Concerned about a possible eating disorder?
Discover common signs and symptoms, the different types of eating disorders, and next steps to take if you're worried.
Is it an eating disorder?Here are some common signs that you may be struggling with an eating disorder.
- Constantly dieting, fasting, or counting carbs
- Binge eating, or feeling out of control around food
- Avoiding certain food groups due to taste/texture sensitivity
- Exercising intensely, or as a way to “make up for” meals
- Anxiety around eating around others
- Inflexibility about what, when, or how much to eat
- Sudden weight changes, both up or down
- Fainting, weakness, or dehydration
- Social withdrawal and disinterest
- Mood swings, increased anxiety, and irritability
Eating disorders factsEating disorders affect people of all ages, races, genders, body sizes, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Americans are affected by eating disorders
patients have high hopes for recovery by 12 weeks
of patients see an improvement in depression or anxiety by 8 weeks
Binge eating
patients have high hopes for recovery by 12 weeks
The different types of eating disordersNot all eating disorders are the same. There are five main types of eating disorders to be aware of.
Binge Eating Disorder (BED)is an eating disorder where people eat a large amount of food in a short period of time accompanied by a feeling of being out of control, a behavior known as “bingeing.”
Bulimiais an eating disorder where someone frequently binge eats, and then engages in “purging” behaviors in an attempt to get rid of it, including vomiting, laxative misuse, and compulsive exercise.
Anorexiais an eating disorder characterized by severe food restriction and an intense fear of weight gain. Someone with anorexia doesn’t necessarily appear visibly underweight.
Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)is an eating disorder in which a person struggles to eat certain foods, or enough foods, due to sensory sensitivities, lack of interest, or various fears around eating.
Other Specified
Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED)
is a more general diagnosis used to describe other eating disorders that don’t meet the criteria of those described above.
It’s never too late to heal from an eating disorder
While it’s never too late to recover from an eating disorder, the journey is almost always easier the earlier you seek treatment. With the right care, lasting recovery is always possible.
Here are some common signs that you may be struggling with an eating disorder.
Here’s how eating disorder treatment works:
Finding a treatment setting that meets your needsOptions include residential treatment (RTC), partial hospitalization programs (PHP), intensive outpatient programs (IOP), outpatient programs, and virtual programs.
Seeking evidence-based careTreatment modalities proven to be effective include enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-E), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), exposure response therapy (ERP), and more.
Getting care from a multidisciplinary teamEating disorder treatment often needs to be tackled from several angles, which entails collaboration with various experts such as therapists, dietitians, medical providers, and mentors.
Learning more is a great next step
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Learning more is a great next step
Get expert resources on symptoms, treatment, and tools delivered right to your inbox.