How To Deal With Eating Disorder

To inform yourself about the risk and seriousness of eating disorders, it can be helpful to perform research about these conditions.

Only a doctor or mental health provider can officially diagnose your eating disorder, but learning more can help you understand how life-threatening these conditions can be, and motivate you to get help. Learn about the most common types of disorders.

• Anorexia nervosa is characterized by an obsessive preoccupation with body size and weight. An individual with this condition may fear gaining weight and believe they are overweight even when they’re severely underweight. Individuals may refuse to eat and eat very restrictive diets. Some people with anorexia may purge (vomit) or take laxatives to lose weight.

• Bulimia nervosa involves periods of binge eating—that is, uncontrollably consuming large amounts of food—and then compensating for overeating by purging, taking laxatives or diuretics, exercising excessively, fasting, or a combination of these methods. This condition can be hard to spot because many people with bulimia maintain an average weight.

• Binge eating disorder is characterized by consuming large amounts of food even when a person is not hungry. People with bulimia may eat in secret and be unable to control themselves during a binge. Although similar, individuals suffering from binge eating disorder (BED) do not engage in compensatory behaviors like purging or exercising excessively. People with BED may be overweight or obese.