Worcester Eating Disorder Therapy—Counselors and Therapists in Westborough, MA
Food can be a wonderful thing. It gives us pleasure, nourishes our bodies, and brings us together with our friends and family. But food can also become an obsession. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD), up to 24 million people suffer from an eating disorder in the U.S., and only 1 in 10 receive treatment. If you need treatment, reach out to an eating disorder therapist or psychologist at Thriveworks in Westborough in Worcester.
What Are the Different Types of Eating Disorders?
There are three main types of eating disorders, each with their own unique symptoms and challenges.
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia is characterized by frequent bouts of binge eating, followed by attempts to compensate by purging or excessive exercise in order to prevent weight gain. Symptoms of bulimia include:
- Compulsive eating
- Obsession with weight and body image
- Eating until you become sick
- Feeling guilty after eating
When you’re struggling with bulimia, you may feel like you’re stuck in a vicious cycle where you’re constantly trying to compensate for your overeating.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia is characterized by taking extreme measures to avoid gaining weight, such as starving oneself and exercising excessively. Left untreated, it can be life-threatening. Symptoms of anorexia include:
- Obsession with body image
- Fear of gaining weight
- Drastic weight loss
- Compulsive exercising
Anorexia can have a severe impact on your mental and physical health. It’s important to seek help as soon as possible.
Binge Eating Disorder (BED)
Most people are familiar with the term “comfort food.” Food can be comforting when you’re feeling sad or lonely. It can be a seductive way to put off dealing with difficult emotions. For example, after a stressful day at work, you come home and eat an entire package of chocolate chip cookies. You feel better — but for how long? It’s only a matter of time before the guilt and shame set in. Symptoms of binge eating disorder include:
- Compulsive eating
- Hiding food to eat later
- Feeling guilty after overeating
- Using food as a way to cope with stress
BED sounds similar to bulimia, but one important difference is that people with BED don’t try to undo the bingeing through exercise or purging.
Scheduling Eating Disorder Therapy at Thriveworks Worcester
Food is an essential part of life, but it’s not everything. It doesn’t have to be the first and last thing you think about each day. You can learn to live in harmony with food. Once you do, you’ll feel better physically and emotionally. More importantly, you’ll be able to once again focus on the things that bring you happiness — your hobbies, your family, your friends.
Contact us today, and begin the journey to change. We specialize in helping people with eating disorders and offer our clients many benefits including evening and weekend sessions, same-week appointments, most major insurances accepted, and more.
