Eating disorder - a serious mental illness

Eating Disorders (EDs) are serious mental illnesses, and include anorexia, bulimia and binge eating, to name a few, and compulsive eating disorders not otherwise specified. All EDs result in serious emotional suffering and maladaptive coping mechanisms, and can lead to medical complications and even death. You cannot tell whether someone has an ED or is at risk of death based on their size.

The mortality rate for eating disorders is the highest of any mental illness, at 10 to 20 per cent. About half of the mortalities result from medical causes, the other half from suicide. Eating disorder behaviours are maladaptive coping mechanisms to respond to fear and ambivalence. Weight restoration/stabilization or symptom interruption ramp up the distress and fear. As a result, we may engage in dangerous compensatory behaviours, including compulsive over-exercise, laxatives, diuretics, "diet pills" and deliberate self-harm. These behaviours can lead to electrolyte imbalance, sudden heart failure, osteopenia and osteoporosis, loss of bowel function and kidney failure.

We all believe we are "different." An ED won't happen to us because "we're not really that skinny," "we don't need as much food as others" or "we aren't really that sick and other people are more sick and 'deserving.'"

Weight stabilization is not a cure for EDs. Eating disorders are a mental illness, not a physical disease. EDs are often accompanied by ambivalence about recovery. We would really like to recover without having to stabilize our weight or stop compensatory behaviours. We are often afraid of recovery; that if our weight stabilizes, people will think we are cured and no one will help us any more.

Signs that someone you know may be developing or suffering an ED include strange or rigid eating habits, restrictive eating, large quantities of food disappearing, lots of empty wrappers in the garbage, dramatically increased exercise, disappearing after every meal, dramatic weight change accompanied by denial of a problem, isolation from friends, family and social events, and difficulties at school or work as a result of reduced cognition, concentration and short-term memory. Whatever your relationship to a child or adult with an ED, express your love, support and concern, and open the door for us to talk about it.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Eating+disorders+serious+mental+illnesses/6096186/story.html

Loose link from mental health to homeless

Mental illness is not as big a pathway to homelessness as many believe, a study suggests.

Australian researchers said despite a perception that people with mental disorders are at risk of ending up homeless, most homeless people actually develop disorders after sleeping on the streets.

Factors like family breakdowns and financial difficulties are more likely to contribute to homelessness in Australia.

"Most people when they think of homelessness, they make a connection with mental illness," said Guy Johnson, from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.

"There's no doubt there's disproportionately high rates of mental illness amongst the homeless population.

"(But) we thought that a number of papers that had estimated the rate had high estimates."

Dr Johnson and Professor Chris Chamberlain examined the case notes of nearly 4300 people living on the streets of inner-city Melbourne.

Their results, released this week, reveal just over 30 per cent had a mental disorder.

To read the full article, please click here.

Mental illness is not a convenient excuse

It is little wonder that the stigma surrounding mental illness persists (''Mum's the word'', April 20). Such is the media-cultivated perception of those who suffer from a mental illness that many of my friends struggle to believe I have a bipolar spectrum disorder. Quite simply, because I don't behave like a moron.

Too often when a crime or act of stupidity is committed, a defence of mental illness is proffered.

Most recently, Todd Carney and Anthony Watts from the Sydney Roosters were , respectively, caught drink-driving and charged with assault before their depression was broadcast by media outlets. The same has applied to the actor Matthew Newton, and the footballers Ben Cousins, Andrew Johns, Brendan Fevola and Wayne Carey to name only a few. That these men have become the public faces of depressive-related illnesses is an insult to those who suffer from and battle the dreadful symptoms with dignity. Even more so because it could easily be argued that these celebrities have made choices which create, worsen or exacerbate their respective conditions.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/letters/mental-illness-is-not-a-convenient-excuse-20110420-1dp0t.html#ixzz1K5TbfDO3