Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders Term Paper

Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders - Term Paper Example Moreover, Thompson 2008 posits that a major factor in the incident of bulimia is low self-esteem. In their attempt to secure the approval of others they hide their true feelings, thus, food develops into their main supply of comfort. Thompson also notes that Bulimics are different to the anorexic individual in that they recognize that they have a problem and request help. Compulsive eating appears to be on the other extreme of anorexia and bulimia because entails unmanageable eating and hence results in an increase in weight. Food is used as a means of hiding from reality and covering a plethora of problems. Both the bulimic and the compulsive overeater are aware that they have a problem; however, the bulimic attempts purging to solve any weight gain whilst the compulsive overeater attempts to diet. It is this dieting that opens a can of worms. The more the compulsive overeater attempt to diet the more they binge. Binge eating results in the compulsive overeater feeling powerless, us eless and guilty hence, Thompson 2008 argues that dieting and bingeing may go on forever unless the reason for the emotional upheaval is resolved. One specific factor in the onslaught of compulsive eating from childhood is the inability to manage stressful situations. Food was used as a major source of stress management. Consequently, fat may be considered a means of hiding from the world. This particularly occurs in individuals who were sexually abused. Â  Interestingly, researchers have found there to be more male overeaters than females.