Eating Disorder Recovery
Signs and Symptoms
Eating disorder symptoms often overlap between disorders (anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder), so I have included a cumulative list. This list is not comprehensive. Note also that I have tried to list some of the less obvious and/or clinical, yet still notable symptoms. It is easy to minimize or negate your struggles, but please--ask a professional before making conclusions!
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Obsessive thinking and/or comments about food, exercise, weight, and/or appearance
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Avoidance behaviors because of food (not attending social events where there is food)
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Making excuses/rationalizations about food choices, portions, frequent bathroom use and/or exercise routines
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Follows a "good" food "bad," restrictive diet
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Weight loss, weight maintenance, weight fluctuations, or weight gain (Myth debunked: weight cannot be your biggest clue because people do not "look" like they have an eating disorder!)
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Bingeing and purging
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Plays games with food
Ask Elizabeth
Please feel free to confidentially submit your questions to me easchwartz11@yahoo.com and I will respond with information and help for you and many others as soon as possible.
Q:
A:
Q: Do you
use the Maudsley Method to treat eating disorders?
A: When appropriate, I am trained to use
the Maudsley Method. I have received training from the experts
that created the treatment model, Dr. John Locke and Dr. Daniel
LeGrange. The appropriate candidate for the Maudsley Method is
an intact family that believes in tackling the eating disorder as a
family. Some sufferers of eating disorders have tremendously
anxiety putting a meal together, as the eating disorder takes over all the
decisions regarding food. Thus, the method temporarily gives the control
of food choices back to the parents until the person with the
eating disorder is in a better place, after experiencing a variety
of foods, restoring some weight, and being shown many examples (role
modeling) of healthy eating. I am happy to discuss this
treatment model with you and/or your family further to decide if
this method is right for you.
Q: Do people with eating disorders
recover?
A: I believe that people with eating disorders can fully recover.
I want you to know that you do not have to go through the recovery
process alone. The truth via research is that up to 20% of
those with eating disorders will die and 50% will relapse. The
research also indicates that the sooner that one gets treatment for
an eating disorder the rates of recovery are significantly greater.
Resources
If you are the friend or family member of someone with an eating disorder, I highly recommend that you educate yourself about eating disorders. The following websites have helpful information:
- National Eating Disorders
Association (NEDA)
NEDA provides toolkits for parents and school which are extremely useful for learning how to support a loved one and teaching tools for a positive and healthy body image. - Something Fishy
If you are the friend or parent of someone with an eating disorder, this website give great tips on what you can do to help someone, as well as a list of some of the signs and symptoms of an eating disorders. - National Association of
Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD)
This website provides a list of free support groups. - Academy for Eating Disorders (AED)
This website is great for professionals looking for more information about eating disorders. - Mentor Connect You are not alone in your recovery process; having support and accountability are essential! This website offers online mentoring services to help you beat your eating disorder.
- Daily Strength Online eating disorder support group, discussion board, and journal (that you can chose to keep private).
Disclosure: The information provided above and throughout this webpage may not specifically apply to you, your loved one, and/or your situation. Additionally, this is not comprehensive nor may it be used as a substitute for professional care meant specifically for you.