An eating disorder is a mental illness, i.e., a medical condition that disrupts a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others, and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life. Mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, race, religion, or income. Mental illnesses are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character, or poor upbringing. Mental illnesses are treatable.
Similar to other mental illnesses, eating disorders are biologically based brain disorders. They cannot be overcome through "will power" and are not related to a person's "character" or intelligence. Early intervention, comprehensive treatment and continuum of care is essential and combined with full weight and nutritional restoration and abstinence from compensatory behaviors is associated with best prognosis. Source. Keywords: define Mental illness, definition Mental illness, definition of Mental illness, meaning Mental illness, dictionary Mental illness, what is Mental illness If you came to the F.E.A.S.T. Eating Disorders Glossary from a page on the F.E.A.S.T site, click the "go back" button in your internet browser to return to that page; if not, we welcome you to visit the FEAST home page for a wealth of information on evidence-based treatment for eating disorders, support for parents and families, the latest eating disorders research, a forum for parents and caregivers, useful books, etc. |