Disordered Eating
What is it?
Disordered eating encompasses a cluster of behaviors related to food and exercise, such as restricting calories, binge eating, or purging calories. What makes these behaviors disordered is when they disrupt the bodies ability to regulate and make use of proper nutrition. The problematic eating behaviors can become an eating disorder, such as anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder. Disordered eating can start for a variety of reasons, some of which are related to negative body image, a desire to change your body when there is no physiological "need" to adjust patterns, or difficult emotions related to your physical or emotional sense of self. Ultimately, if the eating behaviors impact your ability to function on physical, emotional, and social level, then treatment is highly encouraged.
Symptoms of Disordered Eating
Approximately 9% of the U.S. population will experience an eating disorder in their lifetime. While they affect all demographics, they are most prevalent in females, but males suffering from eating disorders is rising. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric condition. Symptoms can include and are not limited to:
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Excessive restriction of calories for the purpose of weight management
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Extreme or excessive time exercising with the goal of weight management
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Spending a lot of time worrying about food or body image
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Focusing on your appearance to determine your self-worth
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Spending a lot of time and effort to change or “fix” your appearance
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Abrupt weight loss/gain
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Changes to other bodily systems such as absence of a menstrual cycle, increased fatigue, increased irritability, and inability to consume foods your previously could
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Irregular sleep and energy levels
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Inability to enjoy food or places centered on food
Treatment
Disordered eating can be managed with a mix of treatments:
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Mental Health Therapy, especially Intuitive Eating approaches
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Consultations with Nutritionists and Physicians
With the right support and treatment, people who struggle with disordered eating can find peace with themselves and learn how to nourish their bodies. If you see yourself struggling with body image and or disordered eating, our therapists Dr. Sherd and Emmy are capable of helping you.