College is a time of independence. It is also a time of change, stress and uncertainty -- factors which are all capable of triggering eating disorders among young adults.

According to a 24-7 press release, eating disorders triggered by college stresses have increased in recent years. The pressures that can lead to disordered eating include academic worries, athletic performance, binge drinking and fears of the freshman 15 weight gain.

Labels: college_students, stress

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A European mental health services provider recently issued a statement linking stress to a rise in eating disorders. The statement was based on research conducted by The Priory Group, Europes largest provider of mental health services.

The Priorys experts believe cultural and lifestyle pressures to have the perfect body are resulting in an increase in the number of young women with anorexia nervosa and bulimia and a particular increase in the number of young men coming forward for treatment. (Source: PsychCentral)

Dr. Alex Yellowlees, medical director of the Priory Hospital in Glasgow believes younger generations are being adversely affected by intense pressures to conform to super-thin ideals portrayed in the media.

Added to this are increased pressures to achieve academically and vocationally. The combination of performance-based stressors is causing young people to become hyper-critical of themselves, with damaging and sometimes deadly results, Dr. Yellowlees said.

Labels: stress, mental_health

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For people with eating disorders, food-related anxiety is a common struggle. A new computer program aims to help eating disorder sufferers learn to recognize signs of anxiety and manage them.

"When you get stressed out, your palms get sweaty and your hands get cold. [The program] measures that and it also measures your heart rate... Stress levels are displayed with symbols like balloons. Through deep breathing relaxation techniques, people are taught to control anxiety..."

The program is viewed as a bridge, helping people cross over from feelings of anxiety or a loss of control to the realization that they can control their emotions and their eating habits. Source: WBZTV (Boston)

Labels: anxiety, support, stress

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Stressful life events such as car accidents or a parent's death can mark the beginning of an eating disorder in young adults.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota found that 32 percent of young women and 20 percent of young men in their study who report three or more stressful life events also suffer from eating disorders. The study is the first phase of a three-part project from the University's Epidemiology and Community Heath division.

Katie Loth, lead author, hopes the study will raise awareness among parents and counselors who work with young people. "People are aware of these life events," she said, "but they are not always aware of how people are coping with them.

Labels: trauma, causes of eating disorders, stress

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With the economy in turmoil, fewer people who struggle with eating disorders are getting the help they need. Some can't afford it, while others simply don't want to spend the money.

The danger of not seeking help for an eating disorder can be very serious because they can cause many medical complications, even death... Eating disorders often take a turn for the worse due to increased personal family stress. As eating disorders intensify, they become more difficult to treat.

If you or someone you know needs treatment for an eating disorder, don't assume treatment will be too expensive. There are many options. Research counselors and therapists, as well as both in- and out-patient programs. Source: PR Web

Labels: treatment, stress, complications

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The stress of college is causing thousands of students - most of them female - to develop unhealthy eating patterns that could become eating disorders. Studies show that about one in five college students is bulimic, while about one in ten is anorexic - numbers that are dramatically higher than the general population.

"College is a time when many eating disorders can reappear or develop due to a variety of reasons. Some of them include fear of the 'freshman 15,' close living conditions where pressure to be thin is intensified, coping with more stress and living in a new environment, unlimited access to food in the dining hall, and sports, where they feel the need to be a certain weight to be successful."

Holly Grishkat, psychological director at the Renfrew Center, says that eating issues for many college students are not about weight, but about coping - with stress, loneliness or anxiety. If you or someone you know is struggling with disordered eating habits, get help right away before the behavior becomes a life-threatening illness. Source: The Cabrini College Loquitur

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Most teens find reading news online to be stressful reminder of the dangers their world is facing, according to a new study from Northwestern University. Researchers also found that most teens get their news online, but do not enjoy reading it. Social networks, YouTube, and music downloading websites are favorites of teens.

Labels: hope, stress

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Many of the events surrounding the Christmas season include food. While this isn't an issue for most people, those who struggle with eating disorders can feel especially stressed and even isolated at such events.

"'Ideally, family and friends should be sensitive to the fact that their guest or loved one has an eating disorder,' [Theresa] Fassihi said in a statement. 'Respect that, while the meal may be a joyous occasion for you, it may be stressful to a person with an eating disorder, especially one who has recently completed treatment."

If you know someone is recovering from - or still struggling with - an eating disorder, offer food but don't insist that he or she eat. Also, be sure not to hover or monitor what they do or don't eat.

Teens often deal with stress in unhealthy ways like cutting or using drugs. A good adolescent residential treatment center, like Youth Care, can help teenagers get the help they need.

Labels: support, stress, holidays

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Across the United States, college students are returning to campus and preparing for the upcoming year. Freshman will get out their campus maps, and make their way to classrooms, dorm rooms and lunch rooms.

Some will worry about grades. Some will worry about appearance. And some will succumb to the stresses and pressures of their new environment, and will begin engaging in disordered eating.

For the college student who is away from home for the first time, the stress of moving into a totally different environment and meeting new people can make them more susceptible to developing an eating disorder, says University of Alabama at Birmingham Associate Professor of Psychology Mary Boggiano, Ph.D., who fought her own battle against bulimia as a college student. [Source: Huntsville Examiner]

Students worried about gaining the mythical “Freshman 15” may resort to extreme behaviors to maintain or lose weight. The risk of developing an eating disorder isn’t limited to freshman, however. A student of any age or rank can struggle with body image, weight and disordered behaviors.
 

Labels: college_students, causes of eating disorders, stress

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