It’s normal for your appetite to ebb and flow. There are days when you might clear your plate and return for seconds, and others when food doesn’t appeal. On their own, these shifts aren’t a cause for concern.
But when thoughts about food start to crowd your mind, or when eating begins to feel like a source of stress, guilt, or control, it’s worth paying attention.
Beating an eating disorder is about recognising when something no longer feels healthy and permitting yourself to get help that supports your body, your emotions, and your sense of self.
In this post, we’ll explore the signs that your relationship with food might need more care.
What are the Different Types of Eating Disorders?
There are several different types of eating disorders, each with its unique characteristics and symptoms. The most common types include:
- Anorexia Nervosa: If you’re living with anorexia, you might feel an intense fear of gaining weight, even when others see you as underweight.
You may find yourself restricting food, avoiding meals, or pushing your body through excessive exercise. It’s not uncommon to feel like your body is “too much” or never quite right, no matter how thin you become.
You might also use other ways to control your weight, like vomiting or taking laxatives.
- Bulimia Nervosa: With bulimia, you might go through cycles of binge eating, eating large amounts of food in a short time, followed by a strong urge to compensate, perhaps by making yourself sick, using laxatives, or exercising heavily.
You may feel stuck in a loop of guilt, secrecy, and self-criticism. Even if your weight looks “normal” on the outside, the emotional distress underneath can be intense.
- Binge Eating Disorder: If you’re struggling with binge eating, you may feel out of control during episodes of eating, often continuing even when you’re uncomfortably full.
You might not purge afterwards, but the feelings that follow shame, regret, or self-blame can feel just as heavy.
When Should You Seek Help?
Eating disorders can be difficult to recognise, as individuals may try to hide their behaviours and symptoms. However, some warning signs may indicate a problem:
- Dramatic weight loss or weight fluctuations
- Obsession with food, calories, and weight
- Extreme dieting or restriction of certain food groups
- Preoccupation with body shape and size
- Excessive exercise or compulsive movement
- Hoarding food or eating in secret
- Frequent trips to the bathroom after meals
- Use of laxatives, diet pills, or other weight loss aids
- Withdrawal from social activities and relationships
- Mood swings, irritability, or depression
Beating Eating Disorders: Treatment Options
If you’re struggling with an eating disorder or someone close to you is, please know that effective treatment is available.
Different types of therapy can help you regain control over your relationship with food and your body. One of the most widely used approaches is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). It can help you notice the negative thoughts and patterns that feed into disordered eating and gently begin to change them.
Family-Based Therapy may be helpful if you’re younger or supporting a child or teen. This approach involves the whole family in the healing process, helping everyone understand what’s going on and how to support recovery in a united way.
Support for Eating Disorders Available on Harley Street, London
If you’re finding it difficult to manage your relationship with food or you’re supporting someone who is, it’s okay to seek help.
At Harley Row Clinic, we offer thoughtful, personalised care that addresses emotional and physical well-being. Our therapeutic services include Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), a proven approach to help you understand and reshape the patterns that keep you stuck.
Through our expertise in functional medicine, we look beyond symptoms to uncover and treat the deeper causes of health issues.
Whether you’re just beginning to ask questions or ready to speak with someone, we’re here. You can call us anytime at 0208 123 7065.
