Are you wondering if you or a loved one is living with an eating disorder? As there are a number of different types of eating disorders, so identifying what you or a loved one may be dealing with is important to determine to get the right type of help. Fortunately, there are characteristics that can help define the various types of eating disorders. So, what are the different types of eating disorders and what are the symptoms of these disorders to look out for?

Identifying What Eating Disorders Are

Before diving into the various types of eating disorders, it’s important to understand what eating disorders are. Eating disorders are mental health issues that are characterized by a disturbed sense of self-image along with disordered eating behaviors. They are classified as mental illnesses, so they come with symptoms that skew mental health including an imperfect sense of one’s own body image, body size, and body shape. All of these mental health symptoms can lead to negative self-esteem and self-confidence. Therefore, resulting in negative and unhealthy eating behaviors including calorie restriction, cutting out specific foods or food groups from their diet, skipping meals, binge eating, purging, and/or using diuretics in order to lose weight.

There are a number of different types of eating disorders and all of them come with their own specific characteristics and symptoms. Some of the various types of eating disorders include:

What is Anoerexia Nervosa?

When people think of eating disorders, chances are that the first one they think about is anorexia. Anorexia is an eating disorder that is characterized by a distorted body image, restrictive eating behaviors, and malnutrition. Some of the signs and symptoms of this type of eating disorder include:

• skipping meals, calorie counting, and using fad diets to lose weight
• obsession with losing weight and body image
• being unwilling to put on any weight despite physical side effects
• low self-esteem due to negative body image
• a fear of weight gain or being ‘fat’

What is Bulimia Nervosa?

This type of eating disorder is characterized by a want to lose weight due to a negative sense of self-image and unhealthy eating habits and behaviors including binge eating and purging. Binge eating is when a person eats large amounts of food in short periods of time. And, purging is when a person uses behaviors in order to purge their bodies of food eaten during binge eating sessions like self-induced vomiting and the use of diuretics.

Some of the signs and symptoms of bulimia nervosa may include:

• an intense fear of weight gain
• being a normal weight regardless of fear of weight gain
• experiencing binging episodes that are not controllable
• participating in purging behaviors

What is Binge Eating Disorder?

Binge Eating Disorder is an eating disorder that is characterized by episodes of binge eating and eating large amounts of food in short periods of time. Some of the signs and symptoms of this type of eating disorder include:

• eating in secrecy
• eating large amounts of food in short periods of time
• feelings of guilt, despair, and shame after binge eating episodes
• feeling a loss of control over binge eating episodes

Getting Help for Eating Disorders Through Psychiatrist Boca Raton

If you or a loved one is dealing with any of these eating disorders or other eating disorders not mentioned in this article, there is help available. People with eating disorders can utilize professional assistance through treatment in order to manage symptoms of eating disorders. And, maintain healthy lives of mental well-being. If you or a loved one needs help with eating disorders, find out more about how we can help on our website.