Do you feel a loss of control when you’re around food?

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

Are you consumed with thoughts about your body shape or your weight?

Do you spend way too much of your time and energy thinking about eating or not eating?

Disordered eating  has the potential to negatively impact a person’s life in many areas. For example, someone with disordered eating may miss work, school or personal events because of anxiety or discomfort around food, because of an obsessive exercise routine, or because of their body image.  Their obsession with food, exercise, or body size may affect their ability to focus or concentrate, impacting their performance at work or school.

Disordered eating can also take a mental and physical toll on a person. Negative self-thinking can impact their mental health, and their poor eating habits can affect them physically, such as their cardiovascular and intestinal health.

If you find yourself struggling with:

•     Frequent dieting or obsessive calorie counting
•     Feeling anxiety, guilt or shame about certain foods
•     Obsessive exercising, or exercise to compensate for overeating
•     Emotional eating
•     Low self-worth or self-esteem because of weight or body shape
•     Feeling out of control around food

… then you may be suffering from disordered eating.

What causes people to engage in harmful eating habits can be complex, and vary per the individual. Individual or family therapy can help people examine their current behaviors, stressors or sometimes their past. You can work together with a therapist to create healthier habits and develop coping mechanisms for difficult cues or triggers.

If you’re struggling with disordered eating and need support and guidance, a licensed therapist can help you create healthier habits for both your body and mind. Give our office a call today, and let’s find out if our services are a good match for your needs. We can also provide referrals if you meet criteria for an eating disorder and need a specialist or a higher level of care.