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What Causes an Eating Disorder (and How Treatment Can Help)?

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what causes an eating disorder

What causes an eating disorder? Anyone can develop an eating disorder. You are susceptible no matter your race, gender, culture, or age. Nearly 29 million Americans have an eating disorder, with over 10,000 dying each year. Eating disorders are mental health disorders that are treatable and can be overcome with the right help. When trying to understand why some people develop an eating disorder and some don’t, you quickly realize how complex the disorder can be. Two people can grow up in the same household, with the same parents, structure, rules, discipline, and more, yet one may have an eating disorder, and the other may not ever have a mental health diagnosis. What Causes an Eating Disorder? Researchers believe multiple risk factors contribute to someone developing an eating disorder. Someone may experience more than one risk factor at a time. If you or someone you love experiences one or more …

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Self-care Spotlight 002

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Self-care Spotlight 002

By Ashley Barnes, Ketamine Therapy Coordinator at Mental Health Center As if to compensate for the endless parking lot traffic, Los Angeles has some of the best food one can find anywhere. It accommodates different palettes and food sensitivities. You can find whole streets lined with amazing Asian food (shoutout to Sawtelle), you can find vegan food, vegetarian food, spicy food, fried food, restaurants dedicated to greens and salads, Mexican food, Italian food, food trucks, rooftop bars with happy hour menus, and the list goes on. Sometimes, self-care is treating ourselves to a good meal. This weekend I felt a gravitational pull towards Korean BBQ which brought me to the heart of Korea town where the neon signs glowed with the promise of gustatory heaven. On my drive there, I noticed the tension in my shoulders, likely caused by stress throughout the week. Stress: perhaps the mere word is aversive …

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National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

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National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

February 21st starts the National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. We want to help spread the word and let everyone know there is help and hope for everyone affected by an eating disorder. This is more important today than ever before. Recent research shows over 10,000 people die each year due to an eating disorder. Also, eating disorders are found in people of all backgrounds, ages, gender, and interests. Around 30 million males, females, athletes, veterans, children, young adults, people with disabilities, and more will experience an eating disorder in their lifetime. Below are some other alarming statistics that show treatment needs to be a priority: Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of all mental illnesses Eating disorders affect men and women. Statistics show one million men and ten million women have an eating disorder at any given time Very few adults, usually less than ten percent, seek treatment for their …

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Self-care Spotlight 001

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Self-care Spotlight 001

By Ashley Barnes, Ketamine Therapy Coordinator at Mental Health Center Self care is a concept that is often misinterpreted. Many believe it is synonymous with self-indulgence, deeming it unnecessary and frivolous. In reality, we need to engage in self care in order to maintain our mental and physical health, keep up with our numerous responsibilities, and to find a sense of balance in our lives. If we don’t attend to ourselves and our own needs, we will find it increasingly challenging to attend to others’ needs. Readers may have heard the same idea communicated through the cup analogy. Imagine your life being represented by a full cup of water. In front of you are other cups, some representing responsibilities such as work or school, others representing organizations or communities you may be involved in, and other cups may be the people in our lives. The water represents our time, energy, …

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