Understanding Binge Eating
Binge eating, also called compulsive overeating, is an addiction defined by an individual’s inability to control how much they eat. Binge eaters often eat in secrecy, or while doing other things like watching TV. Sometimes, a binge eater’s bedroom is where the eating takes place, and wrappers and food packages may be found under the […]
Tell-Tale Signs of Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Body dysmorphic disorder can be a vicious cycle – a trap leading to unhealthy eating and exercise patterns resulting in eating disorders. Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental illness in which an individual obsesses over minor or imagined physical flaws. A person suffering from body dysmorphic disorder tends to view his or her appearance differently than […]
Avoid Common Holiday Eating Disorder Triggers
Holiday meals, sweet treats, buffet-style dining and holiday candy can result in binge eating for many Americans. For individuals who suffer from eating disorders, including bulimia nervosa, compulsive over-eating and binge eating, the holidays can spell disaster. A new holiday season is here. With Halloween now behind us, the 2012 holiday season has officially begun. […]
Five Healthy Tips for Coping with the Media’s Messages about Beauty
We are bombarded today with mixed messages about what defines beauty, what the ideal body looks like and how to accomplish that ideal. How do you cope with these messages without falling into the dangerous and potentially deadly behaviors associated with an eating disorder? If you have struggled with an eating disorder like bulimia in […]
Top five addiction myths
There are many myths and misperceptions about addiction and addiction recovery floating around. Much of our scientific knowledge about addiction is relatively new, so it’s not surprising that people have old, long-held beliefs that are incorrect. In our experience as a professional addiction treatment center, here are the top five myths about addiction: Myth #1: […]
The Prevalence of Eating Disorders in Young Athletes
Sports can have many positive benefits for the athlete, but for some athletes, especially teen and college-aged athletes, eating disorders are prevalent. It is estimated that 62 percent of females who participate in “appearance sports,” including gymnastics, dancing, figure skating and diving suffer from an eating disorder. Athletes who participate in endurance sports such as […]
Understanding & Recognizing The Signs of Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder that often takes place in secret. Defined by patterns of binge eating and purging, bulimia can result in very serious health complications and even death. It is uncertain the exact number of individuals in the United States who suffer from bulimia nervosa, but it is estimated that one in […]
Anorexia Nervosa: Dying to be thin
Anorexia nervosa, also referred to as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by extremely low body weight, body image distortion and an intense fear of gaining weight. Anorexics severely limit calories, fast and exercise excessively in order to feel control. Anorexia causes sufferers to see themselves as fat even though the rest of the world, […]
Five Signs of an Eating Disorder in your Daughter
To help attract attention to teen eating disorders and food addictions, I wanted to help parents with some general tips on how to spot eating disorders in their children. Over the years, most of the talk about eating disorders in teens has focused on anorexia and bulimia, typically blamed on unrealistic body images portrayed in the media. […]
The new science of Sugar Addiction
Ashley Gearhardt, from the Yale & Rudd Center for Policy and Obesity explains the science of Sugar Addiction. Ashley, is a clinical psychology doctoral student at Yale University. She received a BA in psychology from the University of Michigan. Through her research on addiction and her clinical work at the Yale Center for Eating and […]