Few of us are completely happy with our bodies or body shape. We are constantly being shown images and stories by the media to believe that being slim and to look and act in a certain way equals being beautiful. There is also the myth that if you are slim and look a certain way that this will mean that you will be happier, more confident and more popular with others but this is not the case.
In order to achieve the perfect look portrayed by the media, as well as peer pressure or influence, many people take control by limiting the amount of food they eat each day, or by getting rid of the food they have ate, to such an extent that food begins to dominate a persons life. For many people having an eating disorder is often a sign of being unhappy or as a result of something bad that has happened to them, and to cope with these feelings a person will choose to gain some control over their lives by eating or not eating to block out the painful feelings they are going through.
Did you know that there are three main types of eating disorders?
Anorexia nervosa - This is when a person restricts the amount of food they consume each day in order not to gain weight.
Bulimia nervosa - This is when a person will consume a large amount of food at one time, then will make themselves sick or will over exercise in order not to gain weight.
Binge eating- This is when a person will consume large quantities of food and will not make themselves sick.
For more information on these types of eating disorders and ways in which you can get support and information on how to cope with having an eating disorder, please visit beat, Childline or men get eating disorders too.