Analysis of Eating Disorders [Name of the Writer]
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Analysis of Eating Disorders

Introduction
Eating disorders are fairly common these days because the subjects are so overly concerned about their shape and size of the body that they tend to sacrifice their health in trying to make themselves look good. Furthermore, the societal requirements and benchmarks of appearances and the needs to be accepted also trigger the negative thoughts that lead to such disorders.
This paper talks about the different types of eating disorders. It also mentions the medical and behavioral symptoms that the subjects experience and the medical problems that they may result to suffer as a consequence of the behaviors which result from such disorders. Furthermore, it also talks about the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It also discusses the efficiency of CBT; the techniques used by it to counter the problems of the subjects and also mention the advantages and disadvantages of using this method of therapy.

Eating disorder:
With the growing influence of social media and the trends of selfies, people are becoming increasingly concerned about their physical appearances. The body weight has always been a major concern of women but with the increased exposure is a relevant reason for the increased concern. Furthermore, the concept of fast food is also leading to certain habits that may cause eating disorders. The concept where the simple act of eating can lead to become a disorder is rather complicated and it will be discussed in the later part of this report. For now, let’s engage ourselves in identifying the behaviors that may be classified as normal or abnormal which actually define the disorders (Eating disorders, 2009).
The distinction of eating and digestion may be a minor one but when it comes to studies pertinent to the eating disorders and the clinical methods that are used to cure them, these two are considered as entirely different processes with varied literal meanings. A person can be suffering from an eating disorder even when they have no apparent digestive issues and the reason is fairly simple. Digestion is involuntary while eating is more or less voluntary. You may be craving for food but unless you walk yourself to the refrigerator and take something out to eat, you will keep starving. Hence with eating, several issues and disorders can be associated which may have social, psychological, behavioral or inheritable origins.
Before diving in the depths of this case, let’s define eating disorders in simple words. The abnormal eating habits which may fluctuate to eating more or less triggered by the urge to maintain a certain body shape or size is called eating disorder. It is easiest and most precise definition of eating disorders but defining it easier than judging whether somebody has a certain eating disorder because to some extent, we all are concerned about the shapes and masses of our bodies and we strive to keep them in shape in every possible way. Then how someone with an eating disorder trespasses into the realm of abnormality? This question is not easy to answer however there are a few methods designed by different psychological institutions which are used to tell if somebody is suffering from an eating disorder (Eating disorders, 2009). For example according to the National Health Service (NHS) England, there are four dimensions on which a person should be tested for an eating disorder. Based on these dimensions, following questions should be asked:
Q. If you feel uncomfortably full, do you ever make yourself sick? (Sick)
Q. Do you feel worried that you don’t have control over the quantity of food that you consume? (Control)
Q. Have you recently lost weight equivalent to or more than six kilograms in a span of three months? (One Stone/six kilograms)
Q. Do you think yourself to be fat despite others’ opinion that you are too thin? (Fat)
Q. Do you think that food holds the most significant place in your life? (Food)
These are the questions you can ask yourself anyone else and 2 or more yes to these questions shall lead to the conclusion that you suffer from an eating disorder.
(Eating disorders, 2009)

Types of eating disorders:
The term eating disorder may sound pretty general but according to different practices and the behaviors of the people who suffer from them, it has been classified into three different types which are discussed below.
Anorexia Nervosa:
This eating disorder is associated with the misconception or abnormal concern about the body weight. It is more of a thought process which leads to certain eating habits. People suffering from this kind of disorder generally believe they are overweight although they are already very light weighted. They are very conscious about the weight gain hence are very concerned and particular about their diet. They only eat certain quantity and types of food and eat low calorie meals. Some people suffering from this kind of disorder may involve in practices like binge eating, excessive exercise, forced vomiting, abuse of laxatives diuretics or enemas. Symptoms of this disorder are not always easy to diagnose because they are not only the evident practices as mentioned above but are also related to the behaviors e.g. intense fear of gaining weight, abnormally high concerns regarding society’s perception of body shape or mass (Relaxation techniques, 2007).
