Trauma and PTSD: Linkage to Eating Disorders

When high levels of stress and anxiety from a painful or disturbing experience persist for long periods of time and make it difficult to complete daily responsibilities, individuals may be diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). If individuals do not know how to cope with their trauma in a productive way, it can consume their lives and lead to unhealthy behaviors, including disordered eating patterns. An effective comprehensive treatment program emphasizes whole person care and seeks to help individuals learn self soothing strategies and psychotherapy techniques needed in replacing negative thoughts and behaviors with positive solutions.

Anorexia Nervosa: A Life Threatening Disorder

Anorexia nervosa can be an extremely debilitating and life threatening disorder if individuals do not seek effective treatment. People struggling with their relationship with food often have difficulty coping with environmental stressors, such as people and situations, that trigger the stress response. It is absolutely essential that individuals who are silently suffering from anorexia seek the help they deserve and know that they are not alone.

Can the Brain Fuel an Eating Disorder?

For individuals suffering from anorexia and bulimia, the brain plays a fundamental role in their response to food. Although environmental risk factors such as social media, peers, and familial expectations contribute to feelings of anxiousness about weight and self-image, there is increasing evidence that the brain also plays a major role in the development of an eating disorder.

Common Myths About Bulimia

If individuals are informed and aware of the common myths surrounding eating disorders, they are better equipped to recognize the signs and symptoms to help themselves or someone they love seek treatment. If struggling individuals learn about the common misconceptions of bulimia, they will realize that millions of people suffer from the eating disorder and that they are not alone. Once the common myths are dispelled, individuals can sooner begin the healing process. The mental and physical consequences of bulimia nervosa can ultimately be prevented if individuals understand the common myths associated with the disorder.

Are Eating Disorders and Depression Linked?

However, when feelings of hopelessness and questions about self-worth arise when people are struggling with their weight and self-image, individuals may be diagnosed with a co-occurring disorder. The causes of depression can be linked to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Individuals diagnosed with bulimia nervosa are often characterized by engaging in destructive behaviors such as purging, using laxatives, exercising excessively, or fasting in an unhealthy way. The only way to truly restore the individual’s mind, body, and spirit back to its healthy state is to seek a treatment recovery plan that emphasizes whole person care.
wrangler

The Interplay Between Depression and Eating Disorders

While everyone feels down sometimes, it is important to distinguish normal feelings of sadness from clinical depression: professionals characterize the latter by extreme feelings worthlessness, hopelessness, and helplessness--which are commonly experienced by individuals with eating disorders.
Maridav

New Year Intentions for Eating Disorder Recovery

If you are in recovery from an eating disorder, you are probably very familiar with the process of envisioning change and setting goals--sometimes achieving them, and other times falling short. Take advantage of the energy right now in both nature and society to reconnect with what you want of your life in recovery.
Supportive Couple

Supporting a Loved One in Eating Disorder Recovery During the Holidays

Two hallmarks of the winter holiday season are spending time with family and partaking in festive feasts. For individuals working on recovery from an eating disorder, both of these aspects can present quite a challenge. It can also be confusing and frustrating for family members and friends of someone in recovery as they try to support them at this time.
dolgachov

Thanksgiving in Recovery: 5 Tips from Eating Disorder Coaches

Thanksgiving is one of the hardest days of the year for people struggling with an eating disorder. From the food to family dynamics, challenges abound. Consider using the following suggestions offered by eating disorder recovery coaches to make your Thanksgiving as peaceful as possible!
Pamela Polizzi, LCSW

Discovering Self through Eating Disorder Recovery: An Interview with Pamela Polizzi, LCSW

In high school, Pam suffered from an eating disorder. As she began to pursue recovery, she recognized that the fashion world was not a good fit for her: “I knew I would never fully recover if I was in a profession where the societal standards of beauty were solely based on a woman’s size, leading to an unattainable determination of one’s worth. Although I love fashion, it wasn’t a healthy choice for me to be in the field.”