What is an Eating Disorder?

Eating Disorders are complicated mental health situations that engulf people emotionally, mentally, physically and socially. They revolve around a person’s relationship with food, eating habits and themselves. Estimates indicate that more than fifty lakhs of people are affected by an eating disorder in India. In this excerpt, we will discuss the treatment for eating disorders and how counselling psychologists in India help treat them.

Young women between the age of 12 to 20 are more likely to cultivate an eating disorder. However, anyone can develop one, nonetheless of one’s age or one’s gender. There is no single or sole reason why an individual will build difficulty with eating. There could be a spectrum of factors involved, including social, environmental, genetic, psychological and biological etc.

Are Eating Disorders Fatal?

Well, eating disorders are significant and can be fatal. Still, they are treatable, and people can make a full recovery as nothing happened. The journey may be lengthy, but it is logical to get help. Now we will look at the varied types of eating disorders. In addition, let’s look at how famous psychotherapists in India can help.

Food plays a crucial role in our everyday lives. Our relationship with food changes from time to time. Having excessive cravings, losing your appetite or overeating, could be anything. Hence, eating disorders are very vague. However, they can be detrimental to physical and emotional health and can even be life-threatening.

When someone has a problem with eating in general, they’re likely to be struggling with distorted thinking. The most challenging part is that the patient may not see what other people can see in the mirror or even hear voices. However, this will depend on the kind of eating disorder they are struggling and panicking with. Following are some of the most common and well-known eating disorders.

Types of eating disorder

Anorexia nervosa causes an individual to feel the urge to lose weight, despite being considered underweight. This hope can lead to the person restricting their eating or even exercising excessively.
Bulimia can cause a person to fall into the vicious cycle of overeating, that is, binge-eating and clearing typically through vomiting, over-exercising or using laxatives.

Binge-eating disorder is when people overeat regularly. Sometimes it is often described as compulsive eating. This happens when a person may rely on food for emotional support or try to run away from things or use it to mask painful feelings. It is something that affects both men and women; binge-eating disorder is more common in adults.

Spotting the Signs of Eating Disorder

Eating disorders can be one of the most unhealthy ways of coping with feelings and emotions of anger, sadness, depression or anxiety. Eating disorders can affect anyone, and circumstances will differ for every individual. However, if you’re worried about the health of your loved one, then there are several warning signals you can look out for, such as:

The extreme change in behaviour or personality
Withdrawing from social situations or hobbies they previously enjoyed
Avoiding eating or feeling uncomfortable eating in public or making excuses
Continually commenting on their weight
Constantly weighing themselves repeatedly
Only eating a specific type of foods
The tendency to skip meals

If you suspect even one of the changes, as listed above, it can be tough to know what to do to help a friend or a family member. However, do not forget to offer support, or you can approach a psychologist in Chennai. Be very gentle in your approach, assure them, and let them know that you’re there to listen if they want to talk about it. Food is a way to cope with emotions. The mere act of repetition of this coping mechanism can become a dangerous habitual behavioural pattern and an impulsive addiction.

Treatment for Eating Disorder

People with eating disorders may resist speaking to someone about what they’re exactly going through. If they suspect any problem, they may feel ashamed, disheartened, embarrassed. They may still believe that they have it under control, making seeking help difficult all the more. Fear also plays a big part in the way eating disorders function. So even if the person wants help urgently, they may be terrified of taking the very first step.

Recovery thereby means changing one’s eating behaviours and habits which can be a nightmare for the one suffering from it. While this can feel depressing and daunting, recovery aims to fight the fear and regain a healthy relationship with food and get them back on track.

Whether the problem is recent or dealing with it for a long while, you deserve all the necessary support and trust me, recovery is possible. If you are tense about anything or if anything remotely bothers you, find someone to talk to. You can find someone you confide in, whether it is a friend, family member or even a good psychologist in India. Remember, you are not alone.

Counselling for eating disorders

The main point of calling or seeking help is generally speaking to a counselling psychologist in Chennai. Initially, speaking up can feel scary, and it requires so much courage to start the journey. In any case, if worried about going to the counselling psychologist Chennai alone, then make sure you ask a friend or family member to come along with you if possible.

Also, if you’re still not ready to visit a medical specialist or the ones who care for you, counselling is always an alternative. This gives you the freedom to talk about yourself, your features and the highest ambition in a private and non-judgemental setting. However, meet a psychiatrist doctor if your counselling psychologist believes it is necessary.

Always remember that treatment for an eating disorder is available, and recovery is possible. It will usually consist of monitoring physical health and taking concrete steps to comprehend the potential psychological causes, impacts, and consequences since the treatment will depend on an individual to individual basis.

Some standard options include:

cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
family therapy
interpersonal therapy (IPT)
medication

What should I be looking for in a counselling psychologist?

Well, there are currently no laws in place that specifically outline the kind of qualifications a counsellor must have for treatment for an eating disorder. The person must register with RCI. However, we always recommend that you first meet up with a qualified mental health professional to diagnose the issue and then act as per his advice. He or she would recommend you to a psychotherapist or counsellor.

Counselling For Eating Disorders with Praveen Saanker

Counselling services provided by Mr Praveen Saanker are part of our “not-for-profit” activities. We do not charge a consulting fee for these support initiatives since they aim to provide aid and relief for truly deserving individuals who otherwise may not have been able to afford these services.

Mr Praveen Saanker has set aside 12 hours of his professional time every week to provide coaching and counselling services. We provide appointments basis on the unique needs and circumstances of each individual. Please note that we do not have robust CRM platforms or customer support teams to provide instant answers to your queries or replies to your mails. Hence please bear with us for the time we take to get back to you.

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We are not a registered charitable organisation, and hence we do not accept financial donations or support items in any form. You can get associated with anyone and choose the path you would like to follow in empowering your fellow human beings. But we would like to hear from you on how you intend to contribute back to society shortly when you choose to avail of our services.

How can you avail of our support?

If you believe you require Mr Praveen Saanker’s support and assistance, you can write to us at praveen@vedicology.com. Please be rest assured, we shall get back to you and be with you during your testing times in whatever capacity we can.

Mr Praveen, the founder of ‘Vedicology,’ is an internationally renowned scholar on Sanatana Dharma recognised for his knowledge and application of Indian Psychology and Spirituality. Praveen is an expert on combining various Indian and Western psychology traits, Vedic Scriptures, Indian Rites, Rituals, Customs & Traditions, Astrology, Vastu Shastra & Numerology. Aiming to be of the utmost help, Mr Praveen Saanker looks to understand your motivations and aspirations and then provide a solution accordingly. Praveen successfully integrates the principles of Vedas with modern Psychology and Business Management. Mr Praveen Saanker works with family business entrepreneurs and next-generation leaders, advising them on the family constitution and finding a subtle balance between family and business priorities.