Eating Disorders Treatment in Chicagoland
An eating disorder is a mental health condition characterized by disturbances in eating behaviors and attitudes towards food, weight, and body image. Eating disorders can have serious physical, emotional, and social consequences and often require professional treatment for recovery. There are several types of eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and others.
Signs & Symptoms of Eating Disorders
Symptoms of an eating disorder can vary depending on the specific type of disorder, but there are common signs and behaviors that may indicate the presence of disordered eating. These symptoms can affect a person’s physical, emotional, and social well-being. Here are some common symptoms associated with different types of eating disorders:
Anorexia Nervosa:
- Significant weight loss or failure to gain weight during periods of growth.
- Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming overweight, despite being underweight.
- Distorted body image, seeing oneself as overweight even when underweight.
- Restricting food intake, often through severe dieting, fasting, or excessive exercise.
- Preoccupation with food, calories, nutrition, and cooking.
- Rituals around eating, such as cutting food into tiny pieces or eating very slowly.
- Denial of hunger or making excuses to avoid eating
Bulimia Nervosa:
- Recurrent episodes of binge eating to the point of physical discomfort.
- Compensatory behaviors to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas, fasting, or excessive exercise.
- Frequent trips to the bathroom after meals.
- Evidence of binge eating, such as finding large amounts of food wrappers or empty containers.
- Fluctuations in weight.
- Swollen salivary glands (from repeated vomiting).
- Dental problems, such as tooth decay or erosion from stomach acid.
Cognitive Symptoms:
- Racing Thoughts: Having a hard time focusing or slowing down your thoughts.
- Concentration Issues: Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank.
- Memory Problems: Struggling to remember things or feeling forgetful.
- Catastrophizing: Expecting the worst-case scenario in every situation.
Binge-Eating Disorder:
- Recurrent episodes of binge eating, similar to those in bulimia nervosa, but without the compensatory behaviors.
- Eating much more rapidly than usual during binge episodes.
- Eating until feeling uncomfortably full.
- Eating large amounts of food when not physically hungry.
- Eating alone or in secret due to embarrassment about the quantity of food consumed.
- Feelings of disgust, guilt, or shame after binge eating episodes.
Treatment Options
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Addresses distorted thoughts and beliefs about food, weight, and body image, and helps develop healthier coping strategies and behaviors.
Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT): Targets interpersonal issues and relationships that may contribute to the development or maintenance of the eating disorder.
Family-Based Therapy (FBT): Involves the family in treatment to support the individual's recovery, particularly for adolescents with eating disorders.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Focuses on building mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness skills to manage eating disorder symptoms and related emotions.
Diagnosis
Diagnosing an eating disorder involves a comprehensive assessment conducted by a qualified healthcare professional, typically involving several key steps. Firstly, a thorough clinical interview is conducted to gather information about the individual’s eating habits, attitudes toward food, weight, and body image, alongside their medical and family history. Standardized diagnostic criteria, such as those outlined in the DSM-5, are then utilized to determine if the individual’s symptoms align with a specific eating disorder. Additionally, a physical examination may be performed to assess overall health and identify any physical signs or complications associated with the disorder.
Help Manage Your Eating Disorder
With support from our expert providers you can go…
1. From obsession with food and weight to a balanced relationship with foo
Through therapy and nutritional counseling, an individual can transition from being consumed by thoughts of food, weight, and body image to developing a more balanced and healthy relationship with food, nourishing their body without guilt or anxiety.
2. From restrictive eating habits to intuitive eating:
With the guidance of a registered dietitian and support from therapy, someone can move from rigidly restricting their food intake or engaging in disordered eating behaviors to learning to listen to their body’s hunger and fullness cues, practicing intuitive eating, and enjoying a variety of foods without fear or guilt.
3. From isolation to connection with others:
Through group therapy, support groups, and family involvement, an individual can go from isolating themselves due to shame or secrecy surrounding their eating disorder to connecting with others who understand their struggles, building supportive relationships, and receiving encouragement and understanding from loved ones.
4. From medical complications to physical well-being:
With comprehensive medical care and monitoring, a person can transition from experiencing physical complications associated with their eating disorder, such as malnutrition, electrolyte imbalances, and organ damage, to achieving improved physical health and vitality.
5. From low self-esteem to self-acceptance and self-love:
Through therapy, self-reflection, and practicing self-compassion, someone can move from struggling with low self-esteem and negative body image to cultivating self-acceptance, self-love, and appreciation for their unique qualities and strengths beyond physical appearance.
How To Get Started
1. Fill in the new patient form
2. Receive your personalized evaluation & treatment plan
3. Experience mental wellness