The Truth About Eating Disorders Unmasking Myths amp Facing Facts Laura Sabin Cabanillas MA LMHC NCC Professional Relations Coordinator Eating Recovery Center Bellevue WA 1 2 I HAD NO IDEA National Eating ID: 765226
Download Presentation The PPT/PDF document "The Truth About Eating Disorders:" is the property of its rightful owner. Permission is granted to download and print the materials on this web site for personal, non-commercial use only, and to display it on your personal computer provided you do not modify the materials and that you retain all copyright notices contained in the materials. By downloading content from our website, you accept the terms of this agreement.
The Truth About Eating Disorders: Unmasking Myths & Facing Facts Laura Sabin CabanillasMA, LMHC, NCCProfessional Relations Coordinator Eating Recovery CenterBellevue, WA 1
2 I HAD NO IDEA National Eating Disorders Awareness Week Feb. 23-March 1 Get in the KNOW: NEDAwareness.org
Did You Know…3 More young women die from eating disorders than any other psychiatric illness Between 5-20% of those struggling with anorexia will die from the disorder Approximately a half million teens (ages 13-18) struggle with eating disorders or disordered eatingPre-teen girls report that they are more afraid of fat than cancer www.nationaleatingdisorders.org
Did You Know…4 60% of teen girls report feeling fat despite being normal weight80% of 10-year-old girls have been on a diet40-60% of elementary school girls are concerned with their weight 33% of adolescent males use unhealthy weight control behaviorsApproximately 50% of people in the U.S. either know someone with an ED or have been personally affected by onewww.nationaleatingdisorders.org
5 Most Common Eating Disorder Myths1) EDs are a choice 2) You can tell someone has an ED simply by looking at them3) EDs revolve around food 4) EDs are a female thing5) EDs in adolescents are a phase and a way to seek attention5
6 Truth: EDs are complicated Biopsychosocial Disorders – no one chooses to have an eating disorder!DNA Loads the Gun – Life Pulls the TriggerMyth #1: Eating Disorders are a Choice
A few facts about EDsAn eating disorder is an Impulse Control Disorder – NOT an addiction They are complex disorders and should be treated by a multidisciplinary team: medical, mental health and nutrition providersThe more risk factors in place, the higher likelihood an ED could developThey run in familiesThey are lethal and should always be taken seriously7
8 Family history of eating disorders or chemical dependency: genetic contributions as high as 40%American Psychological Association: A Genetic Link to Anorexia , DeAngelis March 2002, Vol 33, No. 3: http:// www.apa.org/monitor/mar02/genetic.aspxIndividuals with a mother or sister who had suffered from Anorexia Nervosa are: 12 times more likely to develop Anorexia Nervosa 4 times more likely to develop Bulimia Nervosa Anxiety, depression or other mood disorder Predisposing Biological Factors
Predisposing Psychological FactorsAnxiety or mood disorderObsessive Compulsive personality Highly sensitive (emotionally)Poor distress tolerance skillsPerfectionistic temperamentPeople pleaser9
10Family history of severe dieting/exerciseFamily constellation—enmeshed or disengagedGo fast, highly competitive academic/social environmentHigh risk sports (wrestling, gymnastics, football, swimming, track)Dieting culture - unrealistic then ideals promotedSocial media & pro-ana websites (blogs, chat rooms, facebook, tumblr, twitter - it’s everywhere!) Predisposing Sociological Factors
Myth #2: You can tell someone has an eating disorder by looking at them Truth: Individuals struggling with bulimia and binge eating disorder will often appear to be of average body weight 11
Anorexia Nervosa12 Low body weight (<85%)Intense fear of gaining weightDistorted body imageExtreme Focus on shape/weightDenial of seriousness of illnessAnemiaAge at onset typically between 12-25
Bulimia Nervosa13 Recurrent binge-eatingUnusually large amount of food (by social comparison) in a short amount of timeFeeling out of controlCompensatory behaviorVomitingLaxative abuseExcessive exerciseFasting Extreme focus on shape/weight
Binge Eating Disorder14 - Recurrent binge-eatingUnusually large amount of food (by social comparison) in a short amount of time - Feeling out of control NO Compensatory behavior - Can be of normal or heavier than average weight
Myth #3: Eating Disorders revolve around food Truth: Behaviors associated with EDs may begin with a fixation on calories and weight, but stem from issues beyond food & body size.15
16Harm avoidant Neurotic/need to controlObsessionalAnxiousReward dependentPerfectionisticLow novelty seekingVery Low self-esteem (though they may seem confident)Temperament in Anorexia Nervosa
17 Harm AvoidantObsessionalPerfectionisticDepressed and anxiousLow self-esteemHigher novelty seekingImpulsiveAffective dysregulationTemperament in Bulimia Nervosa
Temperament in Binge Eating Disorder 18 DependentAvoidant Depressed Low self-esteem Passive-aggressive Impulsive Affective dysregulation Black & White/All or nothing thinking
