Philadelphia, PA, December 9, 2008 — Eating disorders are extremely prevalent in our society. The three major disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia and compulsive overeating. They primarily affect women, with symptoms usually appearing in the teen years or young adulthood, although men and older adults are also affected. ‘There are definitely societal pressures to be thin, if not gaunt,’ says Lauren Strobeck, PsyD, Clinical Program Coordinator of the Eating Disorders Program at Belmont Center for Comprehensive Treatment. ‘However, most eating disorders are also misguided attempts to gain control in the face of stress. After all, the one thing we have absolute control over is what we eat. So people try to block out everyday stresses by focusing on what they eat, or don't eat,’ Strobeck adds.

Unlike alcohol, where the person can abstain entirely if there's a problem, this is not possible with food. So the goal of clinicians at Belmont's Eating Disorders Program is to help patients negotiate a healthy relationship with food.

During the holiday season, many families and friends get together after not seeing each other for a long time. Some college students may have developed an eating disorder while on campus. ‘If a parent, family member, or friend, hasn't seen someone for quite some time, they may notice some of the following symptoms:

Anorexia Nervosa (self—imposed starvation):

• Dramatic weight loss.
• Rigid eating habits, e.g. the person will only eat salad or will not eat any carbohydrates.
• Over—exercising — the person spends an excessive amount of time exercising and may be very upset if they have to skip a work—out.
• Wearing layers of clothing to hide their weight loss.
• Isolation from friends and family.
• Change in mood — someone who had always had a pleasant disposition, may become irritable and angry.

Bulimia (repeated cycles of out—of—control eating followed by purging):

• Person uses bathroom right after eating.
• Overly focused on fear of gaining weight.
• Extreme flux in eating: one day person eats very little, next day they eat a lot.
• Cuts on knuckles or enlarged glands on neck from purging.

Eating disorders may develop when a teen goes away to college because it's a huge change and usually their first real experience away from home. This change can cause homesickness, anxiety and sadness. ‘In an attempt to manage these feelings, symptoms of controlling one's weight are developed in order to provide routine, ritual and an illusion of control over one's environment. What begins as an adaptive coping skill slowly becomes very powerful, such that the individual is no longer in control of the symptoms, and the symptoms begin to control the person's everyday life,’ says Dr. Strobeck.

‘If you have a hunch that someone has an eating disorder, don't dismiss it as a personality quirk. These disorders have the potential to be life—threatening, so it's important to intervene,’ Dr. Strobeck says. To encourage your loved one to seek treatment:

• Speak in a respectful way. Use ‘I’ statements, such as ‘I notice you seem unhappy (or tired or angry).’ Avoid accusatory ‘You’ statements like ‘You look terrible,’ or ‘You're hurting yourself and the people who love you.’
• Avoid power struggles. If your loved one denies that there's a problem, state your feelings and offer to listen to her or him at any time.
• Tell others close to the person about your concerns. Don't wait until the problem becomes so severe that the person's life is in jeopardy.

Parents concerned about their child should educate themselves about eating disorders so they can support their child. They should schedule an appointment with the child's primary care physician to check on their height and weight and have lab work to ensure proper physiologic functioning. If the child is away at school, encourage her or him to see a school psychologist who can help them develop alternate coping skills for managing anxiety, homesickness or depression. ‘The bottom line is that ongoing support and care is critical for treatment to be successful,’ adds Strobeck.

CONTACT:   Judy Horwitz
                        Communications Specialist
                        Albert Einstein Healthcare Network
                        215—456—6767
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