By: Holly Shah (Master's Level Intern)
Determining whether you have an eating disorder can feel overwhelming and confusing. With so much misinformation and societal pressure around food, body image, and dieting, it’s easy to overlook signs that something might be wrong. This blog aims to help you understand the common symptoms of eating disorders, what they look like in daily life, and when it may be time to seek help. Whether you're struggling with your relationship with food, experiencing distress around eating, or just want to understand the signs, this blog can provide clarity and support.
Common Eating Disorders
Anorexia Nervosa involves severe food restriction and an intense fear of gaining weight. Within this diagnosis, there are two subtypes: restrictive and binge-eating/purging type. The restrictive type is the most common and is what most people think of when they hear "anorexia." This is when someone heavily restricts their food intake to lose weight. Similarly, the binge-eating/purging type also involves food restriction, but includes periods of binge eating and purging as a way to manage weight.
Bulimia Nervosa is characterized by consuming a large amount of food in a short period, often accompanied by a feeling of loss of control. Bulimia also includes compensatory behaviors such as purging, misuse of laxatives, restricting food after a binge, or excessive exercise.
Similar to bulimia, Binge-Eating Disorder involves eating large amounts of food in a short time, but without the regular compensatory behaviors seen in bulimia.
Orthorexia is a term many may not be familiar with, as it is currently not included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). However, this does not make it any less serious. Orthorexia involves an unhealthy obsession with the “purity of food”, which may include constantly checking ingredients, focusing excessively on how “healthy” the ingredients are, avoiding entire food groups, and over-exercising.
Potential Effects of Eating Disorders
All of the eating disorders listed above have profound mental, physical, and emotional effects. While each individual experiences their eating disorder differently, many face physical challenges such as extreme weight loss, chronic fatigue, loss of menstrual cycles, and muscle weakness. Eating disorders also impact mental performance, often causing brain fog, difficulty focusing, and lack of motivation. The emotional toll of an eating disorder cannot be understated. If you’re struggling, you may feel intense guilt, shame, and fear surrounding your body and food.
Many people believe that eating disorders only affect how much or what a person eats. For someone with an eating disorder, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Simple tasks like getting dressed may trigger distress about what to wear, leading to body checking, poking or pinching areas of the body, or comparing yourself to others. Going to work or school may feel overwhelming due to the fear of judgment or eating around others. Activities like going out to dinner with friends or enjoying a family holiday can feel impossible. Eating disorders go far beyond food and weight—they affect every aspect of a person’s life.
When to Seek Help from a Licensed Eating Disorder Therapist
Regardless of a formal diagnosis, it’s important to know that if you’re struggling with food intake or body image, you are worthy of help. Seeking help early on can prevent severe physical consequences, improve your quality of life, and help you find balance in all areas. Finding treatment for an eating disorder may include individual therapy from an eating disorder therapist, higher levels of care such as a residential program, family therapy, and/or sessions with an eating disorder registered dietician. Treatments should be Health At Every Size (HAES) informed meaning the clinician dispels the idea that weight is a true indicator of a person's health and focuses on body acceptance, neutrality, and respect. WIthin a HAES informed practice, evidence-based treatments such as Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy might be used.
Having compassion for yourself during this process is essential. It’s easy to feel ashamed, frustrated, or guilty about struggling with food and body image, but treating yourself with kindness is key to recovery. Remember that eating disorders are complex mental health conditions, not personal failings. It’s okay to ask for help, and it’s important to acknowledge the courage it takes to face these challenges head-on.
If you are looking for more information regarding different eating disorder diagnoses, how an eating disorder can affect the individual as well as a family, and hear individuals’ lived experiences, check out the podcast ED Matters by Kathy Cortese, LCSW, ACSW, CEDS. This podcast is available on both Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Other Mental Health Services Offered in PA, NJ, DE, SC, MD, CT, and FL
We offer a wide variety of services related to eating disorder recovery including trauma therapy! We offer Weekly Support Groups, Nutrition Services, and Family and Parent Therapy as well as Coaching, all tailored to meet the specific needs of the individual. We offer our services for Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating, and Orthorexia as well as Maternal Mental Health, and eating disorder therapy for athletes online in New Jersey, Delaware, South Carolina, Maryland, Florida, and Connecticut! We are here to offer our support and understanding in a safe and non-judgmental environment.
We have immediate openings right now for eating disorder therapy in:
Delaware, New Jersey, Florida, Maryland South Carolina, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.
And recovery coaching worldwide.
Recovered and Restored is an eating disorder therapy center founded by Gabrielle Morreale, LPC. We specialize in helping teens and young women heal from eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, orthorexia, and binge eating disorder and treat disordered eating, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. We provide eating disorder therapy in the towns of Horsham, Upper Gwynedd, Lower Gwynedd, North Wales, Lansdale, Hatfield, Blue Bell, Doylestown, and nearby towns with eating disorder therapy. Also providing virtual eating disorder therapy in New Jersey, Delaware, and Florida. Some towns served virtually but are not limited to Pittsburg, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Center City, Cherry Hill, Haddonfield, Mount Laurel, Cape May, Avalon, Brick, Dover, New Castle, Bethany Beach, Marydel, and Oceanview
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