Eating disorders are complex physical, mental, and emotional disorders. They impact physical functioning, relationships with yourself and others, and engagement in everyday activities. Below are some of the issues I work with around relationships with food and bodies.
- Anorexia Nervosa – a disorder characterized by restriction of food intake, intense fear of weight gain, heightened sense of importance on body, weight, or shape, and possible weight loss. Binge eating and/or purging behaviors may or may not be present.
- Bulimia Nervosa – A disorder characterized by episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting, fasting, exercise, and use of laxatives or diuretics.
- Binge Eating Disorder – A disorder characterized by episodes of binge eating which involve eating large quantities of food in a short period of time, while feeling out of control.
- Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders (OSFED) - Atypical Anorexia, Purging Disorder, and Bulimia or Binge Eating Disorder at a lower frequency.
- Emotional Eating and/or Exercise - Using food and/or exercise to cope with and avoid difficult emotions and situations.
- Chronic Dieting - A years-long attachment to engaging in different diets in an attempt to lose weight or change your relationship with food and your body. Chronic dieting often leads to binge eating and repetitive weight gain and loss.
- Negative Body Image - A destructive view of oneself due to the over-significance of weight and body shape on your self-worth and esteem. Negative body image is often impacted by social media and excessive comparison to others.