Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are on the rise for all genders, along with society's increased focus on body image. There are several types of eating disorders, the most common of which are bulimia, anorexia or a combination of both. The type of eating disorder a person has depends on the way in which they struggle with food and how they relate to their body. Issues around shame and control are common in both conditions. Bulimia and Anorexia recovery is possible with expert psychological counselling.
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia is a type of eating disorder where a person consumes large quantities of food at a rapid rate (binging) and subsequently uses vomiting, laxatives or overexercise to get rid of the binge (purging). Binging and purging is primarily a means to control weight and body shape. It additionally serves as a means of coping with stress. Individuals who struggle with bulimia tend to experience a great deal of shame around their eating habits and, a result, try to hide their struggles from others. Unfortunately, this tendency can serve to further entrench their eating difficulties by covering them in shame. Bulimia is commonly a harmful coping mechanism for those who have experienced trauma, and often co-exists with symptoms of depression, and anxiety.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa is where a person heavily restricts how much food they eat, often eating as little as possible. As a result their body weight falls dangerously below a healthy range. A person typically restricts their food intake as a way of asserting control over their lives as a way of coping with difficulty and loss of control in general. People with anorexia often experience body dysmorphia, a condition where a person has a distorted negative body image. Like bulimia, depression, anxiety and a history of trauma commonly overlap with anorexia.
Binge Eating & Overeating
Binge eating and general overeating occur when a person feels compelled to eat excessive quantities of food. In binge eating, a person typically plans to binge in advance and then consumes large quantities of food over a very short period of time. General overeating involves habitually eating more food than is necessary to satisfy an appetite, and eating when you are not hungry. In both situations, food is used in an effort to self-soothe in the face of distress. The focus of therapy to address any eating disorder is in helping you to understand the underlying distress that compels you to self-soothe or self-harm through food, and developing other coping mechanisms, rather than assisting in dieting or weight loss techniques.
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