Dr. Linda Mintle

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  • Male Eating Disorders

    Not much media attention is given to men and eating disorders. One in ten males suffer.

    Not much media attention is given to men and eating disorders. One reason may be that these disorders are disproportionately female. In recent years, however, the number of males afflicted has risen from one in twenty, to about one in ten. Approximately one-third of adolescent boys report bingeing with food.

    Men, like women, are affected by cultural media stereotypes that promote a fit and buffed body as signs of attractiveness and success. But men are more concerned about their shape than weight. Men also are affected by other sociocultural factors such as the pressure of a demanding job market and the changing view of masculinity and gender roles.

    Exercise appears to be a common entrée into symptom development. Dieting plays a role related to playing sports, past obesity, gender identity conflicts, and avoidance of feared medical illness. Boys may begin to diet to lose a few pounds, exercise to lose more weight, and then refuse to eat normally. Exercise is usually the chosen route for weight loss.

    Like women, certain subgroups of men are more at risk. For example, male wrestles have a high proportion of eating disorders. In addition, men who develop eating disorders are more likely than women to have been obese.Clinical symptoms are similar with the obvious exception of amenorrhea.

    Onset of a male eating disorder can begin at preadolescence, adolescence and young adulthood, or adulthood. Men benefit greatly from treatment and are often happy to find someone who appreciates their concerns. They typically have more alcohol related problems and obsessional thinking than female eating disorders. Female eating disorders are more afflicted with mood disorders in addition to eating problems.

    Why are these disorders more typically female? One thought is that males don’t diet as often to control weight. In addition, males increase muscle during puberty and are less concerned about fat than girls. Males want to be bigger and taller. It also may be that eating disorders in males are under diagnosed and underreported since they are known as female disorders.

    Whatever the reasons, it is important to know that males do use food to cope with emotional difficulties. For more information about eating disorders in general, refer to other articles in this section.

  • Recognizing a Panic Attack

    I stood at the top of the ski slope and looked down. There was no way I was going to get down the mountain. The slope of the vertical drop was frightening. I was convinced I would be seriously injured if I had to ski down that run. But I was stuck. I had to get down. Panic overwhelmed me. I started to feel terror, then dread. I couldn’t breathe. My heart was pounding and I felt like I was choking. Dizzy, I sat down on my skis.

    I knew I was starting to panic and had to get control of my thoughts and physical symptoms. Deep breathing techniques were familiar to me as I taught them to my patients. I prayed and shifted my thoughts to God. I visualized God accompanying me down the slope and getting me to the bottom safely. A plan was needed. There is always a way out, I told myself.

    Eventually, I did get off that mountain. By calming myself down after having a brief panic attack and problem solving, I reached the foot of the slope. My strategy was to move to the far side of the run where the snow was less packed down and more controllable. Then I would slide down on my bottom. Very slowly and gradually, I made progress down the hill.

    If you’ve ever experienced a panic attack, you feel like you are going to die, lose control or freak out.  Your thought is to get out of the situation. There is a sudden and intense fear that can last minutes or even hours. During that time, you experience at least four of 13 identified complaints:

    • Pounding heart
    • Sweating
    • Shaking
    • Shortness of breath
    • Feelings of choking
    • Chest pain
    • Nausea
    • Dizziness or fainting
    • Feeling detached from your body
    • Fear of losing control
    • Fear of dying
    • Numbness
    • Chills or hot flashes

    Panic attacks can be brought on by specific events or happen out of the blue. For example, large dogs can easily frighten small children. If a dog snaps at a child, this can frighten the child. The next time the child sees a large dog, he may anticipate something bad happening to him that he can’t control. This fear can lead to panic whenever the dog comes near the child.

    Some people are frightened by heights and begin to panic when atop a tall building. Others may have fears of flying or being in confined spaces. There are a number of situations that can bring on panic. At times you can identify the source immediately (e.g., the dog). Other times you feel panicked and don’t know why.

    If you find yourself experiencing the symptoms listed above on a regular basis, you may suffer from panic attacks. Don’t wait, Get help. Worrying about having these attacks and then having them is an unsettling way to live. There are treatments and spiritual helps that can reduce and stop these attacks. One of the major treatments is a type of therapy called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy along with relaxation. Panic can be overcome.

