Eating disorders do not occur due to a failure of will or behavior; rather, they are real, treatable medical illnesses in which certain maladaptive patterns of eating take on a life of their own. Eating disorders frequently develop during adolescence or early adulthood, but some research indicates that their onset can occur during childhood or even later in adulthood. Eating disorders frequently co-occur with other psychiatric disorders, such as depression, substance abuse, and anxiety disorders. Recognizing eating disorders as a real and treatable disease is critically important.
The main types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.
Anorexia Nervosa
An estimated .05 to 3.7% of females suffer from anorexia nervosa in their lifetime. Symptoms include:
- Resistance to maintaining body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for one’s age and height
- Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though one is underweight
- Disturbance in the way in which one’s body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of one’s body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of one’s currently low body weight
- Infrequent or absent menstrual periods in females who have reached puberty
Bulimia Nervosa
An estimated 1.1 to 4.2% of females suffer from bulimia nervosa in their lifetime. Symptoms include:
- Recurrent episodes of binge eating, characterized by eating an excessive amount of food within a discrete period of time with a sense of lack of control over moderating eating habits during the episode
- Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behaviors in order to prevent weight gain, such as fasting; excessive exercise; self-induced vomiting, otherwise known as purging; or misuse of laxatives, diuretics, enemas, or other medications
- Binge eating behaviors and inappropriate compensatory behaviors occuring an average of at least twice a week for three months
- Self-evaluation being unduly influenced by body shape and weight
Binge Eating Disorder
About 2% of adults in the United States suffer from binge eating disorder. Symptoms include:
- Lack of control over consumption of food
- Eating an unusually large amount of food at one time
- Eating much more quickly than normal and until physically uncomfortable
- Frequently eating alone due to feelings of embarrassment and in order to avoid discovery of the disorder
- Eating when depressed, sad, or bored, and feeling disgusted, depressed, or guilty after binge eating
- Eating large amounts of food when there is no sense of hunger
Eating disorders can be treated and a healthy weight can be restored. The sooner these disorders are diagnosed and treated, the more likely positive outcomes are. Because of their complexity, eating disorders require a comprehensive treatment plan involving many interventions. Often the individual with an eating disorder is resistant to treatment as they do not recognize that they are ill. Trusted friends and family members can be helpful in bringing the individual to treatment. We provide the following treatment for eating disorders:
- Assessment & Diagnosis
- Individual Therapy
- Medication Management
- Family Therapy
- Nutritional Counseling
- Support Groups
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