Eating Disorders
Regaining Control
There is significant stigma surrounding eating disorders, we know it’s hard to come forward and ask for help, and as isolating and alienating as an eating disorder is to experience, know that you are not alone.
Eating disorders run the gamut; from eating too little, eating in compulsive or strange ways, to eating far too much. This is not a lifestyle choice, as much as the public often thinks it is. The preoccupation with food that sometimes crosses over into obsessive thoughts is not a choice anyone makes for themselves.
Gender, age, race, socioeconomic class – there is no limitation on who can be affected by eating disorders or when.
As we in the field of psychology better grasp body positivity and even body neutrality, it’s important to discuss what denotes an eating disorder, because an eating disorder is not necessarily visible on a person.
“Treating eating disorders with compassion and care is not just for the alleviation of daily anxiety and emotional strain caused by one’s relationship with food, but so that one can have a life to sculpt with joy and hope.”
While some symptoms of eating disorders feature extreme weight loss or gain, or severe fluctuations in weight, not all bodies will respond to food restriction, over-exercise, or compulsive overindulgence the same way.
If someone with a particularly fast metabolism is overeating to the point of psychological and physical harm, that may not appear as weight gain, and may only be visible in medical examination. The opposite is also true; someone with a slow metabolism or heavier-set body type may restrict their food intake to the point of starvation and harm, but how their body looks may not cause alarm, or lead anyone to believe that they are strictly controlling food intake.
The nature of eating disorders has little to do with how little or how much food a person is taking into their body, and much more to do with our relationships with our bodies and food, how we perceive ourselves, what we feel is within or outside of our control, and how we cope with stress.
Anorexia, bulimia, BED (binge eating disorder) and ARFID (avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder) present in many different ways beyond the physical.
When you find yourself obsessing over food intake, weight, or diet culture in such a way that it is impeding your ability to live a normal life, or it is affecting your happiness, it’s time to reach out for help.
Eating disorders may feature food restriction, periods of starvation, over-exercise, purging (in the case of bulimia), overeating to the point of discomfort or disability (in the case of BED), other compulsive behaviors, obsessive thoughts, body dysmorphia, irritability, low self-esteem, and all of these behaviors and psychological changes carry long-term health risks.
Treating eating disorders with compassion and care is not just for the alleviation of daily anxiety and emotional strain caused by one’s relationship with food, but so that one can have a life to sculpt with joy and hope.
Eating disorders steal peace of mind from sufferers, and regaining control of one’s life and mind from the clutches of an eating disorder is no small feat, but every small victory counts.
Make an appointment today, and let us help you find your way back to happiness and health.
Next Steps
Check out the Our Team page to learn about our therapists.
Schedule a phone consultation to chat about the intake process and schedule an appointment.
Have a glass of water and own your small victory of seeking therapy.
