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Eating Disorder

An eating disorder is a serious, complex, mental health issue that one’s affects emotional and physical health. People with eating disorders develop an unhealthy relationships with food, their weight or appearance. Anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder are all types of eating disorders. Fortunately, eating disorders are treatable.

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If you’re having a psychiatric emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255 or text “home” to 741-741.

Find treatments for eating disorder with expert one-on-one medical care

Types of eating disorder

Bulimia nervosa

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and symptoms

Binge eating disorder (BED)

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and symptoms

Anorexia nervosa

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and symptoms

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Tell us how you’ve been feeling. It only takes about 10 minutes.

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Learn about eating disorder treatment options from an experienced provider

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Learn about eating disorder treatment options from an experienced provider

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Treatment typically includes medication and supportive therapy, such as psychotherapy. We manage your medication and track symptoms.

Is my privacy protected If I do virtual visits?

Yes, your privacy is our priority and all of your information (such as online assessment forms and medical notes) is confidential and protected under HIPAA Privacy Rule. No matter if it’s a virtual visit or an office visit, Altheda Medical Center offers discreet appointments with medical professionals. With virtual visits, we simplify the experience by delivering affordable online medical care from the comfort of your home. Of course, if you want to see us in-person, you are more than welcomed to do so by completing your assessment and scheduling an in-person appointment with us. 

Wondering how to deal with eating disorders? We're here to help.

We understand how you feel and we’re here for you. Our medical providers are available now to help get you feeling better as soon as possible.

Our medical team will work with you to find the best treatment plan for your unique situation, and we’ll monitor your dose to make sure it’s delivering the relief you need.  Together, we can beat this.

Why Choose Altheda?

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Unlike other online platform, you have a medical facility to visit physically anytime if needed 

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Coordinated approach allows for a hoslitic assessment and better treatment management

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Discreet and convenient  appointments that allow you to see providers fast

Mental Health Resources

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Bulimia nervosa

Bulimia is an eating disorder. It is characterized by uncontrolled episodes of overeating, called bingeing. This is followed by purging with methods such as vomiting or misuse of laxatives. Bingeing is eating much larger amounts of food than you would normally eat in a short period of time, usually less than 2 hours. You may feel like you can’t stop or control these episodes of binge eating.

These are the most common symptoms of bulimia:

  • Usually a normal or above average body weight
  • Recurrent episodes of binge eating and fear of not being able to stop eating
  • Self-induced vomiting (usually secretive)
  • Excessive exercise
  • Excessive fasting
  • Peculiar eating habits or rituals
  • Inappropriate use of laxatives or diuretics
  • Irregular or absence of menstruation
  • Anxiety
  • Discouraged feelings related to dissatisfaction with themselves and the way their body looks
  • Depression
  • Preoccupation with food, weight, and body shape
  • Throat is always inflamed or sore
  • Tiredness and decreased energy
  • Dental problems due to erosion of enamel from vomiting

 

Most people with eating disorders also share certain traits including:

  • Low self-esteem
  • Feelings of helplessness
  • Fear of getting fat
  • Intense unhappiness with their body shape and size

 

If you have bulimia, you may binge to reduce stress and ease anxiety.

  • With binge eating comes guilt, disgust, and depression.
  • Purging brings only short-term relief.
  • You may be impulsive and more likely to take part in risky behaviors, such as alcohol and drug use.
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Binge eating disorder (BED)

 

Binge eating disorder (BED) is a behavioral disorder characterized by chronic, compulsive overeating. While occasional overeating is normal, an eating disorder is a condition that you live with every day. It feels like it controls you and interferes with your mental, emotional and physical well-being. Binge eating means consuming large quantities of food in a short period and feeling like you can’t stop.

Signs and symptoms of binge eating disorder may include:

  • Eating past the point of satisfaction and to the point of discomfort.
  • Eating too fast to notice how much you’re eating or how it feels.
  • Eating large amounts of food when you’re not hungry or after recently finishing a meal.
  • Eating in response to emotional stress (emotional eating).
  • Eating alone and in secret and avoiding social eating.
  • Organizing your schedule around binge eating sessions.
  • Hoarding and stashing food in hidden places to access later.
  • Hiding eating from others because you’re embarrassed about how much you’re eating.
  • Obsessive thinking about food and specific food cravings.
  • Frequent dieting, which may cause weight fluctuations or no weight loss.
  • Guilt, remorse, shame and self-esteem issues related to binge eating.

 

Many people may exhibit signs or symptoms of binge eating occasionally. When they begin to recur regularly (once a week or more), you may have a disorder. Environmental conditions such as stress and relationships can influence your behavior and affect your mental health. These conditions may combine with other causes to push you over the edge from occasional disordered behavior to meeting the criteria for BED.

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Anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is a serious and potentially life-threatening — but treatable — eating disorder. It’s characterized by extreme food restriction and an intense fear of gaining weight. Treatment usually involves several strategies, including psychological therapy, nutritional counseling and/or hospitalization.

Anorexia can cause a variety of symptoms. They may be related to food or weight. They may be physical or emotional.

Food or weight-related symptoms can include:

  • Altered body image
  • Low body weight
  • Extreme fear of becoming fat
  • Excessive physical activity
  • Denial of hunger
  • Fixation with food preparation
  • Unusual eating behaviors

 

Physical symptoms can include:

  • Poor nutritional status
  • Dehydration
  • Being very thin
  • Stomach pain or bloating
  • Constipation
  • Lethargy or fatigue
  • Unable to handle cold temperatures
  • Fine, downy body hair (called lanugo)
  • Dry or yellowish skin
  • Thinning hair
  • Brittle nails

 

Emotional symptoms can include:

  • Withdrawal from social situations
  • Loss of interest in sex
  • Irritability
  • Mood changes
  • Depression