Specialized Eating Disorder Therapy & Counseling for
Anorexia, Bulimia, Disordered Eating, Binge Eating Disorder, Orthorexia, Compulsive Exercising ARFID and More
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia is a type of eating disorder marked by weight loss and, typically a distorted body image. Weight loss is normally characterized by difficulties maintaining an appropriate body weight for height, age, and stature. Individuals usually restrict the number of calories and the types of food eaten. Anorexia can affect people of all ages, genders, sexual orientations, races, and ethnicities.
Most common symptoms:
Severely restricting food.
Very rigid rules around what and times to eat.
Not seeing their body the way others do.
Severe fear of gaining weight.
Incessant rumination around food, eating, and their body.
Constant guilt.
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia is a serious eating disorder characterized by a binge-and-purge cycle. This cycle consists of frequent episodes of binge eating followed by efforts to avoid gaining weight, often by extreme means such as vomiting, laxatives or exercising to excess. Those with bulimia may be normal weight, underweight, or overweight. Bulimia can cause damage to the digestive system and create chemical imbalances in the body that harm the functioning of major organs, including the heart.
Most common symptoms:
Feeling a lack of control over the binge-and-purge episodes.
Using laxatives or forcing themselves to vomit.
Excessive fasting or exercise.
Committing to excessive restriction after a cycle and breaking the commitment.
Struggling to be present when surrounded by lots of food, such as at a party.
Feeling shame, guilt, and negative judgment toward oneself after each binge-and-purge episode.
Binge Eating Disorder (BED)
BED is the most common eating disorder in the United States. It is characterized by recurring episodes of eating large quantities of food, often very quickly and to the point of discomfort. This eating disorder is different from Bulimia Nervosa because with bulimia, the episodes of excessive eating are usually followed by attempts to rid the food through purging, fasting, or exercising. With binge eating, however, there aren’t usually attempts to remove the food. Often those with binge eating disorder are overweight or obese due to the regularly large food consumption.
Most common symptoms:
Feeling a lack of control while eating.
Eating really fast and continuing to eat even when feeling full.
Eating in secret and hiding evidence (wrappers, empty containers etc.)
Restricting when in the presence of others.
Experiencing shame, distress, and guilt afterward.
Further reading:
What Exactly is Binge Eating Disorder and Do I Have it?
Concrete DBT Strategies for Overcoming Binge Eating Disorder
Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
ARFID is a combination of a restrictive eating disorder characterized by the limitation of food intake and sensory hurdles associated with food. It is often labeled as “picky” or “selective” eating. Unlike anorexia nervosa, individuals with ARFID do not experience body image distress and there is no fear of weight gain present. This disorder often goes undetected by families and doctors or thought to be a minor issue that will pass with time.
Most common symptoms:
Loss of interest in eating.
Anxiety over the consequences of eating (i.e. choking or vomiting.
Avoiding foods that have a certain color, taste, texture or smell.
Intense social distress because of a preference to eat alone
Taking a long time to consume a meal.
Unwelcome wegitht-loss and malnutrition.
Common Eating Disorder Thoughts & Feelings
A preoccupation with body size and food, including calories, and macronutrients.
Rigid food rules and rituals around meal times and food.
Frequent body checking including weighing, use of mirrors and physical body checks.
Withdrawal from social interactions and activities due to preoccupation with body and food.
Cutting out entire food groups and engaging in fad-diets.
Common Eating Disorder Physical Symptoms
Irregularities in, or loss of, menstrual patterns.
Gastrointestinal complaints including constipation, upset stomach and reflux.
Dry skin, damaged nails and hair.
Hair loss.
Feeling cold most of the time.
Dizziness upon standing or changing positions.
Problems going to sleep or staying asleep.
Abnormalities in blood work.
Other Body Related Issues
Over Exercising
Over Exercising (also labeled Anorexia Athletica, Exercise Bulimia and Hyper Gymnasia) is an eating disorder where people manage their caloric intake via obsessive compulsive over exercising. Although found most commonly among athletes, it can manifest in anybody that falls into the disordered eating spectrum.
Most common symptoms:
Feeling depressed, irritable or anxious if missing a workout.
Internal pressure to exercise every day or multiple times a day.
Exercising even when sick or injured.
Responsibilities and relationships suffer due to taking a backseat to exercise.
Calculating amount of exercise needed based on food intake or vise versa.
Orthorexia
Orthorexia is a type of eating disorder that is described by one’s obsession with “healthy” or “clean” eating and placing oneself on a very restricted diet. In many cases, orthorexia starts off as being a genuine desire to eat healthy and live a better lifestyle. However, an individual can quickly start to cut more and more foods out of their diet until they will only eat specific foods prepared a certain way.
Most common symptoms:
Feeling as if certain foods are dangerous.
Total elimination of entire food groups in an attempt to eat clean.
Avoidance of social events involving food due to fear of being unable to comply with self-imposed dieting restrictions.
Severe anxiety about how food is prepared.
Feeling guilt or shame when unable to maintain self-imposed dieting restrictions.
Increasingly critical and rigid about eating.
Spending extreme amounts of time and money in meal planning and food preparation.
Body Image Issues
Body image issues stem from perceived imperfections, sparking anxiety and a strong longing for a different appearance. This influences behaviors and self-beliefs. Although most people have something about their bodies that they would like to change, these perceived imperfections are accepted and do not create angst or affect one’s own sense of self. For those that it does, it will often become an obsession.
Most common symptoms:
Preoccupied with their flaws.
Distorted perception of physical features.
Uncomfortable in their own bodies.
Feel shame or disgust in relation to their appearance.
Compare themselves to others constantly.
Low self-esteem and/or depression.
Emotional Eating
Emotional eating happens when food is used to pacify emotional needs, rather than to satisfy physical hunger. This emotional hunger can’t be filled with food. Food may feel good in the moment, but the feelings that triggered the eating are still there. People who emotionally eat often feel worse than they did before because of the guilt, shame, and physical lethargy caused by the unhealthy food consumed.
Most common symptoms:
A sudden and urgent need to eat.
Having cravings of very specific foods, which usually include unhealthy snacks and junk food.
Not feeling satisfied even when physically full.
Feelings of regret and shame because the eating felt impulsive.
Feeling the hunger in the head rather than the stomach.