Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions characterized by unhealthy and often dangerous eating habits. They may involve an obsession with food, body weight, or shape and can lead to severe physical and psychological consequences. Common types of eating disorders include:

 

Anorexia Nervosa: Characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted body image, leading to extreme restriction of food intake.

 

Bulimia Nervosa: Involves cycles of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors like vomiting, fasting, or excessive exercise.

 

Binge Eating Disorder: Characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food, often rapidly and to the point of discomfort, followed by feelings of shame or guilt.

 

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is a fairly new eating disorder. Children or teens with ARFID are extremely selective eaters and sometimes have little interest in eating food. They may eat a limited variety of preferred foods, leading to poor growth and poor nutrition. The restriction is NOT due to a body image disturbance. There are subtypes of ARFID that should be clarified and diagnosed through a careful evaluation.

 

Treatment for eating disorders often requires a multidisciplinary approach, involving mental health professionals, nutritionists, and medical doctors. The key components of treatment typically include:

 

1. Psychotherapy: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective forms of therapy for treating eating disorders. It focuses on changing the unhealthy thoughts and behaviors related to food and body image.

 

2. Nutritional Counseling: Patients work with nutritionists to develop healthy eating patterns and understand their nutritional needs.

 

3. Medical Monitoring: Due to the serious physical health risks associated with eating disorders, medical monitoring is essential. This includes regular check-ups and treatment for any complications.

 

Dr. Wetter has extensive experience in treating eating disorders. His approach is rooted in evidence-based practices, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and family based therapy (FBT), combined with a deep understanding of the emotional and psychological aspects of these conditions. When indicated, he collaborates with other experts and will help facilitate building a multispecialty clinical team to address your treatment needs.

 

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