Do you feel a loss of control when around food?

Do you skip meals, or rigidly restrict your food intake?

Are you consumed with thoughts about your body or weight?

Many people are aware of what an eating disorder is, but are less familiar with disordered eating. Disordered eating is not a diagnosis, but a phrase used to describe a range of problematic eating behaviors. The signs and symptoms of disordered eating are similar to those of an eating disorder, although they vary in frequency and severity.

While disordered eating may not result in the extreme symptoms seen in a diagnosable eating disorder, it can still negatively impact a person's life. For example, someone with disordered eating may miss work, school, or personal events because of anxiety or discomfort around food, or because of an obsessive exercise routine. 

If you find yourself struggling with:

• Frequent dieting or obsessive calorie counting
• Rigid food restriction or skipping meals
• Feeling anxiety, guilt, or shame about certain foods or food in general
• Obsessive exercising, or exercise to make up for overeating
• Binging and/or purging
• Low self-worth or self-esteem because of your weight or body shape 
• Feeling out of control around food

… then you may be suffering from disordered eating and/or body image concerns.

The causes of harmful eating habits can be complex, and vary by individual. Individual therapy can help people examine what led to these behaviors, and learn to accept themselves as they are. 

If you're struggling with disordered eating and/or body image concerns and need support and guidance, give our office a call today, and let's schedule a time to talk.