  • Ask Dr. Linda: Husband Lost Job. Will it impact the kids?

    My husband recently lost his job and money is tight. I know I have been more irritable and on edge because of the financial stress we feel. Do kids pick up on this and if so, how do we talk to them about what is happening. Our kids are ages five, seven and nine.

     

    When the economy takes a down turn or jobs are lost, adults get anxious and often pass that anxiety on to their children. So it is important to first deal with your own anxiety. Scripture teaches that God is our provider and will not abandon us in times of difficulty. We are to be anxious about nothing and not worry about tomorrow. This doesn’t mean we pretend things aren’t difficult, but rather that we know the source of our help and strength.

    Once you are calm and reassured of God’s provision, talk to your children openly and honestly, but with reassurance and a plan. The most important thing to convey is that they will be taken care of and your family will make it through this difficult time. Make the explanation about tough economic times age-appropriate. Tell your children that daddy is looking for a new job.

    In the meantime, you will need to cut back on some of your wants versus needs. For example, we will not eat out as much, be more careful on buying things we don’t need, etc. These changes won’t be forever, but for a while. Younger kids simply need reassurance.  The nine-year-old may ask more questions. If so, talk about job changes and the importance of saving for unpredictable times. This is a wonderful opportunity to build faith and teach about God’s provisions. Children need to know that God promises to be with us and meet our needs. Also, pray as a family, giving thanks for what you do have and making your requests known to God.  Gratitude is a powerful protector against stress. In sum, put your trust in God, make wise decisions and be creative with family fun that doesn’t cost money.

  • Music For The Soul’s Free Song

    This month, my friends at Music For The Soul have released a free song entitled, Someone Who Cares. It will touch your heart. Look around and notice those who hurt and need an encouraging word and become someone who cares. Enjoy!

    Someone Who Cares pv

  • Anger in the Friendly Skies

    It doesn’t matter what major city you drive in, road rage is a disturbing reality on American highways. So forget driving. Get on a plane and fly to your next destination. In the air you are far away from the crazy drivers who take their anger out on unsuspecting motorists, right? Wrong. The friendly skies are not so friendly these days.

    Take the word of my neighbor pilot. His reports of flaring sky -high tempers are becoming more frequent. His latest high adventure involved a frequent flying passenger who decided nobody could tell her what to do.

    Armed with a platinum frequent flyer card and a first class seat, a businesswoman boarded the airplane. When the flight attendant told her to move her bag out of the overhead compartment, she refused. The flight attendant calmly explained that the compartment was broken and storing anything inside was against FAA regulations.

    The businesswoman was infuriated. How dare this young attendant tell her to move her things. As a platinum flyer, no one bossed her around.  She loudly proclaimed her privileged status by swearing, yelling and demeaning the attendant.

    My neighbor, the pilot, heard the ruckus. Opening the door of the cockpit, he told the woman to calm down and move her stuff. The businesswoman started in on the pilot and eventually took a swing at him. Hours later, after the police escorted the woman off the plane, the airplane finally took off. After watching this TV-like drama unfold, the passengers missed their connections and were hours delayed hours. Why? Because one woman felt she was entitled to do things her way and not follow the rules.

    The point of this unsettling story is that people lose their tempers over the most insignificant things and feel entitled to do so.  Entitlement is a source of anger. We’ve become a society of people who lash out at others when someone or something annoys us. The popular culture gives permission and encourages this.

    Professional athletes are allowed bad behavior because they are special and physically gifted. Actors can lash out, break the law because they entertain us and make a lot of money. People with power and influence can bend the rules to their advantage because they are movers and shakers. Entitlement is all around us. We watch it and learn moral lessons from it. So is it any wonder that someone flies off the handle when her pricey first class seat is disturbed?

    Entitlement is not a godly concept. We aren’t entitled to anything, but because Christ died for us, we can have everything we need. This is a fact that should humble us, not entitle us. There is no place for anger entitlement in the life of a Christian. Yes, we get mad at people and things like everybody else but our response should be different. We are to practice self-control and restraint.

    The next time you are tempted to angrily “let someone have it” because you feel entitled, think about the message you send. Ask yourself if your response is Christ-like. And please, don’t get on my airplane!