There are quite a few types of eating disorders. We will discuss these in this section.

Prader-Willi Syndrome

Prader-Willi Syndrome is caused by a malfunctioning of the hypothalamus, causing a patient suffering from it to have a voracious appetite. Prader-Willi Syndrome affects patients both mentally as well as physically. On a mental level, patients can suffer from fits of rage, compulsive behavior, sleeping disorders, etc.

It can also cause various psychoses. On a physical level, patients may suffer from obesity, type II diabetes, retarded sexual development, late development of motor abilities, abnormal growth, dental complications, as well as speech defects.

Bigorexia

This is the reverse of anorexia. A person suffering from bigorexia suffers from a feeling of being too small physically, and goes to great lengths to increase body mass by piling on the muscles.

Bigorexia is commonly seen in body builders. While bigorexia itself may seem harmless, the methods used to pile on the body mass, normally steroid or hormone usage as well as diets that are dangerously high in protein, can cause serious damage to the person’s kidneys, even possibly kidney failure, besides a host of other related problems.

Night Eating Syndrome

A person suffering from this type of EDNOS usually refrains from eating during the morning, eats very little throughout the day, and binges at night. This causes similar problems as binge eating, with one added risk – it can cause sleep disorders too.

Pica

Pica is probably one of the strangest of all eating disorders, be they anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, or EDNOS. A person suffering from Pica feels a compulsive urge to eat, lick, or even chew items that are not usually food products.

These items could be anything, from chalk, paint flakes, cigarette/cigar ash, plaster, rust, glue, and mud for example.

Pica may not be entirely a psychological disorder. Studies have shown it to be linked to deficiencies of minerals such as iron and zinc. It has its own set of risks though. A person suffering from Pica can suffer from lead or mercury poisoning, phosphorus intoxication, intestinal blockages, malnutrition, hypokalemia, hyperkalemia, abdominal problems, as well as dental problems.

Treating EDNOS

People suffering from EDNOS will likely face the same problems as those that suffer from any of the other eating disorders. It is a good idea to approach anyone you suspect of suffering from EDNOS and offer to help them out.

There are a number of support groups for EDOS patients, both offline as well as on the Internet. Besides advising the patient to seek counseling, you can also point them to these support groups.