19 Internal or external experience(s) of feeling out of control can include:Onset of puberty between the ages of 11-14: in four years the average young woman gains 40 pounds with a disproportionate fat ratioBody dissatisfaction Bullying or teasing by peers or siblings related to weight, size or shapeInnocent weight loss via increased exercise (sports) or illness that results in compliments Common Precipitants
20 Abuse: physical, sexual, emotionalTraumatic events leading to feelings of rejection or failure as perceived by the child/adolescentMajor life stage transitions: identity formation, individuationFamily difficulty: severe conflict, separation or divorce, disengagement of a parent/caregiverCommon Precipitants
Myth #4: Eating Disorders are a “female thing” Truth: ED’s are no longer a “princess disease”Current statistics show that male eating disorders account for:10% of all cases of Anorexia Nervosa20% of all cases of Bulimia Nervosa40% of all cases of Binge Eating Disorder 21
Myth: Eating Disorders are a female thing 22- A recent national survey indicated that41% of men are dissatisfied with theirweight (nationaleatingdisorders.org ) - Adolescent boys who participate in football, track, and wrestling have increased risk factors of developing an eating disorder if biological and psychological predisposition is already in place The muscularity of ideal male body representations i n the media (even in our favorite cartoon characters!) has increased exponentially since the 1970’s, presenting a largely unattainable body type
23
Myth #5: EDs in adolescents are a phase and a way to seek attention Truth: Approximately a half million teens (13-18) struggle with eating disorders or disordered eating. 24
MIT Raising Teens Project: 10 Tasks of Adolescence Adjust to sexually maturing bodies and feelingsDevelop and apply abstract thinking skillsDevelop and apply new perspectives on human relationshipsDevelop and apply new coping skills in decision making, problem solving, and conflict resolutionIdentify meaningful moral standards, values, and belief systems25
MIT Raising Teens Project: 10 Tasks of Adolescence6) Understand and express more complex emotional experiences 7) Form friendships that are mutually close and supportive8) Establish key aspects of identity9) Meet the demands of increasingly mature roles and responsibilities10) Renegotiate relationships with adults in parenting roles26
27
28Weight loss with inability to re-gain Medical instability (dizziness, fainting, chest pain)Suicidality/cuttingInability to contain purging behaviorsPhysical Signs (cold intolerance, brittle hair & nails, pale/grey skin, scars on knuckles, chronic sore throat, swollen glands)Decreased Motivation/falling gradesFatigue“3 week rule”Guidelines for Assessing Eating Disorders Card Symptoms to Watch: When to Refer
29Full Continuum of Care:Medical Unit with Eating Disorder and Psychiatric ExpertiseInpatient and/or ResidentialPartial Hospitalization (Day treatment)Intensive Outpatient ProgramInterdisciplinary approach should include medical providers, therapists, and dietitiansClinical Components of Good Treatment
30Phase 1: Connect, Build Trust, Take in Nutrition and Stop Behaviors Phase 2: Awareness and Practice New SkillsPhase 3: Make Good Plans for How to Continue to be in Recovery in the “Real World” Phases of Treatment
Support Plan for StudentsApproach – don’t avoid! (Shame & EDs thrive in silence)Express your concerns compassionatelyLISTEN! Refer them to an outpatient therapist who works with ED’s Agree on support person (parent/other family member)Accountability – lunch partnerPromote a healthy balanced culture at your school - Organize ED Awareness Day for Students & Parents (PTO)- Promote a fat talk free week at your schoolhttp://bi3d.tridelta.org/ourinitiatives/fattalkfreeweek 31
What is Fat Talk? Fat Talk describes any statement that reinforces the thin-ideal standard of beauty and contributes to women and men's dissatisfaction with their bodies. Examples include: “I’m so fat.““Do I look fat in this?”"She should not be wearing that!""Does this make my butt look big?""I need to lose 10 pounds before I wear that."http://www.operationbeautiful.com/release-form/how-to-become-fat-talk-free/http:// www.succeedfoundation.org/work/fat_talk_free_week 32
ED Prevention & OB PreventionIt’s NOT a competition! Both “camps” want the same goal – healthy kids. There is a disconnect between how healthy lifestyles are promoted by professionals. How can we work together?Reference: “War on Weight: Reframing the Tension between the Eating Disorders and Obesity Fields”, (Ferrari, McVey, Rice, Piran) – Oral Scientific Paper at Int. Conf. on ED’s 2013: aedweb.org/ICED2013/paper4.pdf33
34Eating Recovery Center: www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com/category/resources-eating-disorder-recovery/for-families/National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA): www.nationaleatingdisorders.orgAcademy for Eating Disorders (AED): http://www.aedweb.org/web/index.phpInternational Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (iaedp): www.iaedp.comEating Disorders Information Gateway: www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com/EDIG Online Resources
35Questions For more resources, referral information or assistance with eating disorder awareness and education opportunities, email me: lcabanillas@eatingrecoverycenter.com