Anorexia

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are psychological disorders that can have serious physical complications if not effectively dealt with. The most common eating disorders are Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity. These disorders generally start from a fear of putting on weight. As soon as a sufferer starts to diet and watch their weight they set up an inner battle that can have devastating effects.

However, eating disorders can have many causes. It may seem strange but food is not one of them. There can be many underlying psychological factors behind this self-destructive condition. In fact all eating disorders are the result of misperceptions. Somewhere in the past a faulty thought pattern was created and the eating disorder is an unconscious attempt to cope with this unresolved emotional problem.

Once the disorder manifests as a distorted behavioural pattern it is very difficult to stop it because all attempts to fight this behaviour only makes it worse.

There is a law of the mind that states:

"Whenever the will and the imagination are in conflict, the imagination always wins"

That is why 'will power' does not work. The will has no power, its job is to simply make the decision - it's the subconscious that has all the power and will faithfully carry out the instructions the conscious mind gives it whether you like it or not.

That is why diets don't work. The more you tell yourself you are not allowed to have something the more you are going to crave it. You have to eventually give up this tortuous denial and go and binge on the forbidden substance. One of the most creative ways of solving the bingeing problem is to bring up the food.

Another law of the mind states:

"Whatever image you hold before you will come about"

If you are worrying about your weight you are also holding a negative image of yourself which, the subconscious mind is doing all in its power to achieve. The subconscious mind will bring about whatever image you hold whether you like it or not. You therefore create this permanent inner struggle that completely confuses the metabolic rate and the body's natural program to maintain a health weight.

Anorexia Nervosa

This is a condition that is usually triggered by dieting. The person tries to lose weight or maintain an abnormally low weight by severely restricting his or her food intake. This sets up the negative cycle mentioned above. Along with the restricting behaviour, there is an intense fear of becoming fat. Some anorexics also engage in purging behaviours, even after eating small amounts of food.