Eating disorders

What is eating disorders?

The main types are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and ARFID, short for avoidant restrictive food intake disorder. Most start in the teens or early twenties. Some people move between patterns over the years. Binge eating disorder only became an official diagnosis in 2013, with the DSM-5.

Key things to know

You can't tell if someone has an eating disorder by looking at them. Many people with one are at an average weight or above it. Eating disorders can damage the heart, bones, gut, and hormone balance. Anorexia has one of the highest death rates of any mental health condition.

• Eating disorders are mental health conditions, not diets or choices.
• They affect people of every gender, age, and body size.
• Weight alone tells you very little about how ill someone is.
• Binge eating disorder is the most common type, and it's often missed.
• Treatment works best when it starts early.

What helps

Early help gives the best results. Treatment usually involves a team, often a doctor, a therapist, and a dietitian. CBT for eating disorders has good evidence, and so does family-based treatment for teenagers, sometimes called the Maudsley approach. Recovery is possible. If you're worried about yourself or someone close to you, talk to a doctor soon. Don't wait for things to look serious. In India, Tele-MANAS at 14416 is free and can point you to help.

How SelfMind can help

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Related terms

• Perfectionism
• Self-esteem
• Anxiety disorder
• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)