Many people who suffer from eating disorders tend to move from one category of eating disorders (see question 1) to another. Often a person tries to starve herself/himself in an effort to lose weight and becomes obsessed with food. She tries to control her relationship with food by avoiding food and any food-related experiences. However, when food is finally consumed, she quickly loses control of how much she eats, since she is in a state of self-induced starvation.

First you must decide if you want to make helping people a career or a volunteer activity. If you want a career, prepare yourself by getting at least a masters degree in psychology, counseling, psychiatric nursing, or clinical social work. If you want more training, you could become a psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist. The people in your campus academic counseling center can help you arrange the classes you need for these options.

ANRED, a national organization for Eating Disorders, supplies lots of information on anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating.

Yes. In fact, bulimia often leads to anorexia and anorexia often leads to bulimia. About half of all anorectics eventually develop symptoms of bulimia.

This article provides insight into personality, environmental, and biochemical risk factors for eating disorders.

This article discusses causes of eating disorders and defines them. Personality, genetic and biochemistry issues are discussed.

Depression and an Eating Disorder can occur at the same time. This article discusses the biochemistry behind this.

This information is provided by Cynthia M. Bulik, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry at the Virginia Institute for Psychiatric & Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University.) Although there does appear to be a genetic component, just because an individual may be genetically predisposed does not mean that she or he will necessarily express the genes. Both anorexia and bulimia nervosa do run in families, and twin studies suggest that genetics do contribute to the familial tendencies.

There is no simple explanation and there has been a lot of research into the “causes” of eating disorders. We know that we cannot simply blame “the culture”, fashion magazines, family relationships, early traumatic experiences, or abuse or buried psychological problems like depression or anxiety.

Eat an extremely large amount of food within a 2-hour period (a binge) at least 2 times a week on average for at least 6 months. Common personality traits found in those with binge eating disorder and other eating disorders include excessive concern about body size and shape, low self-esteem, and depression.3 Binge eating disorder is different than bulimia because people with binge eating disorder do not regularly vomit or use other ways to get rid of calories.

Great site with information on why Prevention is so important and information on ways to prevent EDs.

It is difficult to get completely well from an eating disorder. In a stressful situation, the temptation to eat compulsively might take over, even if you have really matured beyond that phase of your life. I have a problem with my eating habits. I can?t eat more than one proper meal per day. If I eat any other way I worry about how much I will gain weight.