Eating disorders refer to a number of psychiatric disorders that are known to affect our health very adversely if left untreated. Due to the physical nature of these disorders, their symptoms can be mental, emotional and physical.
Eating disorders in men
Eating disorders are psychiatric conditions that include binge eating disorder, anorexia, and more. Which was once thought to be solely a disorder in women, eating disorders have been found to have a significant effect on all genders. In men, it is more than a disorder. It is a stigma that is immensely tough to overcome and thus goes undiagnosed and untreated.
Reasons why eating disorders go undiagnosed and untreated in men
- Males are often not included in research on eating disorders.
- Professional biases leading to less diagnoses of the disorder in men.
- Stigma associated with men seeking help for a disorder that is predominantly known to affect women.
- Males are often excluded from eating disorders treatment centres.
- Diagnostic criteria are gender-biased, making it hard for a proper diagnosis of eating disorders in males.
What needs to be considered when treating men
There are a number of factors that need to be considered when treating men. Some specific issues are as follows:-
Weight
Something which completely differs in men and women is their weight history because men are mildly or moderately obese before actually developing an eating disorder. But in a lot of cases, men are known to use more compensatory behaviour like exercising more than the requirement leading to some other medical condition.
Trauma /sexual abuse
Trauma and sexual abuse go underreported in men, which eventually leads to stigmatization in the individual’s life. Because of the eating disorder, men tend to not allow natural hormones to solve any crisis relating to their sexual orientation. One of the most common symptoms is body image disturbance, i.e., addressing their body image as distorted or different. When the trauma of bullying is related to the disorder, manipulation of body shape in males is often observed.
Depression
Often it is observed that eating disorders are often comorbid with depression when treating males. Such depression- which is closely related to them experiencing shame- usually leads to physical illness, alcohol and drug problems, violence, and self-sabotage in work. Along with them having an eating disorder, the fact that they have depressions is hidden as well, mainly due to predetermined gender norms of men having to be tough.
Exercise
Men with an eating disorder tend to engage in excessive exercise, due to which dieting and exercising almost become addictive for them. Orthorexia is common, which means eating only healthy food. As it is another eating disorder, it clouds the judgment of the affected person regarding what is healthy or not. Excessive exercise is one of the symptoms of orthorexia. They stick to their regimen, regardless of any event or their health.
Pressure
Due to peer and social media pressure, men experience increased depression and body dissatisfaction. Social media is one of the reasons for this increasing pressure. Given that social media glamorizes well-endowed and toned bodies all the time, one tends to feel more and more inferior about their physique. Also, if their peers are also in good shape, they feel more pressure to get into what society approves as “good, healthy body shape.”
Risks
One of the alarming problems that clinicians face is the differences in this disorder between males and females. Cases observed included self-induced vomiting in women, whereas men were a part of excessive exercise.
Treatment
Like is the treatment for other psychiatric disorders as well, treatment varies from person to person. Moreover, when it comes to eating disorders, the treatment for men and women may differ given that there are differences in biology, as well as signs and symptoms.
Men do not seek treatment for this disorder easily, given that is predominantly believed to be a disorder affecting women. Thus, experts suggest an all-male treatment. Often during treatment, they may receive a testosterone supplement. There are chances that if an eating disorder is left untreated for an extended period, it may need a more potent treatment. During treatment, doctors clear that the most common stigma is that eating disorder is a fem
