Food is such an important part of our private lives and popular culture, our businesses, and our leisure, and it’s no wonder. Not only does it provide nourishment to sustain our lives, but it can also be a source of great pleasure. So pleasurable, in fact, that many Americans eat more than they need to, and their health begins to decline.
Overeating, as we all know can lead to obesity and a number of debilitating medical conditions, but it’s not the only struggle people have with food. Many people have the seemingly opposite problem of not eating enough, to the point where they literally starve themselves (anorexia). And others, people who suffer from bulimia, will eat an excessive amount of food in a single setting, feel ashamed and then force themselves to purge it back up and out.
If any of the above descriptions remind you of yourself or someone you care about, an eating disorder might be present. If you recognize that this could be the case, don’t be disheartened — you’ve just taken the first step toward recovery.
Some common signs of eating disorders include:
- Constipation
- Chronic overeating or undereating
- Chronic gastric reflux
- Obsession with calorie counting
- Dental erosion, due to vomiting
- Feelings of guilt and shame
- Rapid weight gain or loss
- Weak or swollen joints
- Depression
- Hiding food to be eaten in secret
- Heart disease
- Mood swings
While the effects and symptoms of eating disorders look different from person to person, know that there are specialists at Thriveworks Westminster Eating Disorder Therapy that can help. Call us today at 303-214-2106, and we can schedule your first session.
What Causes Eating Disorders?
Eating disorders can develop for a number of reasons, including poor body image or self-esteem, abuse (of any kind), depression, and even because of perceived external pressures to look a certain way.
In our outcome-based culture, it’s really no surprise that so many people have unhealthy relationships with food. Some people want to do “whatever it takes” to look like one celebrity or another (be YOUR version beautiful, not someone else’s), while others become addicted to the so-called comforts of unhealthy foods.
There’s shame here. Shame for the way we look naturally and shame over the extreme measures we take to try to change the way we appear. Out of the tens of millions of people suffering from food disorder, only 10 percent ever seek care, so it’s clear there’s some shame over even addressing the issue, too.
As mental health professionals who have worked with numerous people to overcome their own struggles with eating well and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, you can take it from us: Change is more than possible. It’s not the easiest thing in the world. People don’t like to acknowledge that there is a problem. But the interesting thing about acknowledging our issues is that the way to combat them becomes much easier to see and accept.
You can thrive in life and in work. Your eating disorder doesn’t have to continue to take a negative toll on your life. We can help you figure out what’s going on and provide you with the necessary skills for putting food back into the role of something that makes your life better and more sustainable, instead of more painful.
What Can I Do Right Now? Please Help?
Although reading words on a page alone does not compare to the care you’ll receive when working on eating disorder issues with a professional therapist, there are a few things we’d like you to begin considering.
Try these things right now:
- Instead of eating two to three high-calorie meals throughout the day, try eating five to six smaller ones
- Seek food that provides benefit, instead of just pleasure
- Drink plenty of water — it curbs appetite and hydrates your system
- Find an exercise style that interests you and fits your lifestyle (try yoga)
- Find a qualified professional to help
Schedule Eating Disorder Therapy with Thriveworks in Westminster, CO
Food should make your life better, not worse. It should meet your needs, not attempt to cover them up. Do yourself a favor and contact us at Thriveworks Westminster Eating Disorder Therapy. We have seen so many people find freedom from anorexia, bulimia, and overeating. You can too.
Let us help you prove to yourself that you can live a healthy life, a life that is far more enjoyable than the fleeting pleasures of appearing a certain way or eating an unhealthy amount of food.
Your eating disorder doesn’t have to control you. Contact us today, and begin the journey to change. Call 303-214-2106 or click the button below to get started.
