Diet Addiction and Eating disorders

What is an Eating disorder?

Food and eating play a necessary part of our lives. We all vary in the food we like, how much we eat, and when we eat. Food is essential, both for health, growth and development. It is common to experiment with eating habits, e.g. you may decide to become a vegetarian or changed your diet to improve your health. However, in some cases eating patterns become damaging.

Problems with food begins when it is used to cope with those times when you are bored, anxious, angry, lonely, ashamed or sad. Food becomes a problem when it is used to help you to cope with difficult situations or feelings, or maybe to relieve stress. This can happen without you even realising it.

According to research, it is unlikely that an eating disorder will result from a single cause. It's more likely to occur when there's a combination of many factors, events, feelings or pressures which leads you to feel that you're unable to cope. These can include:

• low self-esteem
• relationship problems
• problems with friends
• bereavement
• problems at work, college or at university
• lack of confidence
• sexual or emotional abuse
• or simply feeling 'overweight' or 'unacceptable'

People with eating disorders will often say that their "eating" is the only way they feel they can stay in control of their life, but as time goes on – it is the eating disorder that takes control. Some people also find they are affected by an urge to harm themselves or misuse alcohol or drugs.

It is common that people with an eating disorder will experience feelings of despair, guilt and shame. You may have a feeling of failure or lack of control because you cannot overcome these feelings about food on your own.

Who do eating disorders affect and when?

It is possible that anyone can develop an eating disorder, regardless of age, sex, cultural or racial background. The people most likely to be affected by an eating disorder tend to be young women, particularly aged between 15-25. It is not unusual for an eating disorder to appear in middle age.

Research shows that your genetic make-up may have a small impact upon whether or not you develop an eating disorder. Attitude of other family members towards food can have an impact too. Parent or relatives may unwittingly influence other family members through their attitudes to food, body size or eating habits. In situations where there are high academic expectations, family issues or social pressures, you may focus on food and eating as a way of coping with these stresses.

Traumatic events can sometimes trigger the start of an eating disorder: bereavement, being bullied or abused, an upheaval in the family (such as divorce), long term illness or concerns over sexuality.

Self-help:

If eating is how you deal with emotions and feelings and you are unhappy about it, then you should try to talk to someone you trust. Try not to bottle things up - this is not helpful to you or other people around you, it won’t make you feel any better and the problem is unlikely to go away.

Further Help:

Counselling and psychotherapy for Eating Disorders

Counselling and psychotherapy for eating problems is an effective method of exploring drivers and causes to eat, binging or withdrawal from food. The therapy can ease the symptoms of anxiety, guilt, stress and provide options for regaining control. Counselling will help the individual rebuild their confidence, relationship and life.

Ultimately, support can be given to allow you to understand how changes can be made and help can be given to break repetitive behaviours relating to emotional eating.

Your next steps are..

Click here to see our 3 step guide to start counselling and psychotherapy.

Reading Recommendations

If you would like to read more about counselling, then I recommend the following books:

TA Today

Ian Stewart, Vann Joines

£11 .99

This is a comprehensive introduction to Transactional Analysis. The book is well structured and is easily read, and covering the main areas of TA theory. A great feature of this book is the examples and exercises included.
Buy this book online now

Counselling for Toads

Robert de Board

£9.99

I love this book and many of my clients do too. This is an informative story about Toad on the road to recovery from 'depression'. Counselling for Toads provides an insight into the process counselling and psychotherapy, this book should be a companion to anyone that is having or thinking about counselling or psychotherapy.
Buy this book online now

Further information and support

Beat

Weight Concern