Disordered Eating vs.Eating Disorders

Habits of disordered eating and excessive weight control include skipping meals, excessive exercising, self-induced vomiting, fasting, and laxative abuse. Disordered eating is the gateway into eating disorders. However, those who have disordered eating but do not necessarily meet the criteria for a specific eating disorder. For example, the official clinical standards for bulimia are binging and purging twice a week for 3 months, while those diagnosed with anorexia have dropped to 85 percent of their normal body weight.

Characterized by:

Excessive fear of weight gain

Refusal to maintain minimally normal body weight through excessive exercise, dieting, and/or fasting

Body image disturbance—don’t experience it as it is

Anorexia Nervosa

Characterized by:

Binge eating (excessive consumption of food) with a sense of lack of control

Inappropriate compensatory behavior—self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives and/or diuretics, fasting, and/or excessive exercise

Bulimia Nervosa

Characterized by:

Bing eating (excessive consumption of food) with sense of lack of control

Eating much more rapidly than normally, until uncomfortably full, when not physically hungry

Eating alone from embarrassment

Often feel distressed, very guilty, depressed and disgusted with oneself

Binge Eating Disorder

Confront the person with specific concerns that you personally witnessed. Display these concerns in a caring and candid manner. Make sure that if you do not appear upset or ashamed of your friend. Present them with the options and resources that they could go for help, then give them time to process everything! If they accept, let them know how proud you are of their decisions, if not propose more options such as offering to accompany them on their first trip if they are nervous. Be ready for the fact that your friend may not be ready for help, may deny the need, and may be very angry with you.

Your friend must decide for themselves! There must be a boundary set between your friendship and their recovery. They will need your love and support BUT you must not place any responsibility for their actions on yourself! You need to accept that the choice is up to them and that it may not be appropriate for eating issues to be a core part of your relationship, especially if a sense of competition has developed or you are finding your body image negatively affected.

I have a friend with an eating disorder…

Important:

Recognize that your acknowledgment is extremely powerful and you should be very proud of yourself. Check out the available resources on campus. There are numerous possibilities for help, including individual, group, and nutritional counseling. Talk to someone about your decision, include your family, close friends, etc if you feel that it will be beneficial for your recovery. A large support system makes all the difference! Stay positive and give yourself a break every once in a while, no one has a recovery that is “perfect” but remember that you are worth it and you are not alone!

I have an eating disorder…

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ideaIndividuals for Disordered Eating Awareness

MISSION: Individuals for Disordered Eating Awareness is an empowering organization seeking to redefine true beauty through engaging programming and provocative discussions. We seek to educate and encourage members of the Miami University and Oxford community to take an active role in challenging the factors that perpetuate disordered eating while fostering confidence and acceptance for both men and women of all ages.

MEETINGS: Mondays at 9:00 in 114 MacMillan

Student Counseling Service (529-4634)Offers eating disorder evaluations, individual and group psychotherapy for Oxford Campus students

Student Health Service (529-3000)Offers physical exams and assessments of health impacts of eating disordersDeb Richardson, M.D. (physician) and Tammy Gustin, C.N.P. (nurse practitioner)

Nutritional CounselingLisa Swanson, M.Ed., R.D., L.D. Clinical dietitian who provides advice on nutri-tion

Miami University Psychology Clinic (529-2423)39 Psychology Building Reduced-fee counseling services available for MUstudents