places to avoid eating or to eat secretly at a later time
• Feeling anxious, lonely or depressed

For many people food is not just food. It may be used to anesthetise emotional pain and to fill up emotional and spiritual emptiness, difficult feelings may be swallowed. Starvation can be an attempt to be in control, a way of punishing oneself or an endeavour to be perfect. People may starve in the hope of being accepted and loved. They can be influenced by cultural ideas of beauty and perfection promoted by the media.

Counselling can help you to deal with these underlying emotional issues and develop a more healthy relationship with food. It can help you to accept yourself and gain in confidence and self-esteem, and if you like yourself you are more likely to be inclined to make the changes you need to nurture and help yourself.