A recent CDC report shows that emergency room visits for teen girls with eating disorders have doubled from 2019 to 2022.1 There are several theories for this alarming rise, but one thing is clear: Kids need help sooner.  Research indicates that 22% of children and teens struggle with disordered eating.2 Prompt identification and treatment of eating disorders in teens is essential for improving their overall well-being and often to saving their lives.  What are eating disorders? Eating disorders are life-threatening illnesses that involve an unhealthy relationship with food that has ..read more

Sarah found herself at a crossroads, realizing that her life was in shambles. Her thoughts were consumed by an unrelenting focus on food, weight, and the desperate need to prove she was “sick enough.” Having been through treatment once before, Sarah’s journey took a dark turn over the past summer, slipping into a full-blown relapse. Descending Into a Destructive Thought Pattern Sarah’s emotional turmoil led her down a slippery slope. She admitted learning a lot during her first treatment stay but, unfortunately, the lessons did not stick. As Sarah explained, “I learned a lot during my first t ..read more

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that can have devastating consequences on both physical and psychological health. Unsurprisingly, treatment is often necessary to prevent these severe adverse effects. The good news is that various treatment interventions are available to help individuals with their eating disorder recovery. One of these successful, evidence-based treatments is experiential therapy. What Is Experiential Therapy? Experiential therapy differs from traditional psychotherapy. It’s a hands-on approach that uses recreational, physical, and emotional activities to ..read more

Eating disorders can negatively affect every part of your body, including your mouth. Poor oral health can negatively impact not only your overall health but also your quality of life. That is why it is important to understand how anorexia may be impacting your teeth. Malnutrition and The Impact of Anorexia on Teeth Nutrition affects your body from the inside out. Anorexia often causes vitamin and mineral deficiencies that can affect the functioning of every system of the body. These deficiencies can have a negative impact on oral health. Let’s look at some of the common dental issues associat ..read more

Eating disorders are complex psychiatric illnesses with severe medical and psychological consequences that require treatment to ensure recovery and healing. Family dynamics play a huge role in the recovery and healing of eating disorders. That’s why family involvement in recovery is crucial to success. Among the various treatments available for eating disorders, family-based treatment is often effective. Family therapy for eating disorders gives caregivers the tools they need to positively impact their loved one’s eating disorder recovery and healing. What Is Family Therapy or Family-Based Tre ..read more

Weight loss ads are everywhere in our society. There are constantly new supplements being advertised to improve your health. But are weight loss supplements really healthy? We’ll take a look at the health risks of diet pills and how they impact people with eating disorders. What Are Diet Pills? Diet pills are supplements or medications taken with the intention of losing weight. They may be sold over the counter or as a prescription. The function of diet pills depends on the type used—most function by altering how your body breaks down and absorbs nutrients. While supplement companies claim tha ..read more

Myths about eating disorders are widespread and add to unnecessary and damaging stigmas and misunderstandings about these serious mental health conditions. When it comes to eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, and binge eating disorder, there are a lot of “misses”—misconceptions, misunderstandings, misinformation, and misrepresentation. Let’s take a look at some of the most common misconceptions about eating disorders and get the eating disorder facts straight. Myth: Eating disorders are not serious conditions. Fact: Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions ..read more

Social media is one of the greatest communication tools and has changed the way we engage with one another. The social media platform allows us to connect and communicate with anyone, anywhere – whether we post a picture, share a tiktok, or update our status. Our lives can be on full display as little or as much as we choose. It also has the power to wreak havoc on someone suffering from an eating disorder and be even more detrimental to those in recovery. While social media alone is typically not the sole cause of developing an eating disorder, it can play a significant role for those suscept ..read more

Anxiety is common and affects millions of people every year. A study from the CDC found that about 15% of Americans had experienced anxiety symptoms within the past two weeks.1 Anxiety is also one of the most common co-occurring diagnoses among people with eating disorders. There are a few things you need to know about the relationship between anxiety and disordered eating. Anxiety Disorders Anxiety is more than stress. It involves worrisome thoughts so frequently and intensely that it makes it hard to focus on other things. Symptoms of anxiety include:2 Trouble managing worrisome thoughts Fe ..read more

These days, everyone is familiar with the concept of binging. Any form of excessive consumption is commonly referred to as binging, whether it involves eating more than you meant to, excessive drinking, or even marathon-watching shows on your favorite apps. But when it comes to alcohol and binge eating disorders, things get more serious. Both diseases can have severe, negative consequences on one’s physical and mental health. Anyone suffering from an eating disorder must be cautious around alcohol because of their already complicated relationship with food. How Does Alcohol Affect Binge Eatin ..read more