Eating Disorders

Contrary to popular belief, eating disorders do not only affect teenage girls.  Incidences of eating disorders are now currently on the rise not only in teenage girls, but in older women, in men and in boys, as well.  What brought about this change?  Aren't teenage girls the only ones predisposed to develop this disease? 

Today, it is not uncommon to hear of someone approaching their middle lives being afflicted with eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and compulsive overeating.  Although the reasons for these may vary from one person to another, these women all share a common denominator - they feel badly about themselves.  Feelings of worthlessness, low self-esteem and an intense dissatisfaction with their bodies push these women to the welcoming arms of eating disorders.  They share the common notion that if they can have the "ideal figure" as established by society, they can then be proud of themselves.  They believe that only when they have thin bodies can they find true happiness. 

Based on research, older women afflicted with the disease may either belong to one of these groups:

.  Women suffering from problematic relationships.  Many married women whose husbands are having an affair might feel that their weight and body shape are the culprits of the problem.  They might think that if only they were thin, their marriages would not suffer and that their husbands would not look at other women.  What they don't realize is that their weight might not be a factor in why their husbands strayed and that there usually are other underlying problems involved in situations like these.  These problems may then set the stage for the development of eating disorders. 

.  Divorced women who are back in the dating game.  With the high incidence of divorce in the country today, many women are finding themselves back in the singles dating game.  Some of them might believe that in order to increase their chances of finding the right man, they must be attractive.  By today's standards, attractiveness is equated with having a thin figure.  This situation might then also lead to the onset of eating disorders. 

.  Women with grown up children.  Some mothers who have dedicated their lives to nurturing their children oftentimes feel lost and alone when their children finally leave home to find their luck in the bigger world.  These women might suddenly feel that they have lost their purpose in life and focus on their weight instead, in order to find happiness and regain a meaning to their lives or they may latch on to food to find comfort for the emptiness they feel inside. 

Women of today face a tremendous pressure from the society.  To be considered successful, a woman must have a wonderful married life, be an ideal mother and have a flourishing career.  With these tremendous expectations, it is not therefore impossible for women to fall helpless preys to eating disorders.  Some women may even consider these disorders as their allies, which help them cope with the daily pressures life bestowed upon them. 

Eating disorders can be very detrimental to health, so if you or anyone you know suffers fromone of these, consult with a qualified health professional immediately for medical help.  Eating disorders are not limited to teenage girls only so do not hesitate to admit if you are a victim of this malady.