Eating Disorders and Their Warning Signs
What is an Eating Disorder?
According to NEDA, the National Eating Disorder Association, “Eating disorders are serious but treatable mental and physical illnesses. In fact, eating disorders have the second highest mortality rate of all mental health disorders, surpassed only by opioid use disorder.”
Eating disorders are bio-psycho-social diseases. It is important to remember that they are not phases, fads, or lifestyle choices – They are a real mental illness that can be extremely complex.
What are the Different Types of Eating Disorders?
There are several different types of common eating disorders:
Anorexia nervosa (AN) – Characterized primarily by self-starvation and excessive weight loss.
Bulimia nervosa (BN) – Characterized primarily by a cycle of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors, such as self-induced vomiting in an attempt to counteract the effects of binge eating.
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) – Characterized primarily by recurrent binge eating without the frequent use of compensatory measures.
Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) – Characterized primarily by limitations in the amount and/or types of food consumed but does not involve any distress about body shape or size, or fears of fatness.
Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED) – A feeding or eating disorder that causes significant distress or impairment but does not meet the criteria for another feeding or eating disorder.
What the Warning Signs Associated with Eating Disorders?
The warning signs of an eating disorder can vary person to person. Some individuals may exhibit all or only some of the following common symptoms:
- Preoccupation with weight, food, calories, dieting, and/or body image.
- Development of abnormal, secretive, extreme, or ritualized food or eating habits.
- Withdrawal from usual friends and activities.
- Evidence of binge eating, such as the disappearance of a large amount of food.
- Evidence of purging behaviors, including frequent trips to the bathroom after meals, self-induced vomiting, periods of fasting, or laxative, diet pill or diuretic abuse.
- Compulsive or excessive exercising.
- Discoloration or staining of the teeth.
- Feelings of isolation, depression, anxiety, or irritability.
What Does Eating Disorder Treatment Look Like?
Treatment for eating disorders depends entirely on the needs of the individual. On average, they typically include the following:
- Collaboration with a trained professional(s) such as a therapist specializing in eating disorder treatment, psychiatrist, dietician, recovery coach, primary physician, or some combination thereof.
- Participation in some level of eating disorder treatment such as:
- Hospitalization or Acute Medical Stabilization – individual lives at medical or psychiatric inpatient unit receiving 24hr care to help stabilize individual. This is the highest level of care.
- Inpatient Treatment – individual lives at medical or psychiatric inpatient unit receiving 24hr care.
- Residential Treatment – individual lives at specialized treatment facility with 24hr care participating in program groups and sessions
- Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) – individual lives at home and attends treatment program at a specialized setting approximately 4-7 times a week for six to eight hours.
- Intensive Outpatient Treatment (IOP) – individual lives at home and attends treatment program at a specialized setting approximately 2-3 times a week for at least three hours.
- Outpatient Treatment – individual lives at home and attends weekly sessions with provider.
Eating disorders are complicated mental illnesses and it can often be difficult to access support. Early diagnosis and treatment are vital to increasing chances of full recovery as these disorders are often life-threatening. If you or someone you know is in need of help, head to the resources page for links and phone numbers of organizations providing help. Remember that I love you, and you should love you too.
If you or someone you know is struggling, head to the Resources page for help or further education.
If you need someone to talk to, feel free to reach out on my Contact page. I’d love to hear from you!