Hello Everyone,
I hope this week has treated you well. I’d like to talk about a serious and dangerous disorder (one with many subtypes) that I feel goes unnoticed or is ignored when brought to light in Guyana. I’d like to speak about Eating Disorders.
Eating disorders are unhealthy and abnormal attitudes towards food which result in severe changes in behaviour and eating patterns. There is a constant focus and obsession with food, weight and overall physical appearance.

This is one of the most difficult disorders, as food obviously plays a crucial role in our life- it’s a necessity and therefore a balance always needs to be there. More importantly, it effects individuals physically, emotionally and communally.
There are three types of eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa occurs when the individual is fixated on being thin and therefore purposely starves and/or exercises excessively. Bulimia involves binge eating (over eating) and is followed by purging (purposely throwing up) or using laxatives to try and to avoid weight gain. Finally, Binge Eating Disorder occurs when the individuals eats large amount of food over a short period of time but does not necessarily use extraordinary means to get it out of their system. Therefore, this group is more likely to be overweight.
These disorders are caused by many factors. I personally believe that the main cause is the blatant social pressure to be thin. This has drastically increased in the last few years with the popularity of social media. There were many times where I had a piece of chocolate in my hand, decided to scroll through Instagram and I almost immediately felt forced to throw away the chocolate. At the time, I feel a mixture of guilt and gratitude but when does it get too serious? When does it become unhealthy?

Other causes for eating disorders are genetics (family history of eating disorders), bullying/ criticism, substance abuse, abusive relationships, low self-esteem and self-confidence, stress or being in a particular job/field that requires low body weight such as dancers or models.

Today, I would like to focus on just Anorexia Nervosa and will speak about the remaining two in the upcoming weeks.

Anorexia Nervosa usually develops from the anxiety that comes from a fear of being overweight or the desire to be thin. The majority of individuals with Anorexia Nervosa have a distorted view of themselves in the sense that they believe to be overweight when they are actually underweight. They believe their personal value is directly related to their weight and physical appearance.
Both men and women suffer from Anorexia Nervosa (although it is more common in women) and the onset is usually around ages 16-17.
If an individual isn’t observably underweight, it is difficult to identify Anorexia. In today’s society, it is quite normal to exercise and diet daily. So how can we identify if it is a problem? People who suffer from Anorexia will constantly count calories and/or skip meals, rarely eat in public settings, constantly complain about their weight and or weighing themselves, frequently checking themselves in mirrors and taking supplements such as diet pills.
How can this affect us?
Anorexia Nervosa affects individuals in physical, emotional and social ways.
It causes a range of physical health problems such as malnutrition, hair loss, Osteoporosis (fragile bones), sexual issues such as loss of periods/ infertility in women and erectile dysfunction in men. Issues with blood circulation, irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, seizures and kidney damage are also common. Drug abuse is very common as many people resort to using drugs like cocaine to decrease appetite and therefore lose weight. This makes addiction very common in individuals with Anorexia. If the individual is pregnant, miscarriages, premature births and low birth weight are common. In some cases, the condition can even be fatal.

Anorexia can cause a range of psychological issues such as anxiety, depression, self-harm and even suicide. These side effects subsequently affect school and job performance as well as daily activities.

Social harms such as withdrawal from relationships and loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities are also common.
Overall, about 5% of people with anorexia die from complications over a ten-year period
What can we do to treat Anorexia Nervosa?
Honestly, people with Anorexia Nervosa very rarely seek help – a lot of intervention is needed. The difficulty is that the first step of recovery is admitting there is a problem, which is also very rare in this case.

Most individuals can be treated in an outpatient setting but in severe cases, hospital admission is necessary.

Successful treatment usually involves a combination of things. The first is to make a food plan to return to a healthy weight. The next step is to identify the underlying psychological issues that may have caused the disorder in the first place- for example, low self- esteem or stress. It is important to pay attention to your thinking/reasoning. People tend to believe that if they feel a certain way it must be true. “I feel fat so I am fat” is common. However, try to be reasonable, accurate and positive in your thinking. It will go a long way. Finally, behavioural changes such as staying away from places or activities that trigger the obsession of being thin may be necessary. For example- throw away your scale! A recovering Anorexic keeping a scale is like a recovering crack addict keeping his pipe. Start basing your value on how you feel daily instead.
I would like to encourage those who are currently trying to overcome Anorexia. It can take years to fully recover and relapses are common- don’t lose hope!
Thank you for reading and please send in any topics to caitlinvieira@gmail.com. Also please remember when you can come see me.

Woodlands Hospital: Outpatient Department
Drug and Alcohol group meetings – Mondays 4:15
Good mental health group meetings- Wednesdays 4:15
Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always!