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Help for eating disorders is available in many different forms, and it caters to all types of eating problems. An eating problem is a defined as a psychological disorder that is characterized by abnormal eating habits. Anorexia nervosa, binge-eating disorder and bulimia nervosa are the different types of eating problems.
Types of Eating Disorders
Anorexia nervosa is a disorder that primarily affects women who are between the ages of 12 and 20. People who have this disorder are obsessed with staying thin, and they are extremely afraid of gaining weight. 
They may starve themselves, exercise excessively, and vomit or take laxatives to get rid of the little bit of food that they do eat. It is important to seek help for eating problems like anorexia nervosa before they take a dangerous toll on your body.
Bulimia nervosa is a disorder characterized by binging and purging. People with this disorder eat a large amount of food, and may not always seek help for eating disorders. In fact, a person with bulimia may eat as many as 3,000 calories during one sitting. The act of taking in this much food is known as binging. 
After a person finishes eating, he or she frantically attempts to get rid of the food that he or she has eaten. Bulimics may throw up, take laxatives or exercise excessively. Unlike anorexics, bulimics typically are not underweight, which is why this disorder may be hard to notice.
Binge-eating is a disorder that occurs when a person frequently eats an unusually large amount of food. Binge-eaters do not attempt to get rid of the food that they have eaten. That is why they are prone to extreme weight gain.
The Importance of Getting Help for Eating Disorders
There are a number of physical complications that can result if people do not get help for eating disorders. Anorexics may exhibit low blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, severe tooth decay, bone loss, and digestive problems. Bulimics may develop sores in the mouth, irregular heartbeat, and abnormal bowel function. Obesity and high blood pressure can result from binge eating. It is important to note that all three of these disorders can result in death if they are not treated.
Treatment
There are several options available for people who need help for eating issues. The specific treatment that is prescribed is contingent upon the type of disorder that one has. Behavioral therapy is an important part of most treatment programs, regardless of the type of eating disorder. 
This treatment focuses on helping individuals replace self-destructive behaviors with healthy, sustainable patterns of behavior. Patients who are severely ill may need to be admitted to a hospital in order to regulate their blood sugar.
If you or a loved one in your life is suffering from an eating issue or exhibits symptoms that prevent them from living a healthy, productive life, it may be time to seek help for eating disorders from a professional mental health center.
Ben Brafman, LMHC, CAP is the President and CEO of Sylvia Brafman Mental Health Center, a licensed mental Health treatment center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Ben has more than 20 years of experience in the addiction and mental health fields, which led him to develop a combination of innovative treatment protocols at The Sylvia Brafman Mental Health Center. 
He has been published on various topics including dual diagnosis and chemical dependency, and gives back to the community by educating other addiction counselors at his Academy for Addiction Professionals.
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Mental illness can happen to anyone. Conditions like bipolar disorder, depression, or severe anxiety don't discriminate. What can you do if it is your partner or spouse who is mentally ill? How can you support them and still keep yourself together?
Mental illness can have an overwhelming effect on a marriage or committed relationship. Whether or not the relationship can survive depends a great deal on how you deal with your partner's mental illness. This article will provide you with some ideas for ways to cope.
1. Educate yourself about the illness. Learn everything you can about what your partner is experiencing, along with treatments, triggers, and prognosis. Knowledge is power, at a time when you may be feeling completely helpless. Learning about the illness will help you know what to expect and enable you to be a member of your partner's treatment team.
2. Realize that you cannot fix your mentally ill partner's mental illness. You did not cause the illness, and you can't make it go away. Your partner is the only person who can make the decision to follow treatment. Encourage and support your partner's efforts, but it's important to accept that he or she must make and follow through with their own decisions.
3. Avoid blaming your spouse or partner. Just as you wouldn't express hostility or anger if your partner were struggling with a physical illness, people with mental illnesses don't choose to be that way. Symptoms of mental illness can appear to be laziness, avoidance, or lack of consistency. It's hard not to take those symptoms personally.
4. Feelings of frustration, sadness, and even anger are normal for you to experience. This may not be anything like the relationship you had hoped to have. Your mental health is important right now also. Finding a way to express your feelings safely, like to a trusted friend or a counselor, can help you validate and process what you are going through.
5. While taking care of your mental health, it's important to take care of yourself physically, as well. First, be sure you are sleeping, eating, seeing friends, and participating in your own activities as much as you can. Second, there are some mental illnesses which can cause the person to act out in verbally or even physically abusive ways when they are in the midst of a crisis. Keep yourself and your children safe from harm, above all.
6. Reach out to others who understand. There are groups for partners of people diagnosed with mental illness, both in person and on the internet. Sometimes just speaking with someone who has been there and understands what you are going through can be an enormous help. Don't let stigma or shame prevent you from seeking the support you need. Mental illness can be very difficult for couples and families to deal with. Remember that in most cases there is effective treatment available, and support for you as well.
In every committed relationship, couples face hurdles and this is a big one. At the same time, there is always hope that symptoms can be managed and the two of you can face this hurdle successfully, together. Not all couples are able to weather the storm of mental illness - it can tear families apart. But it's always worth a try, and you may find yourselves with a stronger bond when you make it to the other side.
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