Best answer:
Eating disorders, like addictions, are a disease.
Eating disorders are not due to a failure of will or behavior; rather, they are real, treatable medical illnesses in which certain maladaptive patterns of eating take on a life of their own.
While eating disorders may begin with preoccupations with food and weight, they are most often about much more than food.
Eating disorders are complex conditions that arise from a combination of long-standing behavioral, emotional, psychological, interpersonal, and social factors. Scientists and researchers are still learning about the underlying causes of these emotionally and physically damaging conditions. We do know, however, about some of the general issues that can contribute to the development of eating disorders.
People with eating disorders often use food and the control of food in an attempt to compensate for feelings and emotions that may otherwise seem over-whelming. For some, dieting, bingeing, and purging may begin as a way to cope with painful emotions and to feel in control of one¨s life, but ultimately, these behaviors will damage a person¨s physical and emotional health, self-esteem, and sense of competence and control.
Eating disorders are complex conditions that can arise from a variety of potential causes. Once started, however, they can create a self-perpetuating cycle of physical and emotional destruction.
All eating disorders require professional help.
Best answer:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/eatin... |
