Eating disorders are regarded as multi-faceted psychiatric diseases and people with these conditions number around 3000 million in the United States, which also include children and adult. Some disorders are not only about weight or how you look; they can also be caused by emotions, trauma, or other forms of coping mechanisms. For some patients with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorders, the factors to measure their value include their weight, amount of food eaten or how their body looks. Moreover even though the influence of eating disorders is very personal, the process of recovery is more than treating physical symptoms – it is a multi- layered affect of emotions, psychology and behavioral aspects.

At Advance Psychology Institute in New York City behaviours eating disorders are treated in a holistic manner without stigma. Thanking to our mental health workers, with such level of attention and personal approach, persons are able to take their lives back and learn how to function properly. We are sure that through adequate help persons can overcome experiences that come as side effects of eating disorders and restore the balance in their lives.

What Are Disturbances of Eating Patterns?

Eating disorders or simply eating disorders as they are colloquially referred, are one of the most severe and potentially life-threatening mental illness, categorized by gross amount altercation in eating habits, thinking and emotions surrounding appetite. These are common across people irrespective of body types and age groups and rather stems from some form of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and unfortunately self-destructive tendencies. Among individuals diagnosed with eating disorders, some are known to engage in self-harm, experience suicidal thoughts or even present with alarming medical conditions such as heart failure, organ damage, or malnourishment. It is important to highlight that such disorders not only affect individual’s mental security but also families and relationships, workplaces and educational institutions creating emotional and social trauma impacting more than just food directed behaviours.

While some consider eating disorders to be a product of abstaining or following an extreme diet or engaging in binge-eating and purging, these behaviours are in fact a result of major depression. The outcasted social construct relating food and how people perceive the plastic body are symptoms categorized under a disorder that cuts much deeper into mental, emotional, and behavioural bunions. Therefore, the illness or disorder comes with many solutions that can differ from a Psychological strategy to Physio.

Anorexia Nervosa Treatment Programs Developed by Specialists

New York is the place where we take care eating disorder patients such as Anorexia, Bulimia or Binge eating and other eating disorders. These disorders include:

1. Anorexia Nervosa

People suffering from Anorexia Nervosa have a persistent belief that they are overweight and this leads them to extreme calorie restriction and performing excessive amounts of workouts. Unfortunately, people suffering from this disorder have a distorting picture of themselves. If the individual is not treated on time, he may suffer from malnutrition or dehydration or even lose his organs. Thus this man has to be prescribed treatment in the earliest stages of the disorder because otherwise the survival of the patient will become a race against time.

One can identify anorexia by these major features:

• A very low body weight or a noticeable weight loss
• A feeling that one’s body is deformed and the worry about becoming fat
• Self-imposed limitations on foods and spending too much time exercising

2. Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia nervosa consists of at least one binge eating episode which is followed by inappropriate compensatory behaviour like self-induced vomiting, working out too much or abusing laxatives. These actions often stem from wrong perception about one’s body and fear of getting fat. People suffering from bulimia vividly recall the eating episodes, where they uncontrollably binge ate only to feel feelings of embarrassment, regret and disgust at themselves later. In the long run, bulimia is hazardous as it can result in medical complications including electrolyte imbalance, gastrointestinal problems, and heart diseases.

The main features of bulimia are as follows:

• Episodes of consuming food in large quantities, known as binge eating, and voluntarily disposing of it (due to feeling guilty or unapprehend this could be done through physical exercise, taking laxatives)
• Obsession and idealization of the figure and body volume
• Associated psychological issues regarding dietary patterns.

3. Binge Eating Disorder

Characterized by consuming an unusual breed of food and plenty within a short setting, binge eating and bulimia are not the same where numerous people with the disorder do not throw up or work out excessively. A majority of the people with this illness or disorder tend to feel ashamed, guilty or suffer a breakdown after feasting which creates an unending chain of unwholesome nutrition, which is the leading cause of the obverse. This is quite the widespread nutritional health conditions in the United States of America and can lead to hypocrisy, diabetes, and cardiac illness.

Binge-eating disorder has been associated with key features such as:

• Recurrent loss of control eating episodes or binge episodes
• Consumption of excessive food quantities irrespective of hunger cues
• Experience loss of control while engaging in consuming food in large amounts
• Psychological concerns pertaining to weight or excessive eating.

Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), which was previously known as selective eating disorder, is characterized by a decrease in the amount of food intake but it is not driven by body weight or body figure concerns. It is common for ARFID to manifest during early childhood, and its consequences can be detrimental to growth, development and nutrient intake. People who have ARFID may dislike some food groups such as dairy, eggs or certain yellow foods or specific textures that lead to being deficient in certain nutrients and growth retardation.

The following are considered to be Key Indicators of ARFID:

• Adverse responses to the texture, taste, or appearance of a food.
• Low interest in eating or consuming minimal amounts of food.
• Weight loss or other forms of malnutrition.

We Are Here to Help

Eating disorders are a form of mental illness that can be cured under the right circumstances. At Advance Psychology Institute situated in New York, we focus on a collaborative and integrative model of care. The psychologists, psychiatrists, nutritionists and other therapists work together to tackle the biological, psychological and social aspects of the eating disorder. Treatment is customized and may range from in-patient care to outpatient programs, therapy, nutrition education and medication. Our work also focuses on emotional recovery and assertiveness training in order to change individuals’ view towards food and their bodies.

Causes of Eating Disorders

The cause or reason for eating disorders is rather vague and unknown but research states that one or more causes that are behind such conditions may be genetic, biological, psychological and environmental. Some possible causes may include:

• Genetic factors: Genetic characteristics also constitute an important risk factor for development of eating disorders. For instance, having a relative with a mental disorder may predispose people to an eating disorder. Also, hormonal malfunctions may lead to the genesis of an eating disorder.
• Psychological and emotional factors: Most of the time, eating disorders have their origins in traumatic life events like abuse or great loss. People who have eating disorders also have low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression.
• Cultural and societal pressures: Not only do social factors, media, and unattainable beauty standards aggravate the situation but also promote body dysmorphia and binge eating disorders.
• Family dynamics and relationships: One’s childhood eating habits can be influenced by dysfunctional family relationships contributed by an emotionally distant or overbearing mother or father.

Symptoms of Eating Disorders

People with eating disorders tend to display the following traits:

• The victim becomes alarmingly thin or exhibits abnormal weight swings.
• The victim constantly thinks about food or their physical appearance and weight.
• The victim severely restricts food intake, engages in excessive exercise, or vomits after meals.
• The victim hides food or practices extreme measures to restrict eating.
• The victim constantly thinks about how many calories they consume and how much they exercise.

If you find yourself exhibiting these symptoms or a loved one is doing so then its best to reach out for professional help immediately to ensure recovery.

Diagnosis and Treatment

The process of diagnosing and treating an eating disorder requires a great degree of meticulousness and attention. It begins with a detailed health check, mental status evaluation and history regarding eating, psychological and familial aspects. Diagnosis and treatment should go hand in hand to record the best outcomes.

There are different approaches to eating disorder treatments, depending on the severity as well as the individual, particularly at the Advance Psychology Institute, where custom plans are implemented. We focus on the following aspects:

• Programs (inpatient and outpatient) having variable intensity based on the illness
• Emotional and relational issues handled at Individual & couple/family therapy sessions
• Counselling in order to promote healthy eating patterns & rectify poor nutritional states
• Pharmacological aids to treat relevant or co-morbid conditions such as anxiety, depression, OCD etc
• Other persistent issues in the course of recovery are taken care by the support groups

The primary focus on the entire complex recovery procedure is delivered by a skilled workforce that works in collaboration at different levels of recovery process.

Support for Families

The influence of an eating disorder is not purely individual; it extends to family relations and structures. Any form of family engagement in the treatment is important for one’s rehabilitation. Here at Advance Psychology, we explain the intricacies of eating disorders to patients’ families in order to equip them with ways of how they can assist their relatives in the course of recovery.

Prevention and Awareness

In some cases, it will not be possible to avoid developing eating disorders, yet in many cases it may be possible to avoid development of certain diseases by establishing a proper body concept, relevant attention to nutrition in combination with determination of emotional stress. Nearly all of us have the ability to alter or fix the eating habits of our relatives, but it is essential for them to understand that more serious issues must not formulate first. At the Advance Psychology Institute, located in New York, we have the competencies and the focus to heal people who suffer from eating disorders. Every one of us is able to recover in a healthy way and reach out for the best help available to do so; it is only about the guidance and strength one enlists. Let us help you in taking the steps necessary for your recovery.