Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are serious conditions that affect a person’s eating behaviors and related thoughts and emotions. There are many different types of eating disorders, but the most common are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder.
Anorexia nervosa symptoms may include extremely restricted eating, emaciation, distorted body image and an intense fear of gaining weight. Bulimia nervosa often consists of frequent and recurring episodes of eating large amounts of food followed by compensatory behaviors such as forced vomiting, use of laxatives or diuretics, fasting or excessive exercise. Symptoms of binge-eating disorder may include eating when you are not hungry, eating quickly, eating alone or in secret, feeling intense guilt about eating and obesity.
Eating disorders appear most frequently during adolescence or young adulthood. Rates are higher among females than males. Those with eating disorders are at an increased risk of suicide and medical complications. Eating disorders have the highest rate of mortality of any mental illness. If your child or teenager is suffering from an eating disorder, do not hesitate to seek help.
Mental health services are offered for children from birth through age 24 and their families at all three sites of North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center. These services include comprehensive evaluation, an individually tailored treatment plan that may include any combination of individual, family and group therapy, and, when indicated, medication management from a psychiatrist. All treatment plans require family consent and participation. For more information about our services, please call us at 516-626-1971.
Read more on our blog:
Talking About Weight with your Kids
A Loving Way to Discuss Weight
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