Eating disorders are behavioural conditions marked by severe and persistent disturbance in eating behaviours and related distressing thoughts and emotions. They can become debilitating conditions affecting physical, psychological and social functions. Types of eating disorders include Anorexia Nervosa (self-starvation and weight loss resulting in low weight for height and age); Bulimia Nervosa (alternate dieting, or eating only low calorie “safe foods” with binge eating on “forbidden” high calorie foods followed by what are called “compensatory behaviours” including fasting, vomiting, laxative misuse or compulsive exercise), Binge Eating Disorder (eating a large amount of food in a short period of time associated with a sense of loss of control over what, or how much one is eating); avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, other specified feeding and eating disorder, pica and rumination disorder.
In somatic symptom disorder, a person has a significant focus on physical symptoms, such as pain, weakness or shortness of breath, to a level that results in major distress and/or problems functioning. The individual is preoccupied or has excessive thoughts, feelings and behaviours relating to these physical symptoms. However, physical symptoms may or may not be associated with a diagnosed medical condition, but the person experiencing the symptoms believe them to be real and believe they are sick (not faking the illness).
Sleep disorder entail changes in sleeping patterns or habits that can affect health negatively. Whether they are caused by a health problem or by too much stress, sleep disorders are becoming increasingly common. Sleep disturbances include disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep (DIMS, insomnia), disorders of excessive somnolence (DOES), disorders of sleep–wake schedule, and dysfunctions associated with sleep, sleep stages, or partial arousals (parasomnias).
Gender dysphoria describes the psychological distress that a person may have because of a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity. Though gender dysphoria often begins in childhood, some people may not experience it until after puberty or much later. This sense of unease may be so intense it can culminate to depression and anxiety and have a negative impact on daily life. The goal is not to change how the person feels about their gender. Instead, treatment is to address their distress and other emotional harm.
