Eating disorders
Women, Weight and Body issues
Eating Patterns
Eating Disorders
Classifying Eating Disorders
Treatment
Women, Weight and Body Issues: the bigger picture
Many women have issues with how much they weigh or are unhappy with their body. Constant messages from advertising and the media give an “idealised” picture of how we should look or should aspire to which can lead to intolerable pressure to be perfect.
Research shows that many women have negative body images (the way they see or picture their body) and clearly the size of the diet industry shows the prevalence of dissatisfaction of women with our bodies.
Ideals of female beauty are liable to be unattainable for most women, by their very nature, leading to feelings of inadequacy for millions of women. What's more, the worship of 'thinness' and images of waif-like, size zero, airbrushed or surgically enhanced celebrities creates distorted societal images and perceptions about a normal, healthy weight and body size/shape leading to a mindset where women in particular think they are fat or overweight when in reality they are a normal, healthy weight. In the last few years, the increasing emphasis on healthy eating and healthy weight in order to combat obesity is leading to distorted perceptions of weight by a normal weight population. In particular the 'healthy eating' lobby fuels the diet industry and promotes distorted thinking around food which labels food as 'good' or 'bad' and leads to women adopting life-long patterns of food restriction and denial and evaluating themselves as being 'good' or 'bad' according to what they allow themselves to eat.
In spite of the advances in equality of the sexes research shows inequalities still lie around social pressures on women's appearance (particularly body size and shape). In fact, according to Susie Orbach, eating issues expert and author of the ground breaking book 'Fat is a Feminist Issue', "preoccupation with how the body appears has become a crucial aspect of female experience" .
This preoccupation is now coming at an even earlier age as girls as young as 8 or 9 show an awareness of body image and fears around 'being fat' as well as a desire or pressure to be thin. Startingly a recent TV documentary looking at a study of children's attitudes to their bodies showed that being overweight was associated with unpopularity, isolation, and negative judgements around personality and likeability. In addition when asked to pick their preferred body shape/size out of a number of alternatives the majority of 7-9 year old girls picked the underweight, unhealthily thin body as being their preferred body shape - in part due to an expectation of popularity associated with this body shape. Consequently many young girls are 'socialised' into these unhealthy thinking and behaviour patterns around food at a young age - either by societal messages or often by their mothers who themselves have endured a life-long battle against weight and food. This sets them up for a love-hate relationship with food and their nutritional desires leading to a lifetime of painful feelings around eating, food and their body image.
This pressure to conform to society's ideal leads many women to endure a life of constant battling against weight problems, hunger, deprivation and often binging as they swing from restricting food intake to loss of control followed by the inevitable feelings of shame, guilt, despair and self-loathing. Whether you have a problem with excess -or under- weight, it is likely to have affected your self-esteem: feelings of failure from an endless yo-yo dieting cycle, and embarrassment, shame or lack of confidence from negative social responses or "moral" judgements about weight are common.
Eating Disorders involve more complex issues and are serious conditions which need expert, specialised professional help. Statistics from the Eating Disorders Association (EDA) show that women of 15-25 are most likely to develop an eating disorder - although sometimes problems can occur in middle age.
Eating Patterns
Everyone has different eating habits - when, what and how much they like to eat. In addition there may be different aspects affecting their habits - learned eating habits and messages in childhood, allergies, diet foods - low carbohydrate, low fat, low sugar- religious or “ethical” choices -(vegetarian, organic, vegan, kosher or halal foods) or eating at certain times or places due to work or home commitments (shift work, microwave or ready meals, sandwiches at a desk). However problems with food or eating habits can develop. Food can be used to cope with distressing or unpleasant emotions: boredom, loneliness, sadness, anxiety, feeling ashamed or angry. Eating can then become a way of dealing or coping with unpleasant situations or feelings (as in the common phrase “comfort eating”) or for relieving stress. This can lead to compulsive over-eating, or binge eating or even to an eating disorder.
Obesity
The rise of Obesity with statistics of 25% of the population being or becoming obese in the next decade are obviously a major cause for concern. Obesity puts pressure on the body and leads or contributes to increasing health problems including High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease, Diabetes, Stroke, gallbladder disease, gout and osteoarthritis. Obesity shortens life span and reduces mobility.
