Eating disorders

Eating Disorder Treatment

Compassionate, Personalized Care for Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that affect a person’s relationship with food, eating, body image, and weight. They can affect people of any age, gender, body size, or background and are not simply a matter of willpower or personal choice.

Eating disorders can affect both mental and physical health. Early recognition and appropriate treatment can help reduce complications and support long-term recovery.

At Solidbase Behavioral Health, we provide compassionate, individualized psychiatric care for people experiencing eating-related concerns and co-occurring mental health conditions.

Common Signs and Symptoms of Eating Disorders

Eating disorders can look different from person to person. Possible signs may include:

• Significant preoccupation with food, calories, weight, or body shape
• Restricting food intake or frequently skipping meals
• Episodes of eating unusually large amounts of food with a sense of loss of control
• Compensatory behaviors after eating, such as self-induced vomiting or excessive exercise
• Frequent dieting or rigid food rules
• Eating alone or avoiding meals with others
• Feelings of shame, guilt, or anxiety related to eating
• Frequent checking of weight, body shape, or appearance
• Avoidance of foods considered “bad” or unsafe
• Significant changes in weight or eating patterns
• Social withdrawal or changes in mood related to food or body image

A person does not need to be underweight to have an eating disorder. Eating disorders can occur at any body size.

Types of Eating Disorders

There are several recognized eating disorders, including:

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa involves restriction of food intake, intense fear of gaining weight or persistent behaviors that interfere with weight gain, and disturbances in the way a person experiences or evaluates their body weight or shape.

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia nervosa involves recurrent episodes of binge eating accompanied by a sense of loss of control, followed by recurrent compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, fasting, or excessive exercise.

Binge-Eating Disorder

Binge-eating disorder involves recurrent episodes of consuming unusually large amounts of food with a sense of loss of control. Episodes are associated with distress and do not involve regular compensatory behaviors such as purging.

Other Feeding or Eating Disorders

Some individuals experience clinically significant eating-related symptoms that do not fit neatly into the criteria for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge-eating disorder. These conditions can still cause significant distress or impairment and may require treatment.

What Causes Eating Disorders?

Eating disorders do not have one single cause. They can develop through a combination of biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors.

Potential risk factors may include:

• Family history and genetic factors
• Personality and temperament
• Anxiety, depression, or other mental health conditions
• Trauma or significant life stressors
• Body image concerns
• Dieting or restrictive eating patterns
• Social and cultural pressures related to weight and appearance
• Certain medical or developmental factors

Having a risk factor does not mean that someone will develop an eating disorder.

How Are Eating Disorders Diagnosed?

Diagnosis begins with a comprehensive clinical evaluation. Your provider may assess:

• Eating patterns and behaviors
• Thoughts and feelings