The National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) has revealed that around 20 million women and 10 million men across the US suffer from eating disorder during their lifespan. Eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder.

This number is more than the number of adults suffering from heart diseases. Eating disorders eventually result in further issues like tooth decay and irregular heart rate, along with electrolyte imbalances causing low blood pressure and dehydration leading to kidney failure and muscle loss.

Anorexia has been found to have the maximum rate of mortality of any mental illness, since 4% of people suffering from this disease die due to the complexities associated with it.

According to experts, eating disorders lead to isolating behavior and people suffering from it are not comfortable in sharing their problem because they find it quite shameful to reveal that they starve themselves or vomit deliberately. Patients are often pulled back from sharing their concerns due to the fear of social disgrace.

“With other mental illnesses, people don’t see the behavior associated with it,” she said. “People can’t wrap their heads around (eating disorders). They think, ‘why don’t you just eat?’ or ‘just don’t throw up,’” said a Cedar Rapids-based therapist, Richelle Derfus, who deals with people suffering with eating disorders. Eating disorders are not only the fastest way of losing weight, but they are dealing mechanisms, safety net and ways to handle stress and pressures, as well as problems and past traumas.

Treatment for eating disorders involves complexities since it is not like conquering alcohol or drug addiction. A person overcoming eating disorder cannot simply eliminate food.

A registered dietitian named Sue Clarahan, who specializes in eating disorders, revealed that an individual suffering from such disorders are not sure of the fact whether they can be actually taken care of.