It can also cause some medical problems. In some girls or women, it can also cause a lack menstruation or in severe cases may lead to infertility. Thinning of bones, muscle wasting and weakness are relatively more common. It can also cause the skin to pale and may weaken the heart or cause damage to the brain.
Bulimia Nervosa:
As opposed to anorexia in which the subjects tend to control the food they eat by restricting themselves, bulimia nervosa indicates towards the frequent and recurrent episodes of over eating which are not in the control of person to commence and the eating itself while this phase is underway. This excessive binge eating is followed by the forced vomiting, excessive exercise, overuse of laxatives or diuretics or a combination of these behaviors depending on the person because these behaviors are induced by the previous phase of overeating i.e. to compensate the eating phase. One major difference between people suffering from bulimia against those suffering from anorexia is that the former have a either a normal weight or are slightly over-weight. Although the people suffering from bulimia are also very concerned and particular about their body shape and size, this behavior is observed secretively as opposed to the people suffering from anorexia. However the overeating phase and the behaviors that follow may have different frequencies of observance like one a day/week or multiple times (Relaxation techniques, 2007).
These behavioral symptoms can also be cross checked against some common medical conditions that these people may experience. The subjects can suffer from chronic inflammation of throats or swelling of salivary glands/neck jaws. They can also experience varied gastrointestinal symptoms like acid reflux disorder. The teeth enamel may wear with time and the teeth may start to decay. The abdominal distress may result along with intense dehydration which is a consequence of the forced vomiting.
Binge-eating disorder:
Binge eating is a disorder in itself. The behavioral symptoms of this disorder are relatively simple. The subjects suffering from this disorder lose control over their eating and eat way too much but unlike those suffering from bulimia, binge eating lacks the compensatory step of forced vomiting or abuse of laxatives etc. The reason for this behavioral difference leads to other symptoms and consequences that the people suffering from this disorder may experience. The difference is due to the thought process of these people but despite the absence of any compensatory phase, these people still feel guilt about their weight and shape f their body which may drive them into stress which further leads to binge eating as coping mechanism.
The subjects suffering from this disorder are generally obese or overweight. The reason is generally the absence of any compensatory phase or may be the stress related to the overweight which leads to the further binge-eating. This can cause chronic cardiovascular illnesses or blood pressure problems.
As evident from the above discussion above, these disorders can in some cases may cause severe medical issues hence should be addressed with urgency. There are many different methods used to cope up with these issues which may include proper medication or psychodynamic/family therapies. Some subjects also tend to choose interpersonal or dietary counseling however the cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is considered to be a widely agreed effective method. The efficiency of this method is discussed in the following section along with the details, methods and aims that are associated with it.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a type of talk therapy, is a combination of cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy. The concept behind the advent of this mode of diagnosing and treating the psychological issues is that the thoughts trigger certain feelings that one experiences and as a result they compel to behave in a certain way. This mechanism is true for any kind of behaviors. The CBT however addresses the behaviors which are harmful and hence the thoughts that provoke such feelings which tend to induce such behavior are labeled as “negative thoughts”. The primary purpose of CBT is generally to cite this negative thought process after which, the therapist talks to the subject suggesting the practical solutions related to the problem and convincing how the behavior is harmful for the subject or other people (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, 2010). In case of eating disorder, after the type of disorder is diagnosed, the negative thought process is generally well known because the people falling in certain categories of the disorder share the same thought process. Hence CBT helps these people to cope with the behaviors which result in a practical way. The therapy is usually short and may last for 6 weeks to 6 months depending on the severity of the problem and behavior of the subject. The sessions are usually conducted once every week and may be of 50 minutes to an hour. The therapists generally work on explore the key issues and then laying a plan with the co-ordination of the subject to address and eradicate them. Sometimes, the therapist may also lay down some principles for the subjects which are generally the behavioral changes which mostly help the subject even when the therapy is over (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, 2010).
