Preparing for Your First Week of Anorexia Inpatient Treatment

Suitcase It can be scary to enter an inpatient treatment facility for the first time, especially if you’re being treated for eating disorder behaviors you may have been struggling with for a long time. You will most likely have to adjust to a new routine, which can include meetings with doctors, nutritionists, and other healthcare specialists, [...]
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The Link Between Eating Disorders and Suicide

Kid Flying Kite When you think about disorders associated with high rates of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors, including suicide, which disorders come to mind? It is likely you think of depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia. It is perhaps less likely that you think of eating disorders. However, as I review below, research continues to demonstrate that all eating [...]
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Breaking Barriers in Eating Disorder Recovery: The Role of Virtual Self-Help Tools

Virtual self-help treatment Only 20% of people who struggle with eating disorders will receive professional help.1 That means that millions are navigating recovery alone. There are several reasons why many fail to get the help they need, with the main reasons being a shortage of providers,2 high costs, shame, and stigma.3 The COVID pandemic not only exacerbated the [...]
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An Overview of Refeeding Syndrome

Refeeding syndrome commonly occurs when someone who is malnourished, possibly as the result of an eating disorder, begins to eat more regularly again. Unfortunately, the condition can become quite serious. Complex metabolic processes that take place when someone starts eating more regularly can result in complications such as heart failure, respiratory failure, electrolyte imbalances, and [...]
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Food Anxiety and Social Events

Social Events Throughout human history, large meals have been an integral part of all kinds of occasions. And today, everything from birthday parties to holidays, weddings, date nights, and professional events may center around the idea of eating with others. For many, these get-togethers mark a happy occasion. But for individuals dealing with food anxiety, these moments [...]
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Signs My Child is Having an Eating Disorder Relapse

Father Daughter Bond Eating disorders are complex chronic health conditions requiring a long-term recovery approach. Unfortunately, the road to recovery for children can be especially difficult and may involve setbacks and relapses.  A relapse in eating disorders is a return or worsening of symptoms after improvement or remission. It may occur due to stressors, such as a change [...]
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Eating Disorders and Greek Life in College

Sorority building Eating disorders are complex conditions influenced by various factors, such as genetics, environment, and life experiences. College, in general—a time of personal, academic, and social growth—also brings significant challenges. College students may be more at risk of developing an eating disorder because of social expectations, academic pressures, and the stress of transitioning into adulthood.  There [...]
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Nutrition Interventions for ADHD and Emetophobia

Nutrition Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and its connection to eating disorders is a relatively new field of study. However, early research has uncovered some links connecting aspects of ADHD to certain disordered eating behaviors.1 Still, other research is beginning to uncover the roles certain foods and nutrient deficiencies may play in these conditions, indicating that [...]
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The Link Between Anorexia and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Friends Hanging Out In the world of mental health, several conditions frequently overlap or are found in the same individual. These are called co-occurring or co-morbid conditions.  Among eating disorders, anorexia nervosa (AN) frequently co-occurs with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).3 The two share a number of similar features, and it’s sometimes hard to tell whether someone has one disorder, [...]
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