Eating Disorders

We live in an immensely voyeuristic and exhibitionist world thanks to social media. At first, with a simple post using words of how we were doing, we could create small statements to describe the events of our lives. Next, came photos, opening a new world of possibilities. Soon, we became professionals on the latest news, sharing links, sharing videos, and leaving behind us a digital breadcrumb trail about every aspect of our lives. Today, instant sharing allows people to document every moment of their day and night, letting people in, and showing their lives off. Social media falls under scrutiny for promoting fake identity and falsism rather than authenticity. There is never a way of knowing the truth behind every photo and post, the pain behind every smile, or the eating disorder and severe body dysmorphia behind every “insta-perfect” body. Numerous “insta-famous” “insta-stars” have come forward about the truth behind their picture perfect looking lives. It takes hours to frame a shot the right way, obsessive takes and retakes, endless editing, and filtering, before that one shot of perfection can be ogled over by millions upon millions of followers. Dangerously, there are the use of hashtags which perpetuate unrealistic and severely unhealthy idealistic standards of perfection and beauty which drive particular populations toward eating disorder behavior. Without understanding the truth behind the image, people are shown just an image and a message: this is how you should look, do whatever it takes to get there, it is worth it. Hashtags like “thinspo” “fitspo” and others have sparked controversy, in addition to the multiple body “trends” which problematically place a high amount of focus on specific body parts. Professionals have the most worry about pro-eating disorder hashtags and posts in which users encourage one another in their eating disorder behaviors. “For people suffering with anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder,” explains a contributing author to Huffington Post, “obsessions over self-image and feelings of shame over eating food consume a person’s daily thoughts and actions.” In addition to documenting every physical achievement, perfect angle, and healthy meal, social media users feel compelled to talk about their version of acceptance-- maybe they “indulged” today and ate “bad” thereby “cheating” on their “lifestyle”, but it’s okay, because they will work out and eat clean tomorrow, because that is the meaning of “balance”. “With the multitude of environmental stressors already influencing disordered eating habits, social media has new been added to the list. Now more than ever, since social media is used by individuals of all ages and backgrounds, it has begun to play a larger role in the influence and development of social media.”

If there is one thing most people going to treatment for an addiction or mental health disorder have in common it’s a shared trait of low self-esteem. Guilt, shame, and long standing personal beliefs have created core perceptions about the self which are less than pretty. Thinking ugly things about ourselves leads us to believing ugly things about ourselves and seeing ugly things about ourselves. Consequently, we live with a lot of self-hatred, self-loathing, self-repudiation- and every other negative emotions we could put toward ourselves. Our low self-esteem causes us to act in ways which are not conducive toward our self-esteem, helping us to feel worse and worse about ourselves. Treatment and recovery is the opportunity to reverse this process. Yes, it’s true. During treatment and recovery, you’re going to learn to love yourself. If only a little bit, you are going to be comfortable looking at your own face in the mirror. You might even be able to say nice things to yourself. You will feel increasingly comfortable with who you are. Who you are includes what you think, how you act, what you feel, and how you look. Whatever you are coming into treatment for, you will learn to love every part of yourself, mind, body, and spirit. Here are some simple reminders to help you get going:

Though exercise addiction is not listed as a diagnosable condition, it does affect people when it becomes a problem. What Causes Exercise Addiction? Mental health issues like a compulsive need to exercise despite negative consequences to the body have deep roots beyond exercise. Most often, exercise addiction is connected to a need for control. Exercise addiction is closely related to eating disorders, with a foundation in poor body image. Poor body image can come from bullying or even simple comments. Body image issues can also result from trauma. The “addiction” part of exercise addiction develops over time. A certain level of pleasure and reward is associated with the compulsive behavior of exercise. Repeatedly, this creates a strong connection in which the brain feels it needs to feel the reward of exercise when there is any negativity. For someone who feels out of control in their life for any reason, exercise becomes a coping mechanism for dealing with the stress of obsessive thinking. Does Exercise Addiction Only Involve Exercise? Since exercise addiction is so intimately tied to eating disorders, it usually is not an isolated effort. Eating disorder behaviors like restriction, binging, and even purging can accompany exercise addiction. Body dysmorphia is also a part of an eating disorder often times, skewing the perception one has of the shape and size of their body. What Are The Effects Of Exercise Addiction?

