What is the root of all eating disorders?

“Due to social media and television, our culture is obsessed with looking skinny.”
“Control is everything. Her mother is to blame for what happened; if only she had paid less attention to her daughter's physical appearance.”

These are some common explanations we've heard for why people battle with eating disorders and have a bad relationship with food and their bodies. Although each of these statements might be partially true, they are oversimplified and fail to adequately describe the numerous causes of eating disorders.Like a tree's roots, which have several noticeable roots and numerous smaller ones branching out of them, so too do eating disorders have a variety of root causes. It can also be compared to a puzzle; the pieces differ in size and shape and are all unique in each person's "puzzle." We must spend some time identifying the various puzzle pieces in order to figure out how to treat the disorder because some pieces are smaller than others. Here are a few of the primary causes of an eating disorder.

•    Biological Factors

Numerous biological elements that lead to eating disorders have been found by researchers. It might be challenging to determine whether one's eating behaviors—such as restricting, binge eating, purging, and exercise—caused their behaviors because these actions alter one's biology. These elements include, among others, genes, hormones, certain brain regions and circuits, and the microbiota (gut bacteria).

•    Psychological Factors

Additionally, psychological factors may contribute to the emergence of an eating disorder. People with eating disorders tend to be extremely sensitive, perfectionists, people-pleasers, high achievers, nervous or sad, among other personality traits. Furthermore, people with eating disorders frequently struggle to control and express their emotions, feel generally out of control, have low self-esteem and feel inadequate, and are very judgmental of themselves. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and personality/relational disorders are among the numerous mental health conditions or symptoms that many people experience.

•    Sociological/Cultural Factors

A person's surroundings or culture may also play a role in the development of an eating disorder. When it comes to food and health, it is clear that we live in a very toxic culture. For instance, despite the unhealthy activities someone may have engaged in to lose weight, our culture glorifies thinness and praises weight reduction. Many people are unaware that almost all eating disorders, including binge eating, begin with dieting.

In addition, we frequently advise people to engage with a therapy team that includes a therapist, dietician, and a medical expert like a doctor or psychiatrist because of the numerous origins that can be contributing.

                         By Dr. Deepthi – Psychiatrist, Manipal Hospitals, Vijayawada