Disordered Eating and Body Image

What is the difference between an eating disorder and disordered eating? These terms are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings. An eating disorder is a serious mental illness marked by ongoing issues with eating habits and problems with mental health.

The DSM classifies the following major diagnoses of eating disorders: Anorexia Nervosa (AN), Bulimia Nervosa (BN), Binge Eating Disorder (BED), Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), and Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder (OSFED). Disordered eating, on the other hand, does not meet criteria for diagnosis in the DMS.

Disordered eating involves unhealthy eating habits and negative thoughts about food, weight, body shape, and appearance. It can show up as skipping meals, dieting, limiting what you eat, avoiding certain foods, binge eating, using too many laxatives or diet pills, and compensatory actions like purging or over-exercising.

If you or someone you care about is dealing with an eating disorder, body image issues, or disordered eating, we can help. Eating disorders are serious and complicated, and disordered eating can lead to a diagnosis. It's important to seek help if you recognize any signs in yourself. We can support you in finding your true self beyond food and body image, and help you build a healthy relationship with both.

We use different therapy methods like person-centered therapy, DBT, CBT, and ACT to help you manage negative thoughts about food and body image. Our goal is to help you challenge harmful beliefs and work towards a healthier, balanced life. If you want support in dealing with these issues, please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our licensed clinicians.