What Eating Disorders do we treat?
Typically, people with eating disorders are thought of as either emaciated or individuals in larger bodies.
The reality is, it is impossible to tell someone's level of health by their body size or shape.
A great number of people with eating disorders typically fall within a healthy weight range.
Eating disorders have the second highest mortality rate of any mental illness
Depression, anxiety, OCD and substance use are some of the most common comorbid conditions.
10% of individuals with an eating disorder will die within 10 years, an estimated 25%-50% of those by suicide.
Eating Disorders
There are 7 different eating disorder diagnoses; only one of them has a criteria relating to weight.
The diagnoses for eating disorders over time are steadily becoming more specific. Below is a brief overview of the eating disorders we treat, both recognised and regarded as possible inclusions in future editions of the DSM5 (the universal diagnostic manual for mental health).
Anorexia Nervosa
Restriction of intake leading to low body weight. Fear of gaining weight or becoming overweight. Denial or seriousness of low weight.
Bulimia Nervosa
Recurrent episodes of binge eating with compensatory behaviours (vomiting, fasting, excessive exercise, use of laxatives)
Binge Eating Disorder
Recurrent episodes of binge eating with marked distress occurring on average at least once a week for 3 months.
Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder
All criteria for Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, or Binge Eating Disorder are met without significant weight disturbance or with different frequency of behaviours.
This is the often misdiagnosed, passed over and ‘forgotten’ group of sufferers. These are people who are in normal weight bodies and feel ‘not sick enough’ or ‘not good enough’ to warrant treatment. If you struggle with your food, body image or exercise, you are absolutely deserving of care and support.
ARFID
Intake is limited based on either the sensory characteristics of food (texture, taste, smell, appearance) or past negative experiences with food.
Exercise Disorder
Clients engage in exercise that significantly interferes with important activities, occurs at inappropriate times or in inappropriate settings, or when the individual continues to exercise despite injury or other medical complications.
Orthorexia
Compulsive checking of nutrition and ingredient labels, marked increase in concerns about the ‘health’ value of food consumed, inability to eat anything other than a narrow group of foods deemed ‘clean’ or ‘pure’, high level of distress if unable to know nutritional content or ingredients of food.
*Not yet recognized by the DSM however is commonly recognized among eating disorder professionals as a subset diagnosis.