What are Feeding and Eating Disorders?
Patients suffering from these disorders may eat too little or too much, and may also have excessive concern about body shape or weight. Three of the most common disorders include Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge-Eating Disorder. In Anorexia Nervosa, patients see themselves as overweight despite being underweight. In Bulimia Nervosa, patients can binge on large amounts of food and then purge to compensate. In Binge-Eating Disorder, patients can lose control over the amount they eat but they do not purge afterwards.
Specific Feeding and Eating Disorders
- Pica
- Rumination Disorder
- Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Bulimia Nervosa
- Binge-Eating Disorder
What are some general signs or symptoms of Feeding and Eating Disorders?
Anorexia Nervosa:
- Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat
- Distorted body image
- Restricted eating
- Emaciation
- Unwillingness to maintain a normal or healthy weight
Bulimia Nervosa:
- Recurrent binge eating
- Lack of control over eating
- Self-induced vomiting, laxative misuse, or diuretics
Binge-Eating Disorder
- Recurrent episodes of binge-eating
- Eating until feeling uncomfortably full
- Eating large amounts of food when not hungry
- Eating alone due to embarrassment about amount of food
Diagnosis and Treatment:
After a careful clinical evaluation, we utilize a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) approach that is uniquely tailored to the individual patient to help regain control over binging and purging behavior. We work through distorted thought patterns and use specific medications to help target reduction in these binging and purging behaviors while also targeting symptoms such as depression, which can also occur in tandem with eating disorder symptoms.