Health Conditions

What causes it?

The exact cause of eating disorders is unknown; however, physical, psychological, personal, and social issues have been associated with triggering eating disorders.

The social pressure to be thin affects everyone to some extent. Society is flooded with messages on TV, in the movies, in magazines, on billboards, and on the Internet that thinness brings beauty, success, and happiness. These messages can also come from an individual's family structure, culture, and way of life. Social and cultural pressures along with a low self-esteem are thought to be the major causes for the development of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

No one factor causes an eating disorder, but a few or a combination of factors may increase the risk. Here are some common psychological factors that may contribute to developing eating disorders:

For anorexia:

• fear of growing up
• inability to separate from the family
• need to please or be liked
• perfectionism
• need to control
• need for attention
• lack of self esteem
• high family expectations
• parental dieting
• family discord
• temperament - often described as the "perfect child"
• teasing about weight and body shape

For bulimia:

• difficulty regulating mood
• more impulsive - sometimes with shoplifting, substance abuse, etc.
• sexual abuse
• family dysfunction

  If individuals are at risk of developing an eating disorder, sometimes all it takes to put the ball in motion is a trigger event that the individual does not know how to handle. A trigger could be something as seemingly harmless as teasing or as devastating as rape. Triggers often happen at a time in an individual's life when there is an increased demand on the resources of an individual who is already unsure of his or her ability to meet expectations. Such triggers may include puberty, starting a new school, beginning a new job, death of a friend or loved one, divorce in the family, marriage, family problems, or the breakup of an important relationship.

  However, the most common trigger of eating disorders is dieting. When individuals who are at risk of developing an eating disorder excessively diet, making themselves constantly hungry, they may respond by overeating. These individuals then become panicky about the possibility of weight gain and then vomit, exercise excessively, or otherwise purge to get rid of the calories. Feeling guilty and perhaps horrified at what they have done, they swear to "be good." This usually means more dieting, which leads to more hunger, and repeats the cycle.

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