Eating disorders are often associated with women. With young girls starving or vomiting after meals in order to conform to the slimming ideals promoted on social media. With women who find comfort in food for their psychological injuries and who eat more than is good for them.
Jungle camp candidate Twenty4Tim has suffered from an eating disorder for years
What is overlooked is the fact that men can also suffer from anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorders. YouTuber Twenty4Tim, who has been struggling with an eating disorder for years, is currently reminding us of this.
This year’s “jungle camp” candidate spoke to “RTL” about his concern that the poor meals in the camp could fuel his unhealthy eating habits again. Background: When he was a teenager, the now 23-year-old suffered from being overweight, for which he was teased. Tim then lost a lot of weight and starved himself down to around 42 kilograms.
In 2022, the influencer gained weight within a few months due to psychological stress and weighed 26 kilograms more. At the beginning of last year he managed to lose the extra pounds in a healthy way. Nevertheless, the eating disorder is a constant companion. Even today he still has problems accepting his body.
Most men with eating disorders suffer from binge eating disorder
According to the Federal Center for Health Education, 18 out of 1,000 men are like Tim. According to international studies
develop ten one of them over the course of their lives Binge eating disorder
get sick six an Bulimia and suffer two under anorexia.
Eating disorders are similarly distributed among women. However, they are affected by disordered eating behavior much more often than men. 61 out of 1000 women will develop an eating disorder in their lifetime
28 one Binge eating disorder
19 one Bulimia and
14 one anorexia.
So-called mixed forms, which describe eating disorders that do not meet the diagnostic criteria of anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder, occur just as frequently as the above-mentioned forms of the disease. However, the BZgA points out that the individual case numbers can fluctuate depending on the study.
The number of eating disorders has been increasing since Corona
Young people in particular often develop an eating disorder, although older people can also develop one. While anorexia begins during puberty or early adulthood, bulimia and binge eating disorders only begin in late adolescence or early adulthood.
According to the BZgA, the number of eating disorders has increased since the corona pandemic. At the same time, more people who previously suffered from disordered eating have relapsed during the pandemic.
Symptoms and treatment options for binge eating disorder, anorexia and bulimia
The causes and signs of an eating disorder are usually independent of gender. What causes each eating disorder, how you can recognize them and how they are treated.
Binge eating disorder
causes
Genetic predisposition Biological and physical influences, e.g. high body mass index Low self-esteem, dissatisfaction with one’s own body Family influences, e.g. role models for risky eating behavior or lack of support from relatives Emotional problems (loneliness, interpersonal conflicts, stressful events)
Symptoms
Frequent binge eating, in which significantly more food is consumed than most people would in a comparable situation. Emotional eating: food is devoured to cope with negative feelings. Food is usually eaten in secret. Binges are independent of the feeling of hunger. Binges sometimes last for hours. Loss of control over the amount and type of food Fast eating speed No enjoyment during binge eating (however, some sufferers report joy) Feelings of shame or disgust after binge eating No weight-regulating countermeasures after binge eating (e.g. vomiting) Variable course of the disease: Phases in which binge eating disorder is very pronounced change with symptom-free phases
Therapy options
Those affected often do not dare to seek professional help. They are ashamed of their eating disorder and fear stigmatization. However, early treatment can relieve symptoms and prevent binge eating disorder from worsening. There are different outpatient, day clinic and inpatient treatment measures. The focus is on the following aspects:
Finding out the causes of binge eating, learning strategies to avoid binge eating, developing healthy and regular eating habits, losing weight in those who are overweight
Even if those affected manage to overcome their binge eating disorder, there is still a risk of relapse. That’s why longer support and follow-up care after therapy is important.
Bulimia
causes
Body schema disorder: Those affected feel too fat Emulating an ideal of beauty Fear of gaining weight Low self-esteem Depressive symptoms (also a common concomitant of bulimia) Self-confidence is tied to body image Genetic predisposition Family factors (relationship conflicts, separations, experiences of loss, excessive demands, abuse) Diets
Symptoms
Eating behavior of those affected appears normal in public – but those affected are constantly preoccupied with food Cravings for high-calorie, unhealthy foods Uncontrolled eating attacks in which a lot of food is devoured in a short period of time Subsequent induced vomiting (abuse of laxatives and water tablets is also possible) Shame about loss of control, self-accusation Social withdrawal Neglect of interests Depression Anxiety disorders Social phobias Addiction disorders (alcohol, drugs, medication, shopping addiction) Self-harm Gastrointestinal complaints Damaged teeth due to frequent vomiting
Therapy options
The causes, symptoms and manifestations of bulimia vary. Therefore, the treatment is individual. There are various forms of therapy, including bulimia therapy. It focuses on the following points:
Normalization of eating behavior Coping with psychological problems that already existed or that arose with bulimia
Psychotherapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapies, are also helpful. Your key points:
Exploring the reasons for bulimia Learning strategies for coping with the problem Improving the attitude towards one’s body and self
Depending on the severity, the psychological and/or physical side effects are treated on a day-care or in-patient basis. This is usually the case when those affected self-harm, are also addicted to drugs or alcohol, have suicidal thoughts or outpatient therapy fails.
anorexia
causes
Genetic predisposition Disturbance of the body image Emulating a slim ideal of beauty Low self-esteem Family factors (relationship conflicts, separations, experiences of loss, excessive demands, abuse) Diets
Symptoms
Underweight due to food reduction Ritualized eating Constant weighing Constant preoccupation with food and calories Withdrawal from families and friends Depressive moods Sleep and difficulty concentrating Loss of libido Loss of potency (men) Absence of menstruation (women) Low body temperature Hair loss Fuzz of hair on the body Cardiovascular disorders Hypoglycaemia Anemia
Therapy options
Just like the eating disorder, the treatment options are individual and start at different points. While some sufferers change their eating habits alone or with the help of those around you To get it under control, others go there on their own initiative or at the request of their relatives therapy. Often, anorexic people do not recognize on their own that they are sick.
The therapy focuses on the following points:
Restoring a positive body image, long-term healthy eating habits, emotional stability, stress management strategies, and relapse prevention
The close environment is usually included in the treatment.
If physical damage such as digestive problems occurs as a result of anorexia, this is one medical treatment necessary. In addition, if you have severe anorexia, you may also have one inpatient treatment become mandatory.