The National Eating Disorders Association defines pica as “the recurrent eating of non-food substances that offer no nutritional value and are not part of a culturally sanctioned practice”.1 To be considered a disorder, this behavior must take place over at least one month.2 Some of these substances may include cloth, hair, wool, starch, soil, string,…
Tag: disorder
If You Think You Have an Eating Disorder
An eating disorder is a mental illness that is characterized by irregular eating behaviors and patterns coupled with concern and distress over body shape and weight.1 People struggling with an eating disorder may use starvation, purging, or other behaviors to control their physical appearance. Although eating disorders typically develop during adolescence, anyone can develop one…
Paraphilia
The term paraphilia is approximately 100 years old, but its meaning and definition vary.¹ The word itself can be broken down into two parts; the first part of the word ‘para-’ means beyond, abnormal, or irregular and the second part ‘-philia’ means love. The term itself acts as a clinical and scientific umbrella term that…
Exhibitionism
Exhibitionism, also known as an exhibitionistic disorder, is a paraphilia in which a person derives sexual arousal from the act or fantasy of exposing their genitals to nonconsenting strangers. In the vast majority of cases, the perpetrators of exhibitionist acts are men and the victims are women. However, new research suggests that there are women who also…
Sex and Antidepressants
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), commonly referred to as Depression, is a common psychiatric diagnosis that involves persistent and intolerable negative affect. While the exact cause is unknown, some prominent theories suggest an imbalance of chemicals in the brain, a genetic predisposition, and environmental factors may increase one’s likelihood of a diagnosis. Symptoms of depression can…