Nearly 5-10 million people in the United States suffer from eating disorders. There are several types of this condition and in most of the cases the cause remains known. Psychological and genetic origins cannot be ruled out.
DSM or Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is a guideline followed by doctors in the United States to diagnose and treat these conditions. It is published by the American Psychiatric Association. As most of the eating disorders are not included in this guideline, even physicians are not aware of the signs of eating disorders. This article tries to gain further insight on the topic.
Why Awareness on the Signs of Eating Disorders is Essential?
These symptoms are easily misdiagnosed as signs of one type mimic those of the other. Even if the disorder is identified correctly, the treatment is quite expensive and only partially effective.
Insurance companies also go by this manual to include a disorder under their coverage. Many of the disorders are not mentioned in this manual. As a result, patients suffering from these eating disorders have to support the costly treatment on their own. Knowledge of the signs can initiate early diagnosis, commencement of treatment and early recovery.
According to the journal American Family Physician, the best way of diagnosing these conditions is by carefully listening to the medical history of the patients. The patients or their dear ones can make the doctor understand the signs only out of their awareness on them and through careful observation.
Signs of Eating Disorders:
- Observing discretion with the kind of food taken
- Fear of gaining weight or becoming obese
- Self induced vomiting
- Picking at food
- Rapid changes in weight
- Skipping meals as a weight loss technique
- Excessive exercising even when seriously underweight
- Binge eating
- Mood swings
- Depression
- Low self esteem
- Loneliness
- Suicidal thoughts
- Constipation
- Acne
- Tooth loss
Apart from the above mentioned signs, there are several associated complications with eating disorders.
