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Struggling with an Uncommon Eating Disorder

Struggling with an Uncommon Eating Disorder

Nereida Lopez

Salt Lake Community College


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Struggling with an Uncommon Eating Disorder

Eating disorders are the silent killers for many people in society today. With the

pressure of having a slim physique, while at the same time having other body traits to

comply with the standards of beauty, many young men and women turn to eating

disorders to please not only societys satisfaction, but many times their own. Eating

disorders come in various ways and aspects. The most common eating disorders that we

are most familiar with are Bulimia and Anorexia.

However, there is a silent eating disorder that many people are not familiar with.

It has various similarities to both Anorexia and Bulimia, but it cannot be labeled as

either of them. A sufferer of this with have symptoms of both diseases, but because the

characteristics are not strong enough, they are diagnosed with EDNOS. EDNOS is the

most dangerous eating disorder, because it is the eating disorder that kills most often,

due of the lack of knowledge about it. Shockingly, although Anorexia and Bulimia tend

to take the light for eating disorders, EDNOS takes up about 70 percent of all 24 million

eating disorder diagnoses in the United States (2005, C.G. Fairburn).

Some symptoms a person may have if they have EDNOS are extremely unusual

eating habits, a distorted body image and an intense fear of gaining weight. There are

various warning signs that parents or loved ones of a sufferer should look for. They

include physical signs such as a rapid amount of weight loss, or frequent changes in

weight. For women, it could be a loss of menstrual cycle including a disturbance in their

normal cycle. People with this illness may also feel extreme fatigue and low energy. In
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addition, they may also have signs of damage to their bodies due to vomiting (2001, M.F

Marino, & M. C. Zanarini).

The psychological warning signs are a little bit more difficult to distinguish.

Because it is not necessarily physical, it is more difficult to notice. A person with EDNOS

will be preoccupied with eating, food, body shape, and their weight. They will become

anxious or irritable around meals and certain foods. They will have a distorted body

image and many times will use foods as a source of comfort. This causes using food as

self-punishment, for example, using it as a way to deal with depression, stress, or other

emotional issues (2001, M.F Marino, & M. C. Zanarini).

A person with EDNOS (as well as other eating disorders) will exhibit certain

behaviors and symptoms that are commonly present while a person has an eating

disorder. A person may eat in private as well as avoid eating meals with other people.

This person will also have frequent trips to the bathroom during or shortly after meals,

including evidence of binge eating. Some people have been noted to change their

clothing style by wearing baggy clothing. A person might also have secretive behavior

around food such as saying that they have eaten when they have not done so. Many with

those suffering also have extreme sensitivity to comments about their body shape,

weight, eating and exercise habits (2016, EDNOS: THE SILENT KILLER.)

The numbers are alarming, and there is still not a lot of research towards

EDNOS. A study was conducted, comparing women with Borderline Personality

disorder, and women who suffer from EDNOS. These women were of ages 18-35, of

normal or better intelligence, and have had no history of schizophrenia or bipolar

disorders. They found that in many cases, there is a correlation between having a
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personality disorder or some sort of mental illness that coexists with EDNOS. This is

important for doctors and even family members or loved ones who are suffering with

EDNOS because it can help with certain treatment options, and it can also be an

explanation for certain habits that a person may have (2016, EDNOS: THE SILENT

KILLER).

Many sufferers feel that EDNOS is less important because of the not otherwise

specified portion of the diagnosis title. This causes them to feel worse about the

disease, and feel more drawn to continue these behaviors. In many cases, without the

sufficient help, many people will die with this illness (Healthcare, A. Eating Disorders

Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating Disorder, Compulsive Overeating).

Various long-term effects can happen to a person who has had an eating disorder

for a large period of their life. A person may have a permanently ruptured esophagus

and stomach from frequent vomiting. In addition, they could have kidney failure,

chronic constipation, or diarrhea, irregular or slow heartbeat. A person will also develop

osteoporosis which can lead to human bones becoming brittle and fragile. This makes it

easy for them to break and fracture (Healthcare, A. Eating Disorders Anorexia, Bulimia,

Binge Eating Disorder, Compulsive Overeating).

The good news is that there is a wide variety of treatment options for those who

are seeking help. It is important that if you see someone that has EDNOS or any other

eating disorder that you help them seek help immediately. They earlier they get help, the

closer they are to recovery. Depending on the need of the patient, there can be recovery

plans tailored to meet each individual need. They can be individual, group, or family
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psychotherapy, medical care and monitoring, and if needed antidepressants (2005,

Fairburn)

In conclusion, it is important to be aware of EDNOS and other eating disorders.

It is becoming a common thing amongst men and women, and it needs to be more

spoken about. This topic could help me because as someone who struggles with this, it is

important to become aware so I can help others who are like me, who do not know

where to turn to. My feelings about this topic are very strong because I feel like we need

to help more people with this disorder, and help them realize that they are all perfect the

way they are, and turning to an eating disorder will not help you. Self-acceptance and

self-love is so only medicine that will help.


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WORKS CITED

EDNOS: THE SILENT KILLER. (2016, MAY 16). RETRIEVED APRIL 10, 2017, FROM

HTTPS://WWW.RECOVERYRANCH.COM/ARTICLES/EATING-DISORDERS/EDNOS-THE-SILENT-

KILLER/

FAIRBURN, C. G. (2005). EATING DISORDER NOS (EDNOS): AN EXAMPLE OF THE TROUBLESOME

NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED (NOS) CATEGORY IN DSM-IV. EATING DISORDER NOS

(EDNOS): AN EXAMPLE OF THE TROUBLESOME NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED (NOS)

CATEGORY IN DSM-IV. RETRIEVED APRIL 4, 2017,

HEALTHCARE, A. (N.D.). EATING DISORDERS - ANOREXIA, BULIMIA, BINGE EATING DISORDER,

COMPULSIVE OVEREATING. RETRIEVED APRIL 10, 2017, FROM HTTP://WWW.SOMETHING-

FISHY.ORG/WHATARETHEY/EDNOS.PHP

MARINO, M. F., & ZANARINI, M. C. (2001). RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EDNOS AND ITS SUBTYPES

AND BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EATING DISORDERS,

29(3), 349-353. DOI:10.1002/EAT.1029


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