In your opinion, are eating disorders real mental disorders?

[Anonymous]

What do you think? Do you 'believe' in eating disorders? Do you count them as real mental disorders, or do you think people who struggle with them are just faking it for attention? And do you believe that the (mostly) girls could just cure themselves by eating?
Im just gonna list some, so everyone knows what Im talking about:
- Anorexia
- Bulimia
- B. E. D (Binge eating disorder)
- EDNOS (Eating disorders not otherwise specified)
- Megarexia
- Ortorexia
What do you think? All opinions are appreciated.

Eating disorders are real and dangerous mental disorders, and the people suffering from them needs professional help.

People with eating disorders aren't really sick, they are just looking for attention, and could 'stop' at any given time.

Im not sure.

[TysJCB]

I watched my sister go through bulimia and anorexia and I can tell you it isn't an attention thing. Yes there are people out there that probably do do it for attention but they wouldn't be diagnosed. Basically it starts out as a physical thing in the case of my sister she'd just do it every now and then, but the more she did it the more her body gets use to it, meaning after a meal she didn't even have to force herself to throw up, which scared her so she stopped eating all together. It can't be cured by just eating a burger, there's a lot of therapy involved and baby steps to get going, small meals that you have throughout the day and have to keep down no matter what. They could possibly get back to a normal eating routine without professional help but because they don't have the tips and tricks it'll be a lot harder and they'd be more likely to fall back into the disorder

[Asker]

Im so sorry to hear about your sister, it's a horrible struggle to get through.

[jacquesvol]

I quote:
*-Almost 50% of people with eating disorders meet the criteria for depression.
*-Only 1 in 10 men and women with eating disorders receive treatment. Only 35% of people that receive treatment for eating disorders get treatment at a specialized facility for eating disorders.
*-Up to 24 million people of all ages and genders suffer from an eating disorder (anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder) in the U. S.
*-Eating disorders have the HIGHEST mortality rate of any mental illness.
Read more: www.anad.org/.../
End of quote. (you'll find the same elsewhere)
My conclusion:
Eating disorders are real and dangerous mental disorders, and the people suffering from them need professional help.

[Anonymous]

I've had issues with bulimia and honestly I was in a dark place but you can stop whenever you want. A lot of times I didn't want to do it but I did because I convinced myself I needed to when you realize it's not helping you it's easier to stop but at the end of the day you're in control of what you do

[Asker]

In appreciate your opinion :)
But really, girls (and guys) who are really caught up i the disorder, can't just stop. They would love to be 'normal' again, but it's a really hard struggle. A lot of people with eating disorders commit suicide, you don't commit suicide, because of your illness, if you could just stop whenever you wanted :)

[Opinion Owner]

If you couldn't stop no one would survive them and I wouldn't be here so you can stop

[Asker]

Of course you can stop, but it's not something you just do. You can't just decide from one day to the other, that you wan't to be normal again, and then you are.

[Opinion Owner]

You know what? You're right I think it was easier for me because I didn't do it too much

[BiffWebster]

i know this has been answered already but hey id like to say my part. I don't think i'd understand some eating disorders. I mean western cultural is the only cultural that will produce citizens that will purposely starve themselves to have a certain image, the rest of the world, needing food would view that as strange.

Another thing is that most of the models or celebrity stars like Beyonce and even Rihanna, or Katey perry,,, women to aspire to are nowhere near looking as if they starve themselves. I always thought that skinny model crap was left behind in the 90's yah know.

But yea its real... but its a self induced depression actually. Its not always caused by family, or surroundings, but body image and media. If that crap didn't influence us and exist... i don't think eating disorders would be anything to worry about.

[Outofthegrey]

A lot of people in this day and age confuse a lack of willpower with any plethora of "mental disorders".

While there are some real actual eating disorders out there, most of them are a case of not being able to just make yourself do what is right rather than what you want.

Hell, children acting like children is now a "mental disorder". An 8 year old won't pay attention in school and want to play all the time? Oh no, he has ADHD, better get him some Ritalin.

[ambivalentA]

I suffered from bulimia for nearly all of middle school and high school. No one else knew, and I've never told any of my family. i wanted to be smaller, and i had a really unhealthy perception of beauty. I began to get sick and decided to make a change in my life. I got better because of a girl i met at the gym. change still have issues with food, but i am confident in my body now. It was definitely a mental issue with me.

[Anonymous]

They are mental disorder. People who are suffering from eating disorders have a dysmorphic image of their body.

[JustinCaseUDontKnow]

Yes they are cause I had eating disorders for while in my late teen years
so yes I agree they are mental disorder that is dangerously needs attention

[harnow]

yes.

They cause distress.

they stop normal functioning.

so somebody who vomits out of distress and cannot eat a full meal is well...

as is somebody who starves themselves out of distress...

or somebody who eats a lot out of distress to the point they burst their stomach..

whatever..

[mystogan]

eating disorders are definitely mental. They are usually the result of a very stressful environment and/or negative self image.

[adamski24]

I remember watching a television program about a tv/radio presenter who had it as a child did a tv show talking to young girls who have it to try and help them. I know it helped me understand more about it.

[Notgirlygirl]

Eating disorders are a psychological disorder. People with eating disorders have different reason why this happens. It is a very dangerous to health. You probably could look at some psychology books.

[Asker]

Im not saying there aren't real? Iv'e heard from many people that they 'don't believe in them' like they where things you can choose to believe in, or not. I know perfectly well how real they are :)

[Anonymous]

Yes it is to me