"Eating is managed by many factors including attempts at voluntary control ("Eating Disorders: Facts" 1). Anorexia Nervosa, which is characterized by self starvation to avoid obesity, and Bulimia Nervosa, which results when a person will binge on large amounts of food and then use self-induced vomiting or diuretics to rid their body if the food, are two major eating disorders ("Eating" 1). Both have a great deal to do with control. Sometimes it is the idea of following a ritual everyday that can make one feel as they are in control (Frissell 74). However, it is also very common that those who suffer from these ailments try to take a situation which they have no control over and turn the tables by taking control over their eating habits. Very often as well, victims of eating disorders may also have other psychiatric disease such as depression, substance abuse, and anxiety disorders ("Eating Disorders: Facts" 1). The majority of the time, those who are infected with an eating disorder tend to feel inadequate even though they may very well be sufficient in their achievements. This perfectionist attitude forces them to see being thin as another way of succeeding in something, and they find fulfillment in attaining that goal ("What" 1). As a result of these co-occurring diseases that are often present in victims of eating disorders, a lack of knowing who they are is, in turn, the effect. This factor of feeling "lost" can cause one to turn to food for comfort. Many who suffer from these diseases say that they give them a sense of identity; it can define who they are (Frissell 74). Due to psychological factors playing a role in the development of eating disorders, sometimes treatment involves treating the co-occurring problem or working with the sufferer's problem solving methods, as well as the actual eating disorder.
Unfortunately, not all factors that cause eating disorders can be treated.