RISK FACTORS
happy + healthy
Eating Disorders : What to Look for and What to Do
By Mindy Landrum , MA , LPC Pike Road Counseling , LLC
Did you know
that eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness ?
Did you know
that every 62 minutes at least one person dies as a direct result from an eating disorder , and 1 in 5 anorexia deaths are by suicide ?
Did you know
that 33-50 % of anorexia patients and nearly 50 % of bulimia and binge eating disorder patients also have a mood disorder , such as depression ?
Eating disorders can be very dangerous and should be taken very seriously !
I am extremely passionate about this topic . It breaks my heart to see people head down this path . Like most disorders , there is not just one cause , but usually a combination of biological , psychological , and social / environmental risk factors .
RISK FACTORS
Risk factors include :
• Having a close relative with an eating disorder or another mental health condition
• A history of dieting
• Perfectionistic tendencies
• Dissatisfaction with body image
• A history of an anxiety disorder
• Experience with weight-based teasing
• A thin ideal internalization
• Feelings of loneliness / isolation
18 | Summer 2018 www . potentialmagazine . com