What You Caused

61.

When I realise my mind isn't going to shut down any time soon or let me rest, I throw my covers off of my body, a shiver surging through me automatically from the cold and make my way over to my desk. I throw on a hoodie as I wait for my computer to switch on (navy blue to match my red and navy checkered pj pants) and slump down in my desk chair.

Earlier on, I had decided that I would spend some time researching about eating disorders when I was free, so that I could get a better understanding of what Isabella is going through. I had been planning to do it in the morning...but I find myself with a tad more free time in my schedule - y'know with not being to sleep and all so I settle for doing my research now.

I grab a notebook and a pen from my desk drawer before typing 'facts about eating disorders' into google once my computer turns on. A bunch of websites immediately load up and I click on one of the first ones that pop up after all the helplines linked. I see that it's an information page that describes the different type of eating disorders that there are with a bunch of stats written down afterwards and an overview of E.Ds as a whole before it sections on into the different types of disorders.

My eyes skim the overview as I begin to read and I shuffle in my seat, getting more comfortable in my stiff ass desk chair.

Although the term eating is in the name, eating disorders are about more than food. They're complex mental health conditions that often require the intervention of medical and psychological experts to alter their course.

These disorders are described in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5).

In the United States alone, an estimated 20 million women and 10 million men have or have had an eating disorder at some point in their life.

This article describes 6 of the most common types of eating disorders and their symptoms.

Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge eating disorder, Pica, Rumination disorder and Avoidant disorder. (Healthline website)

I'm sort of surprised when I note that there are more than one type of disorder, I had heard of anorexia before and binge eating disorder too because my buddy Hank's older brother suffered from it along with depression when he lost his girlfriend in a car crash last summer, but the others I had no clue existed.

I chew on the inside of my cheek as I continue reading, moving my mouse so that I can and move onto the stats portion of the website. There are a number of statistics listed, talking about the percentage amount of people who suffer from each disorder and so on.

(The stats are from 'eating disorder hope')

In the US alone, 28.8 million people will suffer from an eating disorder in their life.

75% of those diagnosed with an ED are women and 25% are men.

91% of women suffer from body image issues.

It is estimated that up to 4% of women in the United States will have bulimia during their lifetime.

Over 50% of teenage girls and 33% of teenage boys use restrictive measures to lose weight at any given time.

It is estimated that 40% of those with binge-eating disorders are male.

Eating disorders are the most fatalistic mental health disorder.

4% of anorexic individuals die from complications of the disease.

In the world, every 52 minuets, one person dies from an eating disorder.