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Solutions for Eating Disorders
Food for Thought © Martyn Carruthers

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You are unlikely to cure eating disorders with willpower alone.
You are not alone. We can help you.

Do you have an Eating Disorder?

Many people who attempt to cope with unpleasant feelings by eating, or by avoiding eating, may be diagnosed as having an eating disorder. Eating disorders can be deadly - some eating disorders are associated with a 10-15% mortality rate and a 20-25% suicide rate. Anorexia, bulimia and compulsive eating may sometimes be thought of as slow suicide.

Eating habits appear to reflect family relationships and lifestyle. Although each situation is unique, our coaching can probably help you resolve unpleasant feelings and emotions that motivate unhealthy eating habits. You can remain unique and be attractive, confident and healthy. We help motivated adults find solutions for the emotional issues that almost always underlie eating disorders.

Do you react to stress by overeating, purging or dieting? This may be related to guilt, depression, codependence, identity loss or relationship bonds etc. Do you try to fill an existential emptiness with food? Eating disorders often express what you cannot express in other ways. Some serious eating disorders are: Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Compulsive Overeating.

Possible Treatment

• Hospital, if your physical condition is extreme
• Nutritional counseling can help you design healthy meals
• Individual coaching can help you find healthy ways of controlling your life
• Systems coaching can help you manage your relationships and emotions
• Psychiatric medication may help you manage serious depression or anxiety

Addictions . Codependence . Depression . Learning Disorders

Systemic Coaching

We can help you to shift the balance of your life in your desired direction. We can help you set your agenda, choose your goals, and provide the material for your changework. We can help you ...

• end inner conflict
• improve your relationships
• end relationship entanglements
• choose and clarify your life goals
• recover and align with your sense of life
• dissolve relationship bonds, abuse and trauma
• dissolve toxic mentorship (therapy damage) and find inspiration

Systemic Coaching . Couple Coaching . Weight Loss

Anorexia, Bulimia & Compulsive Overeating

Eating disorders are often indicated by:

• You cannot stop eating
• You vomit after binge-eating
• You eat even when you are full
• You are afraid of becoming fat or thin
• You cannot recognize physical hunger
• You avoid eating even if you are hungry
• You are abnormally overweight or underweight

Anorexia Nervosa & Starvation

If you want to be thin, you may go to extreme measures. You may limit yourself to an extremely restricted diet and use other extreme methods of weight loss. Medical symptoms associated with anorexia include emaciation, slow pulse, kidney problems and digestive problems. Here are some symptoms of anorexia nervosa:

1. You avoid eating

• You deny or suppress feeling hungry
• You avoid social meetings that involve food
• You eat insufficient food for your health

2. Your body has a very low weight

• You feel fat although people tell you that you are thin
• You cannot maintain a healthy weight for your age and height
• You deny the serious consequences of low body weight

3. You obsess about dieting and weight loss

• You fear gaining weight or being fat
• You weigh yourself several times a day
• You are obsessed with exercise

Relationship issues associated with anorexia include a despair or guilt about a traumatic death of a close relative or about the death of a partnership.

You are not alone. Would you like to benefit from our experience?

Bulimia Nervosa & Binge Eating

If you are trying to cope with unpleasant feelings, you may binge eat and then vomit in an addictive cycle. Your food binges may be with sweet and/or high fat foods. You may eat impulsively, and not with other people. Your obsession may be triggered by distress, relationship problems, boredom, prolonged dieting, or dissatisfaction with your body.

Binge eating may temporarily numb your unpleasant feelings, but you may then feel some sort of failure or shame about your loss of control. You may find a way to vomit directly after your binge.

Some potential medical complications of bulimia include cardiac arrhythmia, esophageal tears, electrolyte imbalance and gastrointestinal problems. In other words - bad news for your body.

Are you caught in a cycle of binge eating and depression? Do you use food to cope with uncomfortable feelings or to to numb all that is going on around you? See complex conflict (transcript)

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Compulsive Eating

You may eat to try to control depression, anxiety, relationship stressors, boredom, prolonged dieting and dissatisfaction with your body. There are solutions ... if you recognize the causes.

Your compulsive eating may temporarily relieve unpleasant feelings, but your relief may be followed by feelings of guilt, shame and depression. You may constantly struggle and yet be unhappy with your weight. You try each new diet hoping that it can cure your emotional compulsion. You may lose some weight temporarily, but you will probably regain your lost weight - and maybe more. See weight loss.

You may eat normally with others and overeat in private later. You may overeat late at night or in fast food restaurants. You may have hidden secret supplies of junk food around your home or office.

Medical complications from compulsive eating include diabetes, hypertension and heart problems. Some people try extreme remedies for this conflict by having their jaws wired to prevent eating or parts of their intestines removed to prevent digestion.

You are not alone. Would you like to benefit from our experience?

Consult a physician about opinions about eating disorders or other medical conditions.

Copyright © Martyn Carruthers 1996-2010 All rights reserved. Soulwork Systemic Coaching was primarily developed by Martyn Carruthers. We coach and train people to define and achieve goals, to resolve emotional blocks and to improve relationships. This information is for your general knowledge only. Please consult a physician about medical conditions and before changing any medical treatment. You must get Martyn's written permission to post or publish his work.