Eating Disorders

Eating disorders can be very dangerous. One particular eating disorder is the deadliest form of mental illness: “Anorexia is the most lethal psychiatric disorder, carrying a sixfold increased risk of death -- four times the death risk from major depression.” (WebMD) Mortality rates are also high for other forms of eating disorders, including OSFED (Other Specified Eating or Feeding Disorder) and bulimia. There are lots of stereotypes involved with eating disorders, but the signs can manifest in a variety of ways, such as secrecy and shame. Fear of gaining weight is also a source of great distress for eating disorder patients, as is the feeling of being out of control. Eating disorders tend to go through a few stages. At the less acute or initial stages, it may be possible to treat them with the intervention of a mental health professional; once a disorder is more fully developed, an interdisciplinary treatment team will most likely be required. If you or someone you love is struggling with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, or orthorexia, it’s crucial to get help. Eating disorders can take over someone’s life and constrict their behavior so much that they feel recovery is impossible, but this is not true. Recovery is possible, and there is hope. In Christian counseling for eating disorders, your qualified therapist can work with physicians and a treatment team, as well as address less severe situations, in a faith-based and compassionate context. Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa Imagine you constantly have a voice in your head that tells you harsh, critical things about yourself, and makes you afraid to eat because you desperately fear gaining weight. Imagine this voice forces you to take miles-long walks every single day, rarely sit down, and compulsively add up every calorie you eat. Picture trying to put together [...]