Eating Disorders are serious mental illnesses that manifest in maladaptive behaviors around food. It is estimated that 20 million American women and 10 million American men will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives. Eating disorders do not discriminate! These individuals are black and white, young and old, male and female. ALL eating disorders are dangerous, regardless of the individual’s weight.
Binge Eating Disorder is the most commonly diagnosed Eating Disorder. It’s characterized by eating extremely large quantities of food at once, often to the point of feeling physically ill. There is a sense of loss of control during the binge; the person may not even be tasting or enjoying the food, but cannot stop eating. After the binge the person is overcome with guilt, shame and regret for overeating.
Bulimia Nervosa is very similar to Binge Eating Disorder, except after the binge, compensatory behaviors are used to “undo” the overeating. This can be achieved through vomiting, use of laxatives, exercise, or restricting calories. Those with bulimia can be normal weight, underweight or overweight.
Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by severely restricting calories and a preoccupation with food and weight. The person with anorexia will intensely fear being or becoming overweight, even if they are actually underweight. Though most people associate anorexia with extreme thinness, that is not always the case. An individual can be any weight and have anorexia- the disorder is diagnosed by restrictive behaviors, not weight.
Orthorexia is not yet formally recognized as a mental disorder, but its incidence is on the rise. Orthorexia refers to a preoccupation with healthy eating to the point that it becomes unhealthy. Those with orthorexia will compulsively check ingredients and nutritional labels to ensure that the food they’re eating is “clean.” Many have a very small list of “safe” foods they feel they can eat, and may cut out entire food groups. They will often avoid social situations that will cause distress due to lack of acceptable food options.
Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder was added to the DSM so that individuals who do not meet the strict criteria for other eating disorders are able to obtain insurance coverage for treatment. OSFED is NOT a less severe form of an eating disorder; it is just as dangerous as any diagnosis above. For example, the DSM requires episodes of bingeing and purging to occur once weekly for three months for a bulimia diagnosis. If an individual is bingeing and purging at least once every other week for three months, yet meets all other criteria for bulimia, they would be diagnosed with OSFED.
It is vital to remember that behaviors from eating disorders often overlap. For instance, a person with Anorexia may use laxatives, a person with Bulimia may over-exercise, and a person with Binge Eating Disorder may restrict their food after a binge. What’s most important is not the diagnosis, but identifying the symptoms so that these illnesses can be properly treated.
