Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating: Do You Need Support?
Since this week is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, I thought it would be a good time to share some resources for help related to this topic. But first, it might be important to understand more about what eating disorders are, and what they are not. Here are some basic (and somewhat oversimplified) ways to describe the most common types of eating disorders:
Anorexia Nervosa: A pattern of being afraid to gain weight or wanting to lose excessive amounts of weight, combined with efforts to severely restrict foods/types of foods
Bulimia Nervosa: A pattern of eating large amounts of food (bingeing) and then trying to compensate by purging through vomiting, excessive exercise, calorie restriction, etc.
Binge Eating Disorder: A pattern of eating large amounts of food in one sitting, without attempts to compensate through purging.
Avoidant-Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID): Severe sensitivity to food textures, tastes, or other features that lead to a very limited diet
Other Specified Eating Disorder (OSFED): An eating disorder where someone’s experiences fit into some but not all of the criteria for the above named disorders.
Now, here are some myths (and truths) about eating disorders:
If you are struggling with eating patterns that concern you, I recommend finding a therapist, particularly someone who specializes in eating disorders. Many people with eating disorders also find it helpful to receive help from their primary care provider, who can assist with the medical dangers of eating disorders, and a dietitian who can help with forming new habits for eating in a way that is more sustainable. However, I know am aware that these supports can sometimes be hard to access, or it can be helpful to have additional support in addition to them, so I’ve compiled a small list of free support resources, including hotlines and regularly-scheduled support groups:
https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/help-support/contact-helpline
https://anad.org/get-help/
https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/eating-disorder-support-groups-and-programs/
https://centerfordiscovery.com/groups/
If you are struggling, please reach out for help, whether it is through these resources or others. Life can be so much better when you have a healthier relationship with food, and you deserve that.
