Eating Disorders

Facts about Eating Disorder

100

What factors are predictive of eating disorder severity? 

• Fear of weight gain, feeling like one is overeating, feelings of guilt, thinking about dieting, and a desire for thinness are predictive of eating disorder severity.

Levinson, C. A., Hunt, R. A., Christian, C., Williams, B. M., Keshishian, A. C., Vanzhula, I. A., & Ralph-Nearman, C. (2022). Longitudinal group and individual networks of eating disorder symptoms in individuals diagnosed with an eating disorder. Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science, 131(1), 58. doi:https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0000727 

200

What are eating disorders? 

An eating disorder is a mental disorder defined by abnormal eating behaviors that adversely affect a person's physical or mental health. These behaviors may include eating either too much or too little.

300

What cause eating disorders?

The exact cause of eating disorders is not fully understood. Research suggests a combination of genetic, biological, behavioral, psychological, and social factors can raise a person’s risk.

400

What are the common types of eating disorders?

• Anorexia nervosa: People with anorexia nervosa severely avoid or restrict food intake due to a distorted self-image or an intense fear of gaining weight. Even when dangerously underweight, they may see themselves as overweight. Some people with anorexia nervosa may also have binge eating and purging episodes.
• Binge-eating disorder: People with binge-eating disorder regularly lose control of their eating and eat unusually large amounts of food. People with binge-eating disorder are often overweight or obese.
• Bulimia nervosa: People with bulimia nervosa regularly binge eat and then engage in unhealthy behaviors to prevent weight gain, such as forced vomiting or the use of laxatives. People with bulimia nervosa may maintain an average weight or be overweight.
• Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID): People with ARFID limit the amount and variety of food they eat due to their anxiety or fear of the consequences of eating (such as choking or vomiting) or dislike of a food’s characteristics (such as its appearance or texture). People with ARFID are frequently underweight.

500

How to treat Eating Disorders? 

Eating disorders can be treated successfully. Early detection and treatment are important for recovery. Treatment plans for eating disorders include:

• Individual, group, or family psychotherapy to identify and change troubling emotions, thoughts, and behaviors about food. Learn more about psychotherapy.
• Medical care and monitoring to treat the health consequences of an eating disorder and monitor overall well-being.
• Nutritional counseling to help people eat well and reach and maintain a healthy weight.
• Medication to treat the symptoms of some eating disorders, including bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder, and to reduce symptoms of co-occurring anxiety or depression. There are currently no medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat the symptoms of anorexia nervosa or ARFID.

T/F of eating disorders

100

Eating disorders only affect muscle by not eating? 

False. Eating disorders lead to severe malnutrition that affects nearly every organ in the body.

• Malnutrition can cause a dangerously low heart rate or abnormal heart rhythm. 
• Irritability, mood changes and difficulty focusing.
• Stomach and intestines may work slower leading to pain, constipation or bloating.
• May develop anemia, poor immune function and bleeding disorders.

 

200

Eating disorders are a choice to not eat enough food.

False. Eating disorders are complex medical and mental illnesses that patients don’t choose.

300

You can’t die from an eating disorder.

False - Eating disorders have the highest rate of death of any psychiatric illness. 

400

Eating Disorders only affect people with certain body shapes.

False

500

Eating disorders don’t develop until the teenage years.

False - 

People can have an eating disorder at any age.

Statistics of Eating disorders

100

Prevalence of Eating disorders?

• 9% of the US population, or 28.8 million Americans will have an eating disorder in their lifetime.

Deloitte Access Economics. The Social and Economic Cost of Eating Disorders in the United States of America: A Report for the Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders and the Academy for Eating Disorders. June 2020. Available at: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/striped/report-economic-costs-of-eating-disorders/.

200

It is uncommon for a child/teen to have other mental health illnesses besides their eating disorder.

False

300

(?)% of children and adolescents worldwide show disordered eating?

• 22% of children and adolescents worldwide show disordered eating.

López-Gil, J. F., García-Hermoso, A., Smith, L., Firth, J., Trott, M., Mesas, A. E., Jiménez-López, E., Gutiérrez-Espinoza, H., Tárraga-López, P. J., & Victoria-Montesinos, D. (2023). Global Proportion of Disordered Eating in Children and Adolescents. JAMA Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.5848

400

Eating disorders are just about food.

While eating disorders often involve a fixation with food, calories, weight or shape, these illnesses are rooted in biological, psychological and sociocultural causes.

500

Every (?) minutes 1 person dies as a direct consequence of an eating disorder?

• Every 52 minutes 1 person dies as a direct consequence of an eating disorder.

Deloitte Access Economics. The Social and Economic Cost of Eating Disorders in the United States of America: A Report for the Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders and the Academy for Eating Disorders. June 2020. Available at: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/striped/report-economic-costs-of-eating-disorders/.

Emotions/Surprise Questions

100

This Disney movie features a little blue character named Sadness, teaching kids about emotions.

What is Inside Out?

200

Name three coping skills

Emotional coping skills:

• Talking to a friend or therapist

• Journaling about your feelings

• Crying (yes, seriously — it’s a real emotional release)

• Practicing gratitude (like writing 3 good things each day)

Physical coping skills:

• Deep breathing (like box breathing: in 4, hold 4, out 4, hold 4)

• Going for a walk or exercising

• Stretching or yoga

• Splashing cold water on your face (this can actually calm your nervous system!)

Mental coping skills:

• Positive self-talk ("I can get through this")

• Mindfulness or meditation

• Challenging negative thoughts ("Is that really true, or just how I feel right now?")

• Visualization (imagining a safe, calm place)

300

This famous individual has publicly spoken about their struggles with mental health challenges.

• Selena Gomez — talked about depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder

• Prince Harry — discussed therapy and grief after losing Princess Diana

• Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson — shared about struggling with depression

• Lady Gaga — opened up about PTSD and chronic mental health struggles

400

What do "ego-syntonic" and "ego-dystonic" mean? 

• If a symptom is ego-syntonic, it feels natural or acceptable to the person, even if it’s harmful.
  ➔ Example: ED

• If a symptom is ego-dystonic, it feels unwanted, uncomfortable, or wrong to the person.
  ➔ Example: OCD

500

Why do we talk so much about emotions? 

Therapists focus so much on emotions because emotions are the core drivers behind a lot of our thoughts, behaviors, relationships, and even physical health.
Talking about emotions helps because:

• Emotions give important information about what we need, what we value, and what’s hurting us.

• Bottled-up or unprocessed emotions can turn into anxiety, depression, anger, numbness — or even physical symptoms.

• Learning to name and express emotions safely helps people heal, make decisions, set boundaries, and live more authentically.

• Sometimes people don't even realize they’re acting from emotions that are buried or disguised (like covering sadness with anger).