Many of those termed 'obese' struggle with their weight due to compulsive overeating.
Eating Disorders
As the Eating Disorders Association (EDA) states, 'Eating Disorders are not about food, but about feelings and emotions.'
Classifying eating disorders
Anorexia Nervosa
Bulimia nervosa
Binge eating disorder
Compulsive overeating
Other eating disorders
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia is a way of controlling food intake and a way of coping with life and/or asserting independence– exercising control over food in order to try to control life. Unfortunately restricting food intake often to dangerous levels leads to changes in body chemistry and affects the brain so that thinking becomes disordered and the sufferer is unable to make rational decisions necessary to nourish the body adequately. The sufferer becomes exhausted, malnourished and slowly starves herself unless help is obtained. (More about Anorexia)
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia involves binge eating in order to try and satisfy an emotional hunger. As this hunger is emotional rather than physical, food does not satisfy it. The immediate urge to get rid of the food eaten results in vomiting, purging (with laxatives), starving following a binge or by “working the food off” with exercise. (More about Bulimia)
Binge Eating Disorder
In this condition the sufferer eats uncontrollably but does not purge. It is suggested that binge eating is far more widespread than Anorexia or Bulimia but has only been accepted as a problem or "disorder" since 1992 (EDA). Binge eating generally leads to obesity (More about Binge Eating).
Compulsive Overeating
Compulsive overeating involves eating when not hungry. In spite of seeming a more common condition it is however still considered a serious condition which according to EDA “needs professional support to ensure long term recovery.” (More about Compulsive Overeating).
Other Eating Disorders
You may have eating patterns and problems that do not fit into these categories. Eating problems are complex and therefore not all do fit into these patterns. EDA also notes a diagnosis labelled A-Typical Eating Disorder or Eating Disorder Not otherwise Specified (EDNOS). You may for instance have some behaviours or feelings associated with a particular disorder but not others. (Read more about Other Eating Problems)
Causes
An eating disorder or problem is generally due to several factors rather than a single cause. As stated it is normally a way of coping with life: from feelings, events or pressure that someone feels unable to cope with. This may be due to family problems, low self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy, work or school, college problems, loss (bereavement, divorce), abuse or bullying or traumatic events. Peer or social pressures regarding body image and onset of puberty can also lead to problems with food and weight. Low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy can be “global” (how much you like and approve of yourself as a whole person) or “specific” (liking and approval of one particular part of yourself). Problems with food and weight can therefore be global (“I hate myself”) or specific (“I’m fat” or “I hate my thighs”). Those affected by an eating disorder or compulsive overeating problem often have feelings of shame, despair, and feel out of control with eating habits.
Treatment
It is however possible to develop a healthier relationship with food and develop a positive relationship to yourself and your body.
Identifying the feelings and the causes that triggered the eating habits along with the feelings, behaviour and thinking patterns that are maintaining the problem will allow you to develop healthier eating patterns and strategies of dealing with emotions or situations that currently trigger the eating behaviours. It is important to work with a professional who understands the complexity of food and eating issues if you feel you have a problem rather than those who see weight loss or over-eating in a more one-dimensional format.
Hypnotherapy for weight control is not about diets - it's about healing a painful relationship with food and your body-image and developing more positive, fulfilling eating patterns by dealing with the issue behind the eating/weight problem in a more effective way. It's also about developing a rewarding, comfortable, permissive relationship with food - rather than a love-hate, restrictive one - and changing those thoughts and responses that make you feel guilty and ashamed when you 'lose control' or give in to your desire for a favourite or 'forbidden' food.
To find out more about how hypnosis and psychotherapy could help you with eating problems Contact Persephone now to discuss your situation or arrange your free consultation.
NB: If you think you may have an Eating Disorder, such as Anorexia or Bulimia, you should also contact your GP or the Eating disorders Association for expert assistance. Eating disorders are serious conditions and, whilst Hypno-psychotherapy can be beneficial in the treatment of Eating Disorders, it should not be viewed as a replacement for medical assessment or for specialised support, such as is available from the Eating Disorders Association.
More about Eating Disorders
Denise Marleyn DHP(NC) MRNHP HBCE Tel: 01525 850334 e-mail: contact@persephone-therapy.co.uk