Understanding Eating Disorders: Identifying the Signs and Getting Help

Eating disorders are serious conditions that affect a person’s eating behaviors, thoughts, and emotions. They go beyond the occasional diet or concern about body image and can have life-threatening physical and psychological impacts.

What Are Eating Disorders?
Eating disorders are mental health conditions characterized by severe disturbances in eating habits. Common types include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). These disorders often stem from a combination of genetic, biological, behavioral, psychological, and social factors.

Distinguishing Normal Eating from Disordered Eating:
Normal eating includes flexibility and balance—eating when hungry, stopping when full, and enjoying a variety of foods without guilt. In contrast, eating disorders often involve extreme behaviors: restrictive eating, compulsive overeating, purging, or obsessive thoughts about food, weight, and body shape.

Types of Eating Disorders:
1. Anorexia Nervosa: Characterized by severe food restriction, intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted body image.
2. Bulimia Nervosa: Involves cycles of binge eating followed by purging through vomiting, excessive exercise, or laxatives.
3. Binge Eating Disorder: Repeated episodes of eating large quantities of food without purging, often accompanied by feelings of shame or loss of control.
4. ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder): Limited food intake due to lack of interest in eating or fear of consequences like choking, not related to body image concerns.

Five Key Questions to Help Identify If Someone Might Be Struggling:
1. Do they avoid eating in front of others or make excuses to skip meals?
2. Have you noticed significant changes in their weight, either loss or gain, in a short period?
3. Are they preoccupied with food, calories, dieting, or body image in conversations or behaviors?
4. Do they frequently disappear after meals or engage in excessive exercise routines?
5. Have they expressed feelings of shame, guilt, or distress related to eating habits?

Resources:
If you or someone you know might be struggling with an eating disorder, it’s important to seek professional help. Here are some resources:
- Contact me: Meg Maginn, LCSW at megmaginnlcsw.com
- Visit: eatingdisorderassociates.net for additional support and information.

© 2025 Meg Maginn, LCSW. All rights reserved.