What are eating disorders?

Eating disorders are behavior conditions that cause severe changes in eating habits and distressing emotions and thoughts about food and body weight.

Common eating disorders SFP providers diagnose and treat include:

Bulimia nervosa: Bulimia is an eating disorder that involves eating large amounts of food and then vomiting (purging) to eliminate calories in an effort to lose weight.

Anorexia nervosa: Anorexia is an eating disorder that causes a distorted perception of weight and body image. Those with anorexia may restrict food, exercise obsessively, and use laxatives or diet supplements to lose weight and stay unhealthily thin.

Binge-eating disorder: A binge-eating disorder involves consuming large amounts of food and an inability to stop eating, even when you’re not hungry.

Pica: Pica is an eating disorder involving things like dirt, rocks, or paper that offer no nutritional value.

When should I seek treatment for eating disorders?

You should schedule a diagnostic evaluation if you or your child has symptoms of an eating disorder like:

• Restricting food
• Eating or purging in secret
• Eating large amounts of food
• Obsession with weight loss
• Compulsive urge to eat

As a result of your eating habits, you may also develop mental health issues like depression or anxiety.

SFP providers offer comprehensive evaluations in-office and through telehealth to assess your eating habits and mental health. He may also order blood work or another lab test to determine the impact an eating disorder has on your health.

Based on your evaluation and test results, SFP providers create a treatment plan to change your eating habits and relationship with food and body image.

How are eating disorders treated?

South Florida Psychiatry offers customized treatment plans for eating disorders. Your plan may include a combination of psychological therapies, medications, and nutrition counseling.

SFP providers use different therapeutic techniques to address eating disorders, including:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Behavior modification
• Positive psychology
• Trauma-focused therapy
• Humanistic therapy
• Brief dynamic therapy
• Interpersonal therapy
• Psychodynamic therapy
• Cognitive processing (CP)
• Psychoanalytic therapy
• Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT)

You may also need to take antidepressants or other prescription medications to reduce symptoms of eating disorders or mental health conditions.

Those with serious health issues due to an eating disorder may need to stay in the hospital. SFP providers may also coordinate care with a nutritionist to teach you how to prepare and eat healthy meals.

During routine follow-up visits in-office or through telehealth, SFP providers continue to monitor your progress. He can also provide resources that support your long-term recovery from an eating disorder.

Call South Florida Psychiatry to schedule an eating disorder consultation or book an appointment online today.