Eating Disorders: How To Get Help

How many moments have you lost due to concerns about food, body size, exercise, or gaining weight? Does it feel like these thoughts have taken over your life and mind? Research on eating disorders suggests that approximately 30 million people in the United States alone will struggle with an eating disorder during their lifetimes, and that’s not counting the number of people who will go undiagnosed. While society once recognized eating disorders as something that predominantly affected young women during young adulthood, eating disorders can affect people of all sizes, ages, genders, ethnicities, races, religions, socioeconomic statuses, and upbringings.

No one is immune to developing an eating disorder and understanding the complexities of anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, and others matters. Learn about common eating disorder diagnoses to identify symptoms and risk factors in yourself or your loved ones and get the help you need.

Types of eating disorders

Specific groups of symptoms and criteria characterize eating disorders. The 5th and most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) recognizes the following types of eating disorders and eating disorder diagnoses.

Anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by restrictive food intake leading to a low body weight relative to a person’s sex, age, physical development, and the absence of health detriments that could explain the low weight or weight loss. To be diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, DSM-V asserts that a person must experience an intense fear of weight gain (or behavior that interferes with weight gain) and body image disturbance, distorted self-image or denial, or self-worth influenced by a person’s body weight, size or shape.

Atypical anorexia is diagnosed under other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFED) if a person experiences the symptoms of anorexia, like a fear of gaining weight, but is not considered underweight. It’s crucial to note that you do not have to be underweight to get diagnosed with a severe, life-threatening eating disorder.

Binge eating disorder

Binge eating disorder is when a person feels a loss of control during episodes of binge eating that occur once per week or more. A binge or binge eating refers to consuming large amounts of food (an amount of food that is definitely and objectively much larger than a person would typically eat under similar circumstances) to the point of discomfort in two hours or fewer. To be diagnosed with binge eating disorder, these binging episodes of eating large amounts of food must go on for three months or more. 

While numerous factors go into developing binge eating disorder, the National Eating Disorder Association website notes that dieting or other attempts at controlling weight or weight loss may influence its development.

When people with binge eating disorder or any other eating disorder reach out for support, it is crucial to meet them compassionately. Eating disorder symptoms often feel shameful, and an open, non-judgmental approach is best.

Bulimia nervosa

Bulimia Nervosa is a mental disorder characterized by binge eating and purging patterns. Purging may refer to self-induced vomiting, laxative use, excessive exercise, periods of fasting, or other compensatory behaviors. To be diagnosed with bulimia nervosa, you must engage in binge eating, purging, or other compensatory behaviors at least once weekly for three months or longer.

People with bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder may experience an electrolyte imbalance, heart complications or heart failure, fatigue, esophageal erosion, GI issues, dizziness, irregular menses (if applicable), gastric rupture, and other concerns resulting from the condition. Bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, like other common types of eating disorders, can affect anyone and is a serious psychiatric illness that can have serious consequences if left untreated.

Pica

Pica is an eating disorder where a person feels drawn to eat non-food items. Some items that a person with pica might consume are dirt, clay, ice, hair, cleaning products, and paint. If someone shows the symptoms of pica, they must see a medical professional that can test for nutritional deficiencies such as iron deficiency. If a person with pica has a nutrient deficiency, treating it may stop their symptoms. If they do not, behavioral therapy can be helpful. Pica is not generally related to body image or a desire for loss weights.

ARFID

ARFID, or avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, manifests in extreme picky eating. Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, ARFID is an eating disorder characterized by restrictive, selective eating behaviors. A person with Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, ARFID often avoids foods due to sensory features like food texture or smell. A person with avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, ARFID may only show interest in eating or eating a select few foods, leading to nutrient deficiencies and failure to gain or maintain a normal weight. Unlike other common eating disorders, a person with avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, ARFID will not generally experience a distorted body image. At least, a distorted body image will not be the cause of their avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, ARFID, eating habits or eating patterns.

Rumination disorder

The symptoms of rumination disorder, recognized in the DSM-5 as an eating disorder, include:

• Recurring episodes of food regurgitation that are not due to another medical condition or mental illness
• Recurring episodes of food regurgitation that don’t occur only in the presence of another eating disorder
• Clinical significance or concern that requires medical treatment if paired with another disorder or disability

Rumination disorder is rare in adolescents and adults. It typically affects a young adult aged who is between three months to 12 years. In the context of rumination disorder, regurgitation of food refers to the re-chewing or consumption of partially digested food after bringing the food up. It May lead to dental issues, halitosis, GI issues, medical complications, and weight loss.