Since the basic concept blames the negative thought process for the underlying harmful behaviors, CBT aims this hence the most significant component of this therapy is the cognitive restructuring. This is also one of the initial steps that the therapists use to get to the root of the problem. The aim of cognitive restructuring is identifying the situation or events that cause such negative thoughts. These negative thoughts are also referred as automatic thoughts like maybe my boss wouldn’t like the sales report or maybe I am very fat. Once such situations are identified, the therapists help the subjects to cope with them by suggesting them the alternative thoughts that contradict with those negative thoughts. These negative thoughts are known as the food for such harmful behaviors hence it’s a good strategy to cut the food supply to completely get rid of this behavior (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, 2010).
Besides aiming at the root cause of this problem, the therapists also use and teach the subjects the relaxation techniques. These techniques may not completely eliminate the problem but they do assist the formation of positive frame of mind which is actually the aim of this whole therapy. The therapists generally use two relaxation techniques. The calm breathing technique is used to control the rapid breathing which is actually a consequence of stressful thoughts. But this technique is useful because the long deep breaths actually help the subjects in thinking about the situation in a less biased way and the effects bombarding negative thoughts are reduced. The second technique is called progressive muscle relaxation which is essentially the tensing and relaxation of the muscles in a systematic manner. This is again controlling a symptom to render an effect that result in assisting to get rid of the problem. Apart from these conventional methods, some more sophisticated ones include the biofeedback and hypnosis.
It is important for a therapist involved CBT to know completely about the history of the patient which is call psycho-education. Looking into the background of the patient not only helps the therapist in better knowing the problem and coming up with a solution that may help them, but also gives the patient a feeling of relaxation that the problem that they are suffering has a solution and the people care about them. After the treatment is started, it is important to measure the progress of the sessions on a proper scale (CBT Test, 2008). There are many preset scales used for this treatment some of which are Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Hopeless Scale etc. Furthermore, the pre-treatment measures are used in session 2 to evaluate the standings and current condition of the subject. The mid-treatment session evaluation is done generally after the 5th session to evaluate the progress. These are necessary for the patient and are also a requirement to avoid the abuse of evaluation techniques by the therapists.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is very effective in countering problems such as the eating disorders because the subjects are generally aware of the symptoms that they experience and the underlying problems that lead them to this. Other problems like stress and schizophrenia also fall the types of psychological problems that CBT is used to treat (CBT Test, 2008). The comprehensive planning and the sophisticated measures that are used during the course of this therapy make it reliable and efficient. However there are many limitations and risks associated with it. Although the therapy can be used for different problems, it fails treat all problems that one particular subject may be dealing with because of its limited span of time. It can also not be used for fairly complex disorders because of the structured and planned course. As far as its efficacy regarding the eating disorders is concerned, it can be critical because in bulimia and binge eating, the subjects tend to be secretive about their thinking process and they feel shy in discussing it with people. Hence a talking therapy might have problems in initiation.
Although the eating disorders may not pose a threat to the normal living of a person, these disorders can undoubtedly cause health issues. These health issues can further lead to stress and the subjects may reach a point where there is no coming back to normal since it is generally observed that stressful thoughts make them repeat the negative/harmful behavior that CBT is meant to address. Hence, it’s essential to treat them as early as they are even slightly observed. To treat them, the talking therapy appears to be the most relevant and effective method because despite all the risks and limitations that it brings along. Furthermore, the processes and procedures of CBT are comprehensive to deal with the issues associated with eating disorders; it only takes an expert therapist to conduct CBT effectively (CBT Test, 2008).

References CBT Tests. (2008). Retrieved from Beck Institute: http://www.beckinstitute.org/beck-inventory-and-scales/
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. (2010). Retrieved from Mind: http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/cognitive-behaviour-therapy-cbt/what-it-helps-with/#.VLUyBXvT3IV
Congnitive behavioral therapy. (2005) Retrieved from mayo clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cognitive-behavioral-therapy/basics/risks/prc-20013594
Eating Disorders. (2009). Retrieved from NHS Choices: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/eating-disorders/pages/introduction.aspx
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