Eating Disorders

Eating disorders often mask deeper unacknowledged emotions such as anxiety, anger, and shame.  I use special techniques to manage anger and identify and remove shame.  Excessive negative thoughts are also often present and gaining awareness of these is another important step towards recovery.  

Some common signs that an Eating Disorder is present:

• You constantly think about food.
• You exercise more than 45 minutes/5 times per week.
• You feel shame or guilt when you eat.
• You count calories often.
• You weigh yourself often.
• Your mood is determined by how much you weigh.
• You see yourself as fat even when others say you look thin.
• You limit your food intake and/or over-eat and then purge and vomit if you think you ate too much.
• You use laxatives, diuretics or other medications to control your weight.
• You are extremely and dangerously under the normal weight for your age and height.
• You have a fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though you are under-weight.
• If you are a female, you have missed at least three consecutive menstrual cycles.
• You have difficulty controlling how much you eat.

Eating Disorders can be life threatening and often require additional help from medical doctors, nutritionists, therapy groups, family therapy and 12-step programs. Getting treatment early can curtail many negative side effects of eating disorders.