Adult eating disorders Frequently asked questions Q: What is an
eating disorder? A: The first thing to understand about eating
disorders is that it is not about food. Food behavior serves as
a maladaptive coping mechanism for the pressure, stress, or
conflict in one's life. An eating disorder is an illness that
involves physiological changes associated with restricting food,
binge eating, purging, or fluctuations in weight. Furthermore,
individuals with this illness have a distorted perception of his
or her body. Q: What causes eating disorders? A: Research has
not revealed a specific cause of eating disorders; however,
there are certain personality characteristics, genetic
dispositions, environments, and biochemistry common to many
sufferers. Q: What are the warning signs of bulimia? A: Common
warning signs of individuals suffering from bulimia include:
binge eating without being able to voluntarily stop, frequent
use of the rest room after meals, dealing with stress by
overeating, menstrual irregularities,