What is an Eating Disorder?

An eating disorder describes an illness where one has irregular eating habits and severe distress about their own body weight. Eating disorders may include food intake that insufficient and/or excessive. In time this can damage a person’s well-being. Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder are the prevailing types of eating disorders affecting both men and women.

Demi Lovato speaks about her eating disorder. As featured on ABC’s Nightline

Eating disorders can develop at any stage in life, but commonly appear during the teenage years or during young adulthood. Eating disorders are classified as a medical illness. Appropriate professional treatment can be highly beneficial for many specific types of eating disorders.

Although conditions are treatable, the symptoms and consequences can be detrimental to an individual’s life if not dealt with.

Eating disorders typically co-exist with other issues like anxiety disorders, substance abuse or depression.