2. Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are a group of mental illnesses that are characterized by extreme disturbances in eating behaviour and thoughts. Eating disorders are especially common during adolescence, which is why they are also called teenage anorexia nervosa or teenage bulimia nervosa.
Eating disorders can lead to serious health problems and even death. It can be hard for a young person with an eating disorder to get the right help because they may not fully understand the consequences of their behaviours. Early detection and diagnosis is key to getting treatment before it’s too late.
Eating disorders can be both physical and mental and manifest in the following symptoms:
- Intense fear of weight gain or becoming overweight, even when underweight, or feeling fat even if one is not.
- Extremely restrictive eating patterns- not eating at all for prolonged periods of time, or avoiding specific food groups altogether.
- Repeated episodes of bingeing- eating an unusually large amount of food in a short period of time.
- Rituals around food such as cutting food into small pieces and feeling anxious when meals are delayed.