Eating
      Disorders:
      What
      you
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Should
      know
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Have
      you
      ever
      come
      across
      promising
      diets
      in
     
     
      magazines
      that
      tell
      us
      we
      can
      lose
      as
      much
      weight
     
     
      as
      we
      want
      and
      not
      have
      to
      go
      through
      any
      kind
      of
     
     
      discomfort?
      They
      may
      say
      that
      you
      can
      eat
      anything
     
     
      you
      want
      as
      long
      as
      you
      take
      those
      pills
      or
      drink
     
     
      those
      malts
      or...
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Society
      gives
      us
      the
      impression
      that
      we’ll
      be
      happy,
     
     
      gorgeous,
      and
      successful
      if
      we
      are
      thin
      like
      the
     
     
      models
      in
      magazines.
      Have
      you
      ever
      watched
      a
     
     
      movie
      about
      an
      obese
      person
      who
      was
      extremely
     
     
      successful
      and
      popular?
      I’m
      sure
      that
      the
      answer
      to
     
     
      that
      would
      be
      no
      -
      in
      most
      cases.
      ;
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Most
      of
      us,
      at
      one
      time
      or
      another,
      have
      heard
      of
     
     
      anorexia
      nervosa
      and
      bulimia.
      These
      two
      common
     
     
      eating
      disorders
      often
      occur
      together,
      in
      that
      the
     
     
      person
      who
      has
      anorexia
      nervosa
      often
      has
      bulimia
     
     
      also.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Anorexia
      nervosa
      is
      characterized
      by
      "deliberate
      self-
     
     
      Starvation
      in
      the
      pursuit
      of
      excessive
      thinness."
     
     
      Often
      times
      the
      person
      will
      not
      eat
      for
      weeks
      at
      a
     
     
      time
      and
      then
      may
      binge
      for
      hours.
      This
      bingeing
     
     
      may
      sometimes
      end
      with
      the
      victim
      self-inducing
     
     
      vomiting.
      These
      endless
      routines
      of
      bingeing
      and
     
     
      then
      vomiting
      are
      classificd
      under
      the
      term
      of
     
     
      Bulimia.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Some
      warning
      signs
      of
      Anorexia
      Nervosa
      are:
     
     
      noticeable
      weight
      loss;
      excessive,
      compulsive
     
     
      exercising;
      denial
      of
      hunger;
      frequent
      weighing;
      slow,
     
     
      methodical,
      ritualistic
      food
      habits;
      and
      leaving
     
    

    
     
      for
      the
      washroom
      after
      cating.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Some
      warning
      signs
      of
      Bulimia
      are:
      excessive
     
     
      concern
      about
      weight
      and
      obsession
      with
      food;
     
     
      frequent
      overeating
      especially
      when
      distressed
      or
     
     
      under
      tension;
      disappearing
      after
      a
      meal
      (secretive
     
    
   
   
    
     
      vomiting);
      evidence
      of
      vomit
      or
      laxative
      abuse
      in
      the
     
     
      bathroom;
      withdrawal
      from
      activities
      and
      isolation
     
     
      from
      peers;
      expressing
      guilt
      or
      shame
      about
      eating;
     
     
      and:
      depressive
      moods
      and
      irritability.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      If
      you
      have
      noticed
      any
      of
      these
      warning
      signs
      in
     
    
   
   
    
     
      your
      peers
      or
      roommates,
      it
      would
      be
      wise
      to
     
     
      express
      concern
      about
      their
      eating
      habits.
      Support
     
     
      groups
      are
      held
      at
      the
      hospital
      for
      victims
      of
     
     
      eating
      disorders;
      and
      you
      might
      advise
      your
      friend
     
     
      to
      contact
      John
      MacMillan
      at
      the
      Richmond
      Centre
     
     
      (368-4430).
      Mr.
      MacMillan
      is
      very
      experienced
      in
     
     
      the
      area
      of
      counselling
      anorexics
      and
      bulimics.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      UPEI
      X-Press
     
    
   
   
    
     
      November
      1st,
      1990