Permarexia is a recently identified eating disorder and which is the prelude to more serious problems, such as anorexia or bulimia. Patients with this disease think that any food they eat will make them fat and have an irrepressible desire to be slim.
For this reason, people with permarexia tend to adhere to various diets advertised as miraculous, with the aim of reducing their body weight. Indeed, this is one of criteria used to diagnose disease: having tried more than 3 diets in one year with the goal of losing fat.
Features of permarexia
Since it is a recently classified pathology, there is still not much bibliography on permarexia. However, this problem is known it is typical of those people with certain compulsive behaviors which lead them, for example, to count calories. While checking nutrition labels is a good practice, doing it obsessively can become a problem.
However, many people suffer from permarexia and have not been identified as such. These people fluctuate in weight on a regular basis and are subject to changes in eating habits, but do not appear pathological in physical condition. Because of this, they are unlikely to receive an accurate diagnosis of the disease.
In the event that a person frequently changes food protocols and the goal is always to lose weight, it is possible that the pathology exists. Moreover, patients with this disorder are particularly sensitive to comments about their physique. They tend to constantly compare themselves to others in their environment.
However, even if he has proof Of the relationship between depression and anorexia, it has not yet been possible to extend the association between psychological problems and permarexia.
How to identify a person suffering from permarexia?
Diagnosing the disease is not an easy task. There are no tools selection accurately identify the existence of the problem. The optimal thing is to observe the patterns of behavior, as well as specifying some tests that determine their degree of mental health.
In the event that you show certain obsessive behaviors towards food, but which in any case do not allow you to place it in the clinical picture of anorexia or bulimia, permarexia can be diagnosed.
It is important to look at your eating habits and your relationship with food. It also provides valuable information to know how susceptible the person is to external criticism. If you are heavily influenced by opinions of others, increases the risk of suffering or developing the disease.
As discussed, if you’ve tried more than 3 different diets in the last year with the goal of losing weight, you’re a serious candidate. In this case, it is best to consult a professional as soon as possible. Prevention and early treatment are the best solutions for eating behavior problems. This reduces the risk of sequelae.
Causes of permissiveness
Was tried that the risk factors for the appearance of a problem of this type are as follows:
- Psychiatric problems in parents.
- Stress on the mother during pregnancy.
- Overweight child.
- Dissatisfaction with body composition.
- Social pressure.
Furthermore, according to the a research published in the journal Psychiatric clinics for children and adolescents in North America, eating disorders such as permarexia are favored by the excess of information offered by some media. An incorrect interpretation of it, given the lack of technical knowledge, can cause the appearance of harmful habits.
An eating disorder that is difficult to diagnose
As we mentioned, permarexia is a recent pathology on which there is still not much scientific information. We know that it is the prelude to important problems and that a timely diagnosis facilitates their management and treatment.
In any case, the criteria for identifying the disorder are not entirely clear, so it is necessary to go to a specialist and undergo different diagnostic tools. selection.
Remember that diseases associated with eating behavior are complex and require a multidisciplinary treatment. It is necessary to approach the problem from different angles to offer a reliable solution that reduces the risk of sequelae in the medium term.
In case of doubt, the best option is to consult a specialist to get more information on this. Paying attention to details can be differential when it comes to detecting the problem in time and preventing complications.
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