Different types of eating disorders you should know

If you think you may have any of these eating disorders consult a physician (Photo: Courtesy)

An eating disorder can develop as a result of genetics, as some studies suggest and it can also stem from a mental illness or just the need for perfection.

If you’re feeling like there is something wrong with how you connect with food, you should get a proper diagnosis in case you have any of these disorders:

· Orthorexia

Everywhere you turn, you will hear the need to eat healthily. Eating nutritious food isn’t bad in itself but it can turn dangerous if it becomes an obsession.

People with orthorexia might not realize that micromanaging everything and a fixation on how pure something is you’re eating isn’t normal. It might look like you’re just careful about what you’re putting in your body but that’s not the same thing.

A healthy diet is good but being obsessed with it might be a sign of orthorexia.

· Binge eating disorder

This is one of the most common eating disorders that is being experienced today. This condition means that you binge on food uncontrollably which can cause you to be overweight.

People with this problem often consume huge amounts of food in one go to the point where they’re feeling physical discomfort and guilt.

This disorder often goes unnoticed because society praises being obese when in reality, it’s a sign that something deeper is happening.

Binge eating disorder is quite common (Photo: Courtesy)

· Anorexia

You’ve probably heard of this condition before or maybe even had an unfortunate firsthand experience.

Unlike binge eating disorder where you eat excessively, you obsessively restrict how much you eat. There is also another type where you don’t necessarily restrict what you eat but you get rid of the food by throwing it up, using laxatives or choosing other methods to remove what you ate in fear of being overweight.

With anorexia you have a distorted view of your weight so while it might make you think you’re overweight, you’re actually dangerously underweight.

· Bulimia nervosa

Bulimia is slightly similar to anorexia but there are a few differences. With this condition, you don’t restrict what you’re eating and you even eat excessively within a short period.

A common characteristic is that there is an obsession with getting rid of what you just ate using methods like purging but other patients also abuse exercise to shed off the perceived excess calories.

· Rumination disorder

This is another psychological condition that often doesn’t get enough attention. This is a disorder where you regurgitate food then chew it again and swallow or spit it out.

This disorder isn’t connected to any gastrointestinal problems because it’s more of a psychological issue so if you see any signs in children and adults, it should be diagnosed and dealt with immediately.