What are the most common eating disorders?

Anorexia nervosa

People with anorexia nervosa have abnormally low body weight and an intense fear of gaining weight. They severely limit their food intake and restrict portion sizes. Excessive exercise, laxatives, and purging may be employed as ways to reduce weight, too. Complications include malnutrition, organ failure, and low heart rate.

Bulimia nervosa

With bulimia, you have episodes of binging and purging. Your eating episodes are uncontrolled, often after following restricted eating during the day. Bulimic episodes are usually characterized by eating a large amount of food in a short time and then purging with vomiting, laxatives, or excessive exercise. Bulimia is usually accompanied by preoccupations with weight and body shape, as well as feelings of inadequacy.

Binge-eating disorder

Binge-eating disorder is characterized by eating too much food in a short period of time and feeling out of control when eating. You eat quickly and have much more food than you intended. You may eat when not hungry and continue to eat even if uncomfortable and full. Binge-eating disorder can bring up feelings of guilt and disgust. You may feel deep shame, but don’t compensate for your binges. Those with binge-eating disorder vary in weight and size.

what are the signs help is needed for an eating disorder?

Overcoming an eating disorder is challenging, especially on your own. Eating disorders, however, can take over your life and lead to serious medical complications. If you have the following symptoms or notice them in a loved one, call the office of Dr. Padron for support:

• Avoiding meals and making up reasons to not eat

• Eating on their own rather than eating what the family eats

• Withdrawing from normal social activities

• Constant worry and complaints about being fat and talk of losing weight

• Adopting an overly restrictive diet

• Excessive exercise

• Regularly eating large amounts of sweets or high-fat foods

• The employment of excessive dietary supplements, laxatives or herbal products for weight loss

• Calluses on the knuckles from inducing vomiting

• Dental issues, such as loss of tooth enamel, resulting from repeated vomiting

• Leaving during meals to use the toilet

• Feeling guilty or disgusted about eating habits

• Eating in secret

If you're worried that you or a loved one may have an eating disorder, seek help before it creates serious complications. If you need help managing disordered eating, call Dr. Padron for a free 15-minute consultation to ensure that she is a good fit. She treats patients of all ages with a variety of eating disorder presentations.

What does treatment look like for eating disorders?

Eating disorders are complex mental health and medical issues. Emphasis is placed on an interdisciplinary approach, where Dr. Padron will work with a recommended nutritionist and your personal medical doctor, if needed. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) are evidence-based treatments to address disordered eating symptoms. Patients are provided with skills to increase values-driven behaviors while decreasing maladaptive eating behaviors that are impairing functioning. Body acceptance, mindfulness, emotion regulation skills, and intuitive eating strategies are practiced in sessions. Negative self-talk and self-depricating statements are also challenged throughout treatment.

It is important to note that certain cases may require a higher level of care and more intensive treatment; if this is the case, you would be provided with appropriate referrals and resources.