Disordered Eating

Do you find yourself losing control around food?

Do you habitually skip meals or impose severe restrictions on your food intake?

Are your thoughts incessantly preoccupied with your body shape or weight?

While many are acquainted with the term 'eating disorder', the concept of 'disordered eating' might be less known. Disordered eating does not correspond to a specific diagnosis but is a term used to delineate a range of harmful eating behaviors. Symptoms and signs of disordered eating bear resemblance to those of eating disorders, although their frequency and intensity may vary.While disordered eating might not precipitate the severe symptoms characteristic of a diagnosable eating disorder, it can nonetheless adversely influence an individual's life. For instance, someone suffering from disordered eating might skip work, school, or personal commitments due to anxiety or unease around food, or an obsessive commitment to exercise. Their fixation with food and exercise can impair their focus or concentration, thereby affecting their performance at work or school.

Disordered eating can exert a considerable mental and physical toll on an individual. Negative self-perception can deteriorate their mental health, and poor dietary habits can manifest in physical repercussions, such as impaired cardiovascular and digestive health. Furthermore, disordered eating elevates the individual's risk of developing a full-fledged eating disorder.

If you find yourself struggling with:

• Frequent dieting or obsessive calorie counting
• Rigid food restriction or skipping meals
• Feeling anxiety, guilt, or shame about certain foods or food in general
• Obsessive exercising, or exercise to "punish" for overeating
• Binging and/or purging
• Self-worth or self-esteem because of your weight or body shape and weight
• Feeling out of control around food

… then you may be suffering from disordered eating.

The factors that drive individuals towards detrimental eating habits can be intricate and highly individualized. Engaging in individual therapy can aid people in introspecting their past to discern the origins of these behaviors and foster self-acceptance and self-love. Collaboratively with a therapist, they can establish healthier habits and devise coping strategies for challenging cues or triggers.

If you're grappling with disordered eating and require support and guidance, a licensed therapist can assist you in cultivating healthier practices for your physical and mental well-being. Please contact our office today to schedule a consultation.