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eating Disorders. Bulimia and anorexia

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, there are two types of eating disorders, bulimia and anorexia. Each are different, and each can lead to death, if left untreated. If you, or somebody you know, suffers from either, I urge you to get help. Some famous people have suffered from eating disorders, and having an eating disorder does not mean you are crazy, but it does mean you need help. Princess Di, suffered from bulemia, and Mary Carpenter suffered from anorexia, and eventually died from this disorder. Again, if you suffer from an eating disorder, get yourself help.

Bulimia is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating, and then forced regurgitation, to avoid weight gain. Bulimia isn't just going to a buffet, gorging food, and then throwing up, because you ate too much food. Bulimia is binging on huge quantities of food at least twice per week, and then throwing up, to prevent weight gain.

Characteristics of bulimia include:

Fear of fatness

Pursuit of weight loss

Fear of loss of control of eating

Perceptual distortion of body size

low self esteem

anorexia is characterized by fear of gaining weight, and an intense preoccupation with weight gain or becoming fat. The person suffering from anorexia has a disturbance in perception of their own body weight, and pursuit of weight loss, and fear of loss of control of eating. 20% of people who suffer from anorexia will die from this disorder.

Characteristics of anorexia include:

Fear of weight gain

Pursuit of weight loss

Disturbance of perception of body weight

Restrictive diets ranging from 500-800 calories a day

People who suffer from eating disorders have depression and anger. Unfortunately, the anger is frequently dismissed, or ignored, and often left untreated, however it must be treated to treat this eating disorder. One of the most effective methods of treating, and talking about the anger is in a group setting, as group provides a setting in which it is difficult to manipulate the group.

The level of treatment for eating disorders is complex and beyond the scope of this article, but the levels of treatment range from self help and support groups, to low intensity outpatient treatment, to intensive treatment, to partial hospitalization programs to residential treatment, to hospitalization.

The goals of treating eating disorders are:

1. Interrupt the binge/purge cycle

2. Normalize eating patterns

3.Increase self esteem

4. Positive cognitive restructuring

5. Promote self responsibility

6. Promote flexibility

7.Stabilize chaotic thought patterns

8. Repair physical damage

9.Explore leisure activiities

10. Begin to develop healthy relationships

11. Begin to repair healthy relationships

12. Educate about recovery and relapse tools

Treating bulimia and anorexia is complex, and multifaceted process. It requires work, time and commitment. If you suffer from an eating disorder, get help. It can change your life. It can save your life.

Tammy Stoner is a licensed clinical social worker and life coach. She provides training and education to health care organizations, and individuals. Skilled at helping people uncover the blocks that keep them "stuck", she is able to quickly find internal and external strategies to get "unstuck", and live a life you love.For more information about coaching services, please contact her at http://www.teddybeartherapy.com

# posted by 12152 : 11:18 AM  0 comments

Some signs of a leaky basement are very obvious and others are not so obvious. Of course the most obvious sign of water leaking is water everywhere or pools of water on the floor! You might also actually hear the water dripping or staring at big ugly brown stains spreading across your walls. Sometimes you can even smell the water particularly if it is tainted by sewage or tainted by pesticides. Sometimes leaky water also has the heavy musky smell of fresh soil as often water leaking through a bad basement foundation will also be carrying a lot of silt with it.

There are also lots of other clues that you have a leaky basement. One sign of a leaky basement that is often just interpreted as aging or fading is the presence of efflorescence. Efflorescence is a deposit of a thin white film on your wall. It is the residue left by water that contains minerals and other effluvia from the soil.

Dampness is of course a big sign that you have a leaky basement but you should also look for other signs such as rusting nails or metal fixtures, rotting wood near the floor level, rusted metal feet on appliances, lifted floor tiles and peeling paint. All of these signs are not necessarily indicative of big disaster however it is possibly an indication that your home is suffering some kind of leakage during a rainy or wet season.

Sometimes the leaky basement is not due to some sort of vulnerability in your basement foundation. Sometimes it is caused by breaks in your water supply lines or pipes. Even a small seam or crack in a pipe can cause a big pool of water to form on your basement floor. Yet another big culprit is sinks and toilets that constantly drip as the result of a loose joint or loose pipe. Often this type of water collects beneath a cupboard in which the actual plumbing works are concealed.

There is almost always a little bit of leakage around the places where pipes enter the home. This is because of condensation on the pipes forming dew. To prevent this type of water leaking into your house (and first make sure that it is not the pipe itself that is leaking or your efforts will be futile) you can patch it with a waterproof concrete patch. Keep in mind that this will not prevent the water from forming from behind the walls. The only thing that might prevent that is the installation of a dehumidifier. Dehumidifiers can be an important tool in your battle against basement moisture and molds but not if the moisture is actually due to water seepage as opposed to water condensation.

There is a very easy way to determine if water on your basement walls is due to condensation or seepage. Simply tape a piece of aluminum foil to your basement wall. After a few days inspect its surfaces. If there is moisture on the inside surface that was touching the wall then you are dealing with a leak. If moisture forms on the aluminum foil side that is facing out from the wall then the problem is condensation and can easily be dealt with by a dehumidifier.

The good news is that condensation is a lot easier to manage than leaking water. Although it is persistent the excess humidity is manageable. Exposure to sunlight and wind can help dry out a basement that is dripping with condensation. It is also a good idea to keep basement windows closed if you live in a climate that is overly humid or that has a heavy rainy season.

Learn the causes of a wet basement and how to avoid them at Waterproof a Basement.

# posted by 12152 : 12:07 AM  0 comments