Eating disorders affect as many as 30 million Americans.
When you suffer from an Eating Disorder, you suffer all day. Every day. There are no breaks. It can be exhausting and all consuming. We must eat, multiple times every day. Each time you pass a mirror, consider working out, or think about your appearance, your body image is immediately at the forefront of your mind.
We often overlook Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating when it comes to listing mental illnesses. Yet, they affect people of every age, race, gender and status. In fact, Anorexia Nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any psychological disorder. Worse yet, it’s impossible to avoid triggers or the subject of food.
Members of our counseling staff not only have specialized training related to Eating Disorders and Disordered eating, some of us have personal experiences with the mental illness. We have first hand experience with how difficult it can be to live with, as well as how difficult it can be to treat. With this knowledge, our counselors focus on social support, healing relationships and evidence-based treatments to tackle it.
One of the most difficult parts of treating any mental illness can be recognizing you actually have one. If you’re struggling with any of the symptoms below, it may be time to contact our team.
Chronic dieting and exercise despite being hurt or sick.
Pre-occupation with calories, fat content, or nutritional information of foods and drinks.
Fixation on body weight, appearance, or shape, including ritualistic behaviors like constantly weighing yourself self or constantly checking one’s shape against that of others.
Denying or ignoring hunger or fullness cues in an effort to control intake, weight, shape or emotions (i.e., anxiety, shame, sadness, anger).
Avoidance of social functions and events that involve food or eating.
Eating in secret, having feelings of guilt or shame after eating, or being fearful towards food.
Adamant refusal to eat certain types or textures of food.
Social isolation and withdrawal, depression and anxiety disorders, fluctuations in mood and sleep habits, complaints of low-energy, tiredness and sensitivity to cold.
General Signs and Symptoms of Eating Disorders
What Works
Eating Disorders thrive on secrecy and isolation, including the fact that no two eating disorders are the same. To combat these feelings of loneliness and insecurity, they’re best treated using a team approach where individuals can work with professionals including therapists, dietitians and psychiatrists. Together, we can tailor fit the right approach for recovery.
Evidence also supports the use of processes like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Family Therapy, Attachment Therapy, and Group Therapy for eating disorders. It’s important to note that many individuals with Eating Disorders have also experienced trauma. As such, they can benefit from therapies that would help them heal from the traumatic experiences.
Next Steps
Heather Woods, LMSW of Barnhill & Associates Counseling Center is our resident expert on Eating Disorders. Having personal experience suffering from, as well as treating Eating Disorders on both the client and therapist side, she is uniquely qualified to understand what you may be going through.
To learn more about Heather, click here.