A couple of my friends proudly call themselves foodies since they love to eat food — and not just eat it, but also try new dishes, explore different cuisines, enjoy the flavours, the ingredients used and even the way food is presented. So yes, my friends are definitely foodies.

While some people enjoy food in a happy and healthy way, like my foodie friends, others find eating or drinking a daily struggle. It’s not that they dislike food, but because they have deeper mental health issues. Some eat too little, some eat too much and some fear food altogether.

You might wonder, “Who could fear food?” But dear friends, there are many eating disorders that people suffer from — often in silence. This fear of food can stem from a variety of reasons. In fact, there are even disorders related to what people drink, and not just what they eat. Perhaps many of you reading this can relate, or may begin to recognise certain issues within yourselves. If so, this article will help identify potential triggers and symptoms.

I didn’t know much about all this before, but once I started reading, it opened my eyes. So, in this article, I’m going to share what I learnt about eating and drinking disorders which are far more common than we believe, but sadly, there is hardly any awareness about them.

Anorexia nervosa

This is a serious eating disorder where a person starts to have an intense fear of gaining weight. They think their body looks bad and is out of shape (for no reason), so to bring it back into shape, they skip meals. In severe cases, a person develops such an extreme fear of gaining weight that if they do eat, they vomit it out so that the food does not cause them weight gain. Oftentimes, they restrict themselves from food intake to a dangerous point of starvation.

Anorexia affects both the body and the mind. Poor nutrition leads to several physical health issues, while mentally, they may experience anxiety and depression, which worsen over time. One of the reasons behind this stress and anxiety is the growing influence of social media, where body image is in focus and everyone seems to be trying to look better than the next person. These feelings can lower self-esteem and reduce confidence.

There have been many reports about this disorder, including stories of celebrities who have experienced anorexia at some point in their lives — for example, Lady Gaga and Demi Lovato.

Signs and symptoms:

• Extremely low body weight

• Intense fear of weight gain

•........

© Dawn Young Magazine