Eating disorders affect people of all ages, genders, races, ethnic identities, sizes, economic statuses and abilities.
Eating disorders are complex mental health conditions that affect millions around the world. A lot of the information online talks about eating disorders affecting youth and young adults, girls and women. However, eating disorders affect people of all ages, genders, races, ethnicities, economic statuses, and abilities.
Looking only for DSM and ICD criteria means many living with difficult and distressing relationships with food and/or their bodies are underdiagnosed and not connected with treatment.
When healthcare providers talk about these disorders, they often refer to different types of clinically significant diagnoses, or behaviors that meet specific criteria that are identified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) or International Classification of Disease (ICD). Though well-intended, looking only for these criteria leads to underdiagnosing eating disorders. As a result, many people with distressing relationships with food and/or their bodies do not receive the diagnosis or treatment they need.
Even if you don’t meet criteria for a formal eating disorders diagnosis,
You can and deserve to have access to eating disorders treatment.
What are eating disorders?
Eating disorders are about much more than food, appearance or body dissatisfaction
Eating disorders occur when there’s a behavioral disruption and misuse with food, how nourishment is processed and eliminated from our bodies. An eating disorder often includes negative and self-critical body focused thoughts and behaviors.
In general, eating disorder behaviors fall into the categories of:
- restriction (dieting) or nutritional avoidance
- binge eating (eating a large amount of food in a short period or over a long time)
- purging (vomiting, misuse of laxatives, substances or medications)
- compensatory behaviors (excessive exercise, fasting or skipping meals, medication or substance misuse)
Living with an eating disorder often comes with a lot of shame, guilt, isolation, secrecy and disconnection.
Binge Eating Disorder: The Most Common Eating Disorder
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is characterized by consuming a significant amount of food in a brief time or grazing over a long period of time, experiencing a loss of control around food, and distress about the binge. This distress can include feelings of shame about binge eating, along with negative talk about their bodies. There may also be fear about losing control around food.
Binge Eating Disorder is common among Black, Latine, Indigenous and People of Color (also referred to as BIPOC).
Bulimia Nervosa: Also Common among BIPOC
Bulimia Nervosa, characterized by cycles of binge eating and purging or compensatory behaviors, is also a common eating disorder diagnosis among Black, Latine, Indigenous, Asian and People of Color. People with bulimia nervosa may feel shame about engaging in vomiting or other purging behaviors and body loathing. Physical effects like pain, swelling, tooth decay occur too. Bulimia Nervosa is also common among people living with food insecurity.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by restrictive food intake, eating less than what the body needs to survive. Some people with anorexia nervosa may purge. Though DSM notes that the reason for food refusal is due to intense fear of gaining weight, this may not be the primary or only reason behind behaviors.
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
ARFID is characterized by avoiding or restricting food or specific types of foods. Many of my clients with ARFID have a specific event or series of traumatic events that fueled the start of food avoidance or restriction. Some people with ARFID avoid or restrict specific food textures, colors or other characteristics, or have a history of “picky eating”. Others avoid food for fear of fullness, potentially related to a specific event or series of events.
Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder (OSFED), Unspecified Feeding and Eating Disorder (UFED)
OSFED and UFED, which stand for Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders and Unspecified Feeding and Eating Disorders, includes eating disorders that don’t meet the DSM or ICD’s clinical criteria. These disorders are as serious and can be as lethal as binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa and ARFID.
Many eating disorder symptoms are common to multiple diagnoses. It is not unusual for someone’s symptoms and diagnosis to vary over the course of living with an eating disorder.
Eating Disorder Treatment
Recovery from an eating disorder is possible. Supportive relationships and therapy with an eating disorder specialist can promote healing relationships with food and your body. Together, we lessen the suffering, shame, stigma, and guilt of eating disorders.
Heal your relationship with food and your body
If you or a loved one is living with an eating disorder, help is available for recovery and healing.
Contact us if you’d like to discuss working together in therapy in California, Pennsylvania or North Carolina or if you’re a health provider looking for clinical consultation.
Leave a Reply