Disordered Eating or Eating Disorders: The Difference

Eating disorders are quite difficult to diagnose, especially since disordered eating patterns are so usual nowadays. Eating disorder counseling Eastchester experts can help with proper counseling so that you can turn your life around and start leading a healthy and happy life. There is a big difference between disordered eating and eating disorders. Disordered eating is the habit of consuming unhealthy foods to achieve weight loss. However, disordered eating can represent a massive risk because everything can lead to serious health complications. Some of the most common signs of disordered eating include following fad diets, using different body cleanses, skipping important meals, diet pills, and supplements, and overeating or under-eating.

On the other hand, eating disorders can be extremely severe and even life-threatening if they are extreme. Anorexia or bulimia nervosa patients expose themselves to many long-lasting health issues, and in extreme cases, they can even lead to death. Eating disorder counseling Eastchester therapists can help people struggling with eating disorders admit their condition and implement healthy diet habits to get back on track with their life and well-being.

Some of the most common signs of an eating disorder include dramatic weight loss or weight gain, changes in food intake patterns, heightened preoccupation with food intake, purging, binge eating, abusing diet pills and laxatives, secret eating, hiding food, and others. Some of the medical complications that can arise as a direct impact of an eating disorder include dizziness and fainting, gastrointestinal issues, irregularities in the menstrual cycle, dry skin and dry nails, massive hair loss, and highly severe complications such as heart failure or organ failure.

Truly understanding when a disordered eating pattern turns into an eating disorder is highly challenging but also meaningful. Therefore, if you notice that these eating habits follow specific practices or everything looks like a vicious circle you cannot escape, you should turn to counsel. Following a correct diagnosis and proper counseling can help significantly with your healing. If you understand where that “tipping point” is between disordered eating and an eating disorder, you will be able to identify and address that eating disorder behavior appropriately.