Research tells us that 28.8 million Americans, 9% of our population, will have an eating disorder in their lifetime. If you experience disordered eating yourself or someone you love does, then you understand the impact it can have on your life. At Reconnect, we believe the mental health treatment community has a responsibility not only to treat conditions like anorexia or bulimia but to raise awareness about them.
This article will help you identify some of the warning signs that can be attributed to some eating disorders. While this information may be helpful in determining whether or not you or someone you love may be experiencing disordered eating, it is no substitute for a formal medical diagnosis.
What Are Some Common Eating Disorders and Their Signs?
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is a mental health disorder marked by extreme restrictions on food intake leading to severe weight loss. People with anorexia may severely limit their caloric intake or limit entire food groups from their diet.
Warning signs of anorexia may include:
- Unusual, unexplained weight loss
- Extreme preoccupation with body size/shape and weight
- Excessive exercise, especially cardiovascular
- Obsessive calorie counting and restrictive eating
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia nervosa is a serious mental health disorder characterized by binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors such as purging through vomiting, excessive exercising or overuse of laxatives.
Warning signs of bulimia may include:
- Frequent episodes of binge eating
- Trying to compensate for binging by inducing vomiting, laxatives, enemas, etc.
- Extreme preoccupation with body size/shape and weight
- Unusual eating habits or rituals, like eating only certain foods, eating in secret, etc.
Binge Eating Disorder
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is a mental health condition characterized by compulsively overeating, often to the point of feeling uncomfortably full. Unlike bulimia, people suffering from binge eating disorder do not follow up with compensatory behaviors such as purging or excessive exercising.
Warning signs of a binge eating disorder include:
- Binging on large amounts of food, unable to stop even when full
- Feelings of guilt or shame following a binge incident
- Hoarding large amounts of food/snacks for later binges
- Depression and anxiety
Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders (OSFED)
OSFED is an umbrella term used to describe those conditions that don’t meet all criteria for other established eating disorders but still cause significant distress and impairment in daily functioning.
Help for Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating and Other Disorders
People with anorexia, bulimia or who binge eat or have other disorders do recover, however. It’s absolutely possible to overcome and manage an eating disorder and live a happy, healthy life. At Reconnect, we offer specialized mental health programs for trauma and mental health treatment for a wide range of conditions, including eating disorders. If you or someone you love is living with an eating disorder, Reconnect wants to help. Give us a call at (310) 903-8349 today.
