Mental Health refers to the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral well-being of a person. Mental Health tends to be used to describe a lot of other issues for a layman. What we don’t know is that; Mental health is a big umbrella with different minor issues underneath it. One of the minor issues we will be talking about today is ‘Eating Disorder’.

Eating Disorder occurs subtly and it takes only a trained eye to see them. Eating disorder is not just about one eating less than what they are meant to eat, but eating beyond one’s capacity is also an Eating Disorder.

What then is Eating Disorder? An eating disorder is a medical condition that affects the ability of the body to get proper nutrition. It is a serious health issue associated with extreme eating changes in a person’s eating behavior that boils down to a person’s thoughts about food.

Eating Disorder doesn’t have an exact cause. It is caused by the interaction of other factors; these factors include:
1.Genetic Factor,
2.Psychological Factor,
3.Behavioral Factor,
4.Biological Factor, or/and
5.Social Factor.

Eating disorders can affect anyone, though it occurs mostly in women. The eating disorder occurs during the teenage years and young adulthood.

Types and Symptoms of Eating Disorder. There are 3 major types of eating disorders.
1.Anorexia Disorder: do you avoid food or do you prefer eating a very small quantity of only certain food? Or do you have this feeling that you are overweight? Then you have this disorder. Though this type of Eating Disorder is the least of all three then it has the highest death rate of any mental disorder. The symptoms are:
a.Extreme thinness,
b.Intensive and excessive exercise,
c.Eating little to the point of starvation,
d.Fear of weight gain,
e.Distorted body image.

2.Binge Eating: is also known as out-of-control eating or excessive eating. Have you ever noticed yourself wanting to eat more even when you know you are full and can take more? Or feel embarrassed, ashamed, guilty, or distressed due to the amount of food you consumed? Then you have a Binge Eating Disorder. Binge Eating Disorder leads to weight gain and obesity. The symptoms are;
a.Excessive consumption of food,
b.Eating until uncomfortably full,
c.Eating in secret to avoid embarrassment,
d.Feeling distressed or ashamed due to your eating.

3.Bulima Nervosa: people that have this condition have the occurrence of binge-eating, but, they either purge or throw up or use laxatives (digestion aids). Often, they over-exercise or starve themselves just to lose weight. They may be either slightly overweight, normal weight, or even slightly underweight. The following are the symptoms:
a.Same symptoms as Binge-eating,
b.Excessive Purging,
x.Doing intensive and excessive exercise,
d.Fasting or Starvation.

Eating Disorder often affects the way a person thinks about food, eating, or even their body. You might notice the following in someone that has Eating Disorder;
a.Preoccupation with body size weight and shape,
b.Fear to Gain weight,
c.Extreme Mood swings,
d.Negative view of appearance,
e.Low self-esteem,
f.Withdrawal from close ones.
g.Difficulty sleeping & concentrating,
h.Dry skin and hair,
i.Having irregular or missed periods,
j.Slow wound healing
k.Dizziness, tiredness or weakness,
l.Feeling cold a lot, etc.

Treatment
The treatment for an eating disorder is tailored based on individual needs, some may include:
1.Nutritional Counselling: counseling to eat healthily and maintain a healthy weight.
2.Medical Care and Monitoring: Care for the complications eating disorder causes.
3.The individual, group, or family psychotherapy.

Do you think you need to check yourself to be sure you are not suffering from any of these? Please, visit the hospital and get chec