Eating Disorders - Disease or Choice?

Question

I just wanted to see peoples general opinion on eating disorders.

Whether its something like a chemical imbalance (or any other ideas) or just a choice people make.

Thanks in advance! x

(P.S i don't want to insult anyone with this question, i myself have an ED, i just wanted to see the general views on the subject)

Answer 1

I think that the cause can be either one -- disease OR choice. I think that the chemicals in the body definitely have a large part to do with the eating disorder, but that sometimes if a person chooses to START their eating disorder, the body gets used to it or something happens that causes the person to not be able to stop.

Eating disorders are complex issues that are very hard to explain.

Answer 2

most eating disorders are by choice but there are some that are disease. alot of kids or teens or adults try to look the models today because there is so much obesity in todays world no one nows how to eat healthy. you want to be healthy look at the food guides and now how much to eat out of each food group and do some sort of exercise to lose weight you dont have to cause yourself to have an eating disorder just do whats right in your mind or in your parents mind .also food today is so expensive so its hard for people to actually eat healthy

Answer 3

Thats a good question.  Just like alcoholism..in the beginning you have the choice to pick up or not...but when it effects your health and becomes a full fledged problem, it then becomes a true disease.  I overcame ED, but since i didnt continue on my therapy, it changed into alcoholism.

All adictive personality traits are all a part of a "thinking dissorder".

I believe theres an inherited gene.  So yes, if you are diagnosed with an eating disorder, it is a true disease...thats when it dosent become a choice.     ...That was a very good question...I hope people do realize that its a very devistating disease, and not take it lightly.  Its really not about "oh my god, im so fat"...its much more than that.  Its a psychological problem that can kill you.  I wish you luck.

-mary

Answer 4

Latest research shows that ED are caused and maintained by both physical and mental reasons.

You can't judge ED's as a whole since there are different conditions with different causes. Compulsive overeater, for example, is TOTALLY different from anorexic.

I will give you a general answer though:

1. Bio-Chemical cause - people with lower levels of  serotonin and endorphin (serotonin = neurotransmitters, endorphin =hormone, both essential to our body&brain function ) are prone to ED since eating increase the levels of serotonin and endorphin.

ITS NOT A MATTER OF CHOICE , ITS BIOCHEMICAL cycle and the fact that food companies producing S****y foods and lie by presenting them as healthy ain't helping.

2. There is an emotional relationship between every person with ED and food. One will use food as a way to control his life, comfort, or  numb feelings / deal with anxiety.

Usually it starts with "just a diet" and once the person is deprived the binge is unavoidable - and you get hooked in an ED cycle that is very hard to overcome.

ONE WILL CHOOSE TO MAINTAIN THE ED, but it is possible to stop if the will is great enough.

Answer 5

I think both.  It starts as a choice and becomes a disease.