Anorexia is an eating disorder characterized by noticeable reduce appetite or even total reluctance to eat. This is a serious psychological disorder of which the condition goes well beyond out-of-control dieting. It is widely known to only affect women, but that's what most people think.
Male anorexia is actually more prevalent than what we realize. Up to seven million boys and men actually experience eating disorders in their lifetimes. Most of them don't seek help because of stigma or because they don't even recognize that they have it, says WNDU-TV.
In early stages, eating disorders like anorexia often start with positive intentions to become healthier. Colt Gordon fell into the trap when he joined the marines in hopes to gain control of his life. Instead, he dived into depression, fell victim to an eating disorder, lost weight from 190 to 155 pounds and even considered suicide.
He admitted he exercised all day sometimes of spend three hours in the gym, fall asleep in the sauna for two and a half hours and go on apple diets, eating nothing for a couple of weeks. And then binge and purge.
Tiffany Brown, a therapist says working with male anorexics can be challenging since their appearances can be deceptive. They could look normal on the outside and may not be significantly underweight but then they are really struggling with a lot of very significant eating disorder symptoms.
Colt entered UC San Diego's eating disorders program that included therapy, coping skills, and meal support. Although it's hard and took time, Colt conquered his eating disorder, currently back to school, learning Spanish, and working with kids in Mexico to help them stay away from drugs.
The National Eating Disorders Association's most widely quoted study shows 25 percent of men suffer from anorexia and bulimia nervosa, and 36 percent on binge eating disorders. Medical director of the multi-location Rogers Memorial Hospital behavioral health system, Dr. Brad E.R. Smith and Dr. Kimberli McCallum, founder and director of McCallum Place eating disorder centers in St. Louis are both skeptic of the number believing that more research is needed.
Even having the best statistics, ranging from 5 to 25 percent, people could be unconsciously downplaying the growing percentage of anorexic men. There could be about 80 percent of eating disorders in men go undiagnosed. For instance, out of 50 residential treatment centers, only five men were reportedly admitted. - According to Chicago tribune.
