What Are TCAs? 7 Ways to Detect Eating Disorders

Do you know what eating disorders or eating disorders are? Do you know what the most common types of eating disorders are? Discover what these diseases with eating behavior consist of and how to treat them.

There are many myths around ED or eating disorders Although there is not much statistical information about it, the reality is that eating disorders as a disease affect more people than we could imagine. Food is very important to have a full and happy life, therefore, knowing what an eating disorder is is vital to avoid all the psychological or physical effects and problems that may be related to them.

What is ED or eating disorders?

The eating disorders are diseases suffered by people who end up with serious alterations in their eating behaviors, as well as in all thoughts and emotions related to eating. These food diseases usually reach such an extreme that they end up having very visible damage to a person’s physique.

The eating disorders They affect many people, with women between 12 and 35 years old being the most affected. There are different types of eating disorders, but the best known are mainly anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder. There are many cases in which an eating disorder occurs along with other psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression and other disorders. Although it is a difficult disease to treat, the reality is that through proper medical care, people who receive TCA treatment can return to proper eating habits and regain their full health.

Types of ED

He TCA It is not just an eating disorder, but there are different variants of this psychological pathology. Mainly the following eating disorders are recognized:

1. Binge eating disorder: This type of disorder is not unusual to suffer during moments of anxiety. It consists of eating a large amount of food, usually low in nutritional content and high in calories, despite not being hungry. This behavior causes shame because it is usually done secretly or at night. Usually produces feelings of guilt
2. Bulimia nervosa: One of the eating disorders The most well-known is bulimia. It is generally characterized by uncontrolled binge eating that is followed by compensatory behaviors. People who suffer from it resort to behaviors such as vomiting, fasting or even excessive exercise or the use of laxatives to compensate for excessive food intake. People who have this disorder have a distorted image of themselves and their body and are very concerned about weight.
3. anorexia nervosa: Another eating disorder is anorexia nervosa. It is characterized by the attempt to control weight through restricted food intake. In many cases the restrictions end up being so severe that they lead to a very low body weight. Although this caloric deficiency can be visualized in the person’s body, the majority of patients who suffer from this eating disorder end up suffering from a distortion of their body image. Although anorexia is the most well-known eating disorder in the world, ED as a disease the reality is that it is the least common.
4. Avoidance disorder: One of these nutritional disorders Avoidant behavior is characterized by the same attitude as in anorexia, but in these cases there is no alteration in the body image of the person who appears to be so. In this way, it manifests itself through trying to avoid satisfying the hunger that is felt throughout the day.
5. Orthorexia nervosa: Although this is not a eating disorder described in the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders, has a lot of presence today. In this way, it is different from other eating disorders because these problems do not arise from an obsession to lose weight. People who suffer from orthorexia focus mainly on having a healthy diet to such an extent that it can be counterproductive.

These are the main Eating disorder that we can currently find in our society. In each of them, the intervention of a professional psychologist is necessary to solve them.

Symptoms of EDs

Each one of these eating disorders They have different symptoms that can vary greatly from one to another. Mainly, these nutritional diseases can be detected when there is anxiety or obsessive behaviors around body image, weight and food. Although they are different from each other, there are some symptoms common to all of them.

• Diet restrictions
• Changes in weight
• Negative body image
• Binge
• Excessive exercise
• Use of laxatives or diuretics
• Obsessive thoughts about food, body image, and weight

If you have many of these symptoms, it is very likely that you are suffering from eating disorders In that case it will be vital to go to a professional psychologist.

Causes of eating disorders

An eating disorder is a very complex illness. He origin of EDs It is multifactorial. To the very high standards of beauty in today’s society, other factors of genetic, psychological origin and family or personal relationships are added that can influence. There are also some risk factors:

• sexual abuse
• School harassment (bullying) or workplace harassment (mobbing)
• Diet
• Traumas
• Mental illness
• Greater predisposition in adolescence
• Obesity in childhood
• Stress

These may be some of the triggers that can generate a eating disorder or eating disorder

How to detect eating disorders or eating disorders?

The eating disorders They are very serious diseases that can end a person’s life. So much so that in many cases, detecting them is key to preventing it from ending up in a dangerous situation for the patient. In this way, we can detect an eating disorder through the following signs.

1. Weight changes or loss without being sick: Obviously, one of the most visible symptoms of these dietary diseases It is the loss or gain of disproportionate weight. In many cases, people who suffer from some of the types of eating disorders that we have mentioned tend to dress in baggy clothing since they usually have body distortion. Therefore, it may seem difficult to detect it since those who suffer from it tend to hide it.
2. Strange attitudes when eating: Another factor that can make us see that a person is suffering from an eating disorder or eating disorder, are those strange or strange attitudes around food. In this way, people who suffer from ED as a disease end up avoiding eating in groups or as a family or avoid eating in front of others at all costs.
3. Social isolation: Sometimes people who suffer from eating disorders They may have certain attitudes related to social anxiety. This is due to their erroneous self-perception about their body and image. So much so that they end up preventing others from seeing their bodies.
4. Complaints around the body: Even though people who suffer dietary diseases In this style they tend to hide their problem, the reality is that they tend to generate excessive criticism around their body.
5. Low self-esteem: The distortion around their body is not only on a physical level but mentally these people also suffer from low self-esteem. In many cases, poor eating behavior is preceded by excessive self-criticism and a negative view of oneself.
6. Changes in character: In many cases, a eating disorder It ends up having a very detrimental effect on the person’s character. Those who suffer from it may end up with greater nervousness, irritability and aggressiveness in different situations related to food.
7. Disappearance of food: In bulimia or compulsive binge eating, people end up eating an excessive amount of food. So much so that these individuals can hide from others when eating. In these cases, the family may detect a constant lack of food.

When an eating disorder arises or there are suspicions of one of these eating diseases, it is essential to try to have the help of a professional psychologist to try to address them before they become a bigger problem.

How to prevent eating disorders or eating disorders?

Even though the TCA They are diseases with multi-causal origins, as parents or family members we can follow a series of recommendations to transfer a model of healthy eating habits and behaviors.

1. Boost self-esteem: One of the ways to treat Eating Disorders It is mainly by promoting our self-esteem. In this way, we must work within ourselves to accept our defects and focus on our virtues.
2. Promote a positive body image: There are people who have been greatly influenced to tend towards a completely erroneous body model. Therefore, we can promote a positive body image by trying to highlight our most visible features along with clothing or physical exercise.
3. Have meals with family and friends: One of the most effective ways to have a TCA treatment It is trying to eat with family, friends or co-workers. In this way, when eating with others these behavioral disorders are minimized.
4. Explore a new hobby: In many cases, finding a new hobby can make us stop focusing on all the negative thoughts that exist around us. eating disorders or eating disorders
5. Practice meditation: Having more body and mental awareness can help us understand reality from a less subjective perspective since eating disorders They come from an illness related to negative or obsessive thoughts.

Although these may be some good methods to address the different types of eating disorders the reality is that we must always keep in mind the help of psychology professionals.