Other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED)

OSFED is one of the most common types of eating disorders, but it’s no less dangerous. As noted previously, atypical anorexia is diagnosed under OSFED. Additional conditions recognized under OSFED include atypical bulimia (bulimia that is limited in frequency or duration), binge eating disorder that is limited in frequency or duration, night eating syndrome, or NES, and purging disorder. OSFED is not limited to these presentations and is diagnosed when a person experiences symptoms of eating disorders that don’t match another eating disorder diagnosis. Until the release of the DSM-5, binge eating disorder was diagnosed under the umbrella of OSFED. In future editions, further adaptations may be made.

Unspecified feeding or eating disorder (UFED)

This diagnosis is used in situations that don’t present adequate time, information, or resources to specify or determine another eating disorder diagnosis.

Orthorexia

Orthorexia refers to an obsession with healthy eating or food purity. While orthorexia is not a formal diagnosis at this time, it can be emotionally and physically destructive. A person with orthorexia may restrict food types or food groups to pursue healthy eating to the extent that they become malnourished and require medical attention. Healthy eating meets people's nutritional needs, whereas orthorexia is rigid, fear-based, and restrictive food intake disorder. Orthorexia-related behaviors may present in those with other diagnosed or diagnosable eating disorders. For example, although this is not an eating disorder symptom seen in everyone diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, people with anorexia, in particular, may become obsessed with healthy eating habits to the point that they feel as though few foods are safe or clean enough to eat.

Do I have an eating disorder?

If you look at the symptoms above and see that they mirror your experience or eating behaviors, you may have an eating disorder. However, the only way to know is to see a mental health or medical professional for a diagnosis. Your family, friends, or romantic partner may confront you if they notice that you display symptoms of an eating disorder such as the fear of eating in public, an intense fear of gaining weight, hiding food, food avoidance, excessive exercise, eating large amounts of food in a short period of time, an obsession with healthy eating so extreme that it begins to impact your wellbeing, or warning signs that you are binging, purging, or engaging in restricted eating. 

The National Eating Disorder Association has a free screening tool that you can use. While it is not a substitute for individual medical advice or diagnosis, the screening tool from The National Eating Disorders Association can provide insight into what you’re going through and help you make the first step toward recovery. The National Eating Disorder Association also offers abundant resources and information for those struggling or who have a loved one with an eating disorder.

Can you have another mental disorder in addition to an eating disorder?

Eating disorders are often paired with the symptoms or diagnosis of other mental health conditions such as depression, generalized anxiety, social phobia, or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Eighty-three percent of individuals with anorexia or anorexia nervosa have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder at some point throughout their lives. The same is true for 71% of individuals living with bulimia nervosa. An anxiety disorder or symptoms of an anxiety disorder often present before developing an eating disorder, and it may be a risk factor for developing one. It is more likely that a person with an eating disorder will be diagnosed with or experience depression and other mood disorders like anxiety disorders, so the presence of those conditions could indicate that a person is at risk of developing an eating disorder, like anorexia nervosa disorder, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, or others.

What is an eating disorder recovery?

Eating disorder recovery looks different from person to person. Often, when someone first reaches out for help, they will go to their general physician, a therapist, or a psychiatrist. A team of providers is usually necessary for comprehensive eating disorder treatment. People may go to an inpatient facility to get care for their eating disorders or intensive outpatient treatment, group therapy, or one-on-one cognitive behavioral therapy. They may also see a registered dietician who works with eating disorders and can help establish non-disordered eating habits and routines. They may also get help from support groups, online resources like the National Eating Disorders Association, and social media support networks. Initially, a person’s treatment will often be determined by their physical health. For example, a person in a crisis or a critical medical state will require medical stabilization before the long-term, internal therapeutic work can truly begin. If you are experiencing health complications resulting from your eating disorder, it is vital to seek help immediately.

Find support

If you or your partner is living with an eating disorder, you may find that your relationship is impacted, but with communication and effort to understand your condition, a romantic partner can be an excellent supporter of your recovery from an eating disorder. Whether you have bulimia nervosa disorder, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, or binge eating disorder, your partner may be a good ally. If you need someone to talk to while you, your partner, or a loved one works through treatment for an eating disorder, online therapy can help. 

With online treatment, you don’t have to worry about commuting to an office, talking to someone face-to-face, or being on a waiting list. When you sign up, you’re matched with someone who is available to start helping you right away. You can attend sessions from the comfort of your home or anywhere you have an internet connection, and all mental health professionals are qualified and vetted. Research shows that online therapy, like online cognitive behavioral therapy is effective, too; in fact, one review of 14 studies found that it is just as effective as in-person treatment. If you want to take the next step, sign up with Regain.

Takeaway

Whether you have a fear of gaining weight, find yourself eating large amounts of food, restricting your food intake, or navigating the other symptoms of eating disorders, living with an eating disorder is difficult, but the good news is that they are treatable and that full recovery from an eating disorder, like avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, ARFID or binge eating disorder is possible. Reaching out to a professional online is a brave first step to recovering from an eating disorder.