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What Causes Eating Disorders?
Most people with eating disorders share certain personality traits: low self-esteem, feelings of helplessness, and a fear of becoming fat.
In anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder, eating behaviors seem to develop as a way of handling stress and anxieties.
People with anorexia tend to be "too good to be true." They rarely disobey, keep their feelings to themselves, and tend to be perfectionists, good students, and excellent athletes. Some researchers believe that people with anorexia restrict food--particularly carbohydrates--to gain a sense of control in some area of their lives. Having followed the wishes of others for the most part, they have not learned how to cope with the problems typical of adolescence, growing up, and becoming independent. Controlling their weight appears to offer two advantages, at least initially: they can take control of their bodies and gain approval from others. However, it eventually becomes clear to other that they are out-of-control and dangerously thin.
People who develop bulimia and binge eating disorder typically consume huge amounts of food--often junk food--to reduce stress and relieve anxiety. With binge eating, however, comes guilt and depression. Purging can bring relief, but it is only temporary. Individuals with bulimia are also impulsive and more likely to engage in risky behavior such as abuse of alcohol and drugs.
This was taken from: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Service National Institutes of Health National Institute of Mental Health
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