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Identifying Eating Disorders in the Military
Members of the military faced increased environmental stressors due to the nature of their work. This may be due to various circumstances, such as exposure to war, constant relocation, intense physical demands, separation from family and loved ones, sickness, and more. While there is no direct link between a specific occupation and eating disorder development, military members who are biologically predisposed to having an eating disorder may be triggered by exposure to environmental stressors faced on duty.
Understanding the Risk for Eating Disorder Development
Stressors faced from the environment via a job may trigger a man or woman who may be genetically predisposed to developing an eating disorder. In the military for example, service members are subject to physical, emotional, psychological and mental pressures that the average civilian does not face. This may include rigorous training, separation from loved ones, frequent relocation to unfamiliar places, exposure to violence, war and death.Woman in the military at sea
In light of these stressors, it is not uncommon for a member of the military to develop other mental illnesses that can also increase susceptibility to an eating disorder, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder and depression. Food might become a tangible way to create a sense of control under circumstances that may feel chaotic. Eating disorders may arise from a need to manage and cope with increased anxiety, stress, and depression.
Combating Weight Stigma in Today’s Military
How the Rigor of Military Can Cause Food Restriction
The personal fitness exams required by the military can impact negative food-related behaviors even in those who do not meet full criteria for an eating disorder. In the weeks preceding the exam, many people are more likely to engage in food restriction, purging, or using diet pills and laxatives to meet the weight requirements.
The situation only grows worse when the lack of good nutrition is coupled with dehydration and intense training needed to meet or exceed the parameters requires in the fitness tests. Performing and meeting physical requirements such as running long distances under a certain time or doing a minimum number of pull ups simply exacerbates the stress level for military personnel.
Dealing with not Being the “Right Size”
The size, rather than health-focused weight requirements and waist circumference measures, can be shaming and stigmatizing for people of size. Many do not fit the box they need to be in by weight or shape. This can be held against them despite how well they perform on fitness testing and regardless of better measures of health such as blood pressure and cholesterol status. Moreover, these stigmatized individuals may face negative repercussions not only for their careers, but also for their personhood and their health.
Soldiers who fail weight requirements are often forced to participate in weight-reduction programs. Sadly, they have little to no access to professionals equipped to identify and treat an underlying eating disorder. And even if they did have such a resource, many soldiers would forgo this help for fear of career repercussions as a result of having a perceived weakness, rather than a disease that might actually kill them if untreated.
Military Members Needing Treatment For an Eating Disorder
According to the National Eating Disorder Association, there is a high prevalence of eating disorders among members of the military though an overall lack of connection to treatment [1]. This can be partially due to the stigma associated with eating disorders, where military members may fear reaching out for help or concerned about possibly losing their position due to their illnesses.
Eating disorders may be perceived as a sort of “weakness” rather than understood for the psychiatric illness it is, and this can further cause a military member to conceal their struggle.
Mental health resources are available for military members and should be utilized whenever possible as a means for connecting to help and treatment. While there are no current screening tools to assess for eating disorders prior to enlisting in the military, potential candidates should be aware of how the conditions in the military can influence mental health.
A person who is already dealing with an eating disorder or who may be in recovery from one of these diseases should consider the state of their health before enlisting. Having an active eating disorder while attempting to serve in the military can lead to severe consequences for the individual struggling.
Increasing Awareness For Military Members With Eating Disorders
Continuing to raise awareness of the challenges that military members may face when it comes to eating disorders is an important step towards improving treatment approaches for those in service. Many treatment centers for eating disorders have specialized programs that are tailored to meet the unique needs of military members that have been facing the battle with an eating disorder. Help begins by reaching out and confiding in a trusted individual, no longer hiding the eating disorder in secret and shame.
Contributor: Dr. Kim Dennis, CEDS, CEO/Medical Director Emeritus of Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center
Dr. Kim Dennis is a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in eating disorder treatment, addiction recovery, trauma / PTSD and co-occurring disorders. As CEO/Medical Director Emeritus, she provides consultation to the clinical director and participates in the Timberline Knolls Clinical Development Institute and other outreach initiatives. Dr. Dennis maintains a holistic perspective in the practice of psychiatry. She incorporates biological, psycho-social and spiritual approaches into individually-tailored treatment plans. Dr. Dennis is published in the areas of gender differences in the development of psychopathology, co-occurring eating disorders and self-injury, and the use of medication with family-based therapy for adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Dr. Dennis received her undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago. She obtained her medical degree from the University Of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and completed her psychiatry residency training at the University Of Chicago Hospitals, where she served as chief resident. During her training, she was part of the multi-disciplinary eating disorders team specializing in treating adolescents with anorexia and bulimia and their families. She is a member of the American Medical Association, Academy for Eating Disorders, the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry and the American Society for Addiction Medicine. She is on the medical advisory board for the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders.
About the Author: Crystal is a Masters-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) with a specialty focus in eating disorders, maternal/child health and wellness, and intuitive eating. Combining clinical experience with a love of social media and writing, Crystal serves as the Special Projects Coordinator for Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope, where her passion to help others find recovery and healing is integrated into each part of her work.
As a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Crystal has dedicated her career to helping others establish a healthy relationship with food and body through her work with EDH/AH and nutrition private practice.
References:
[1]: National Eating Disorder Association, “The Truth About Eating Disorders in the Military”, https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/blog/truth-about-eating-disorders-militaryThe opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.
We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.
Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on April 18, 2016
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com
