Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are marked by extremes of either strong compulsions to eat or strong compulsions not to eat. The extreme behavior of disordered eating comes in the forms of overeating, under-eating, purging, over-exercising or a combination of these behaviors.  Anyone with an eating disorder finds it difficult to maintain a normal daily routine. Their health usually suffers from poor nutrition and in other ways. Eating disorders affect millions of people, both male and female, with the majority comprised of young women and girls.  Eating disorders may result from unhealthy thoughts and feelings about body weight and shape that lead to obsessions with food and life threatening behaviors.

There are three main types of eating disorders, including:

• Anorexia Nervosa Anorexia nervosa is a serious psychological illness and eating disorder. There is a binge-eating and purging form of anorexia nervosa as well as a restricting type.
• Bulimia Nervosa There is a bingeing-purging type of bulimia as well as a non-purging type of bulimia when the bulimic individual may over-exercise or have periods of starving.
• Binge Eating Disorder Binge eating disorder is a condition comprised of frequently consuming huge amounts of food at one sitting and experiencing feeling a lack of control over these actions.
• Eating disorders that have some characteristics of anorexia nervosa or  bulimia nervosa, or both of these can also sometimes occur.

Getting Help for Eating Disorders

Eating disorder treatment helps save lives, though the process can be difficult and should not be done alone.  Once a person with an eating disorder can acknowledge and accept that they have a problem, steps can be taken towards making a full recovery.  Eating disorders can have serious psychological and physical consequences.  It is imperative to find an eating disorder treatment program that the patient feels comfortable in and believes in, in order for it to be successful. The more support you can receive medically, clinically and psychiatrically the better your chances for recovery will be.

Call Lakeview Health Services to match available eating disorder treatment services to your recovery needs. Don't wait - call toll-free, any time of day or night at 1-866-657-4357. All calls are completely confidential.