In 2015, a study published in Brain and Cognition examined the reaction of the brain to images of food on social media platforms like Instagram. 63% of the news feeds scrolled through by devoted users of social media are filled with images of food. Today’s food snapshots aren’t just a quick pic of what you’re eating. There’s an entire culture behind photographing food that makes magazines look like amateurs. People go out of their way to bring their sweet and savory creations or dining options to life, evoking envy- and apparently a significant amount of brain activity, in everyone who merely gets to look. According to Fox, “the brain undergoes dramatic neurophysiological changes in response to food images that exacerbate physiological hunger.” In layman's terms, when you’ve just eaten and are scrolling through your social media news feed as you digest, seeing pictures of taste-bud tantalizing food can cause you to feel hungry. For some people, this can be problematic. Those with a tendency toward weight issues, like those who might be clinically obese, were more responsive to pictures of food after eating than those at a healthy weight. Your physical health, specifically your weight, might be directly correlated by how severely you react to pictures of food, despite having food in your stomach. Images alone are not the only problem. For many years researchers have investigated the growing amount of hours spent on social media which can lead to many physical health problems. First of all, technology addiction can lead to a decreased amount of exercise and poor eating choices. Second of all, overuse of social media has been linked to poor body image and the development of eating disorders. Getting Away From Social Media Munchies Have you found yourself raiding the pantry after scrolling through social media? Here are some tips for maintaining a balanced recovery lifestyle when it comes to social media

The word grateful is an adjective. According to definition, it is a “feeling or showing an appreciation of kindness; thankful.” Gratefulness, or gratitude, is about thankfulness. It’s a feeling as well as an action. Being grateful is more than saying thank you or showing appreciation. It’s a feeling that you embody and embrace, incorporating it as part of your lifestyle. For recovery, gratitude is an essential practice, as well as feeling. Without gratitude, there is a lack in appreciation for recovery. Recovery isn’t always easy! Staying sober, not relying on old behaviors, staying away from destructive patterns, takes a lot of work. On some days the work is easy. Other days can be quite the challenge. Gratitude is easier to practice when things are good. We can be appreciative and thankful for what feels good and easy. We can feel less defensive or aggressive toward what doesn't cause us stress or challenge us in any way. Unfortunately, life isn’t always easy. Recovery is about learning to “live life on life’s terms” which means accepting that there are good days and bad days. Gratitude can be the bridge which walks us over troubled waters when the storms are raging. Even on the bad days, we can be grateful for a number of things in life. All we have to do is practice gratitude to find it. Here are a few ways how:

Obsession with idealized perceptions of perfectionism and body image are not taboo in today’s world. For decades, there has been an emphasis through the media on looking “perfect”. The age of digital alteration has made some of these goals and standards unattainable in reality. In the delusions of eating disorders, which alter the way people see themselves and perceive they are being seen by others, these “goals” really are attainable. Since someone with an eating disorder is convinced that they can achieve the perfect look, the perfect size, the perfect weight, and the perfect acceptance, they go to great lengths to achieve it. Should they fall short in any way, it results in deep emotional pain, self-punishment, and other repercussions. This is not a lifestyle choice. Nobody chooses the daily pain of having to loathe one’s appearance to the point of binging and purging and going to extreme lengths to maintain control over body image. Eating disorders like bulimia nervosa are diagnosable mental illnesses. Answering the question, “Is Bulimia Considered A Mental Illness?” LCSW and eating disorder specialist Gretta Gleissner responds for Huffington Post. Mental illness is defined as “a condition that affects a person’s thinking, feeling, or mood. Such conditions may affect someone’s ability to relate to others and function each day,” according to The National Alliance on Mental Illness. Gleissner explains, “Because the symptoms and causes of bulimia are rooted in genetic and environmental factors which can affect a person’s mental, emotional, and physical state, bulimia is considered a mental illness.”  Should bulimia nervosa go untreated, it can become “an extremely debilitating disorder”. The National Eating Disorder Association writes that bulimia nervosa “is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by a cycle of bingeing and compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting designed to undo or compensate for the effects of binge eating.” Symptoms can include:

Each month there is a new breakthrough in psychopharmacology for the treatment of mental health disorders. Alcoholism and addiction, substance use disorders, are constantly being tried against various medications. America loves medications, for good reasons. For many people with many different conditions, medication works. Resolving treatment to a simple pill is a convenient answer which can be mass produced and help millions of people. Most treatment professionals agree, however, that a medication is only one part of a recovery program. Therapy, diet and nutrition, as well as lifestyle changes are essential for recovering from any kind of mental health condition. Creating a balance lifestyle of mind, body, and spirit is essential for creating the meaning and changes in life which will support ongoing recovery. Eating disorder recovery finds this to be especially true. However, for eating disorders, there is rarely talk of a medication. Recent headlines have indicated brain stimulation might help with bulimia and anorexia nervosa. In recent years, there has been talk of surgeries to help with binge eating disorder, as well as the suggestion of stimulant medications like Vyvanse, used for treating ADHD, to suppress the appetite. Yet, medications and eating disorders don’t seem to be associated. Refinery29 explains that understanding of how eating disorders work in the brain is still scarce. Only recently did some researchers find that eating disorders might live in the area of the brain where habits are formed. Additionally, eating disorders are difficult to study. The article writes that “it can be difficult to tell whether the differences in brain activity that you see in ED patients versus a healthy control group are truly due to the disorder or are actually due to malnourishment.” Another complicated contributor to the ambiguity of eating disorder treatment is that many patients don’t want to give up their behaviors out of fear. When people seek treatment they have either decided they want to live a different way, have been forced into treatment by family, or recognize their mortality should their behaviors continue. Eating disorders can create an unhealthy fear of gaining weight. One of the most influential factors which drive people away from treatment is the fear of gaining weight and not being able to participate in disordered behaviors any longer. Medications can cause weight gain, which could pose an immediate red flag to patients. Therapy and treatment, with a gentle guidance to lifestyle changes and thinking processes do help with eating disorder treatments. Studies are finding that once someone goes to treatment for an eating disorder, their recovery sustains long term. Avalon Malibu offers a residential treatment program for eating disorders which includes nourishment for the soul, the body, and healing for the mind. For a confidential assessment, call us today at 1 888-958-7511.

Eating disorders are misunderstood to be extreme displays of a blatant refusal not to eat, obvious purging, and obvious bingeing. With eating disorders, there is always more than meets the eye.

According to ADAA, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, two thirds of people who live with an eating disorder also live with an anxiety disorder. Considering the statistic that 30% of the adult population lives with an anxiety disorder, that is a significant consideration. A majority of people living with one is likely to also live with the other. Eating disorders and anxiety disorders on their own can be challenging to live with. Combined, the disorder or anxiety and the anxiety of an eating disorder could be crippling to one’s quality of life. Women’s Health Magazine reports that “recent research suggests that a predisposition to anxiety may be related to abnormal activity of serotonin, a chemical in the brain responsible for regulating mood, and that people who develop eating disorders tend to have this abnormal serotonin activity, too,” since the link between anxiety and eating disorders still isn’t clear. Screening for eating disorders in those diagnosed with anxiety and vice versa could be a life-saving intervention. Properly assessing and treating dual diagnosis issues is essential to full recovery. Without treating anxiety in someone with a primary eating disorder, for example, they might continue to live with the symptoms of anxiety. As the article cites, “...people who recover from eating disorders may still have the high anxiety and driven mentality and start channeling that into new ‘obsessions,’ such as school or work,” emphasizing that ultimately, “recovery means...that behavior isn’t compulsive or driven by an attempt to avoid feeling anxious.” Such behaviors could include a relapse into a different kind of eating disorder, experimenting with drugs and alcohol, workaholism, or more. Recovery from eating disorders and anxiety disorders is possible with the right clinical treatment which holistically approaches both disorders individually and as they are co-occurring. Important to the clinical therapeutic healing is learning how to make impactful lifestyle changes from balancing diet and exercise to creating a meaningful social circle. Living with co-occurring anxiety and eating disorders can lead to isolation. The anxiety of coping with eating disorder symptoms and vice versa can lead someone to many avoidant behaviors which minimizes their social life. Integrative treatment which transforms all areas of life is essential to lifelong recovery. Avalon Malibu provides trusted treatments for co-occurring eating disorders and anxiety disorders. Our beautiful estate on the iconic cliffside of the Malibu coast is the home to our renown mental health treatment facility, one of California’s only primary care centers. For a confidential assessment and more information, call 1 888-958-7511.

Heart damage is a little known side effect of eating disorders. After years of binging, purging, and restricting cycles, the physiological effect of eating disorders takes a toll on the heart. When someone who has lived with ongoing eating disorder issues suddenly dies of a heart attack or heart failure, their cause of death is rarely labeled with their eating disorder. As a result, heart problems remain a hidden and deadly secret for eating disorder recovery. Anorexia Nervosa Anorexia is an eating disorder with the typical traits of starvation, restriction, and extreme compensation for food. Malnutrition and the actual physical state of starvation is common for those struggling with anorexia. The heart slows down during phases of starvation and restriction to create a condition called “bradycardia”. Heart failure is a high risk for severe cases of anorexia. Bulimia Nervosa Bulimia nervosa does not rely on restriction as much as it relies on purging. Someone with bulimia will not necessarily binge. When they do, they turn to purging to relieve themselves. Through dehydrating diuretics, or exhausting vomiting, people with bulimia can turn to extreme exercise and putting stress on the heart. “Tachycardia” is a condition where fluid loss makes the heart beat faster, causing someone to faint or have heart problems. For people whose bulimia includes purging and extreme exercise, they are in a constant state of dehydration, lacking in electrolytes which can cause arrhythmia. Arrhythmia can cause cardiac arrest. Binge Eating Disorder People with poor eating habits are aware of the damage they can cause their hearts. Cholesterol problems, clogged arteries, heart stress, blood pressure, and more can result from a poor diet like binge eating disorder. Constant changes in metabolism can make the way the heart functions change, causing a heart attack. EDNOS Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified can also have an effect on the heart. Any extreme changes in dieting, exercise, and food consumption will affect the strength and integrity of the heart. Staying Heart Healthy Treatment programs for eating disorders are placed under careful medical care. Doctors, cardiologists, and dieticians are always on hand to help restore the body and heart to a natural state. Avalon Malibu provides primary residential treatment for eating disorder recovery. Our private chefs help create heart-healthy meals according to each client's needs, determined by their work with dieticians and nutritionists. For a confidential assessment and more information on our programs, call 1 888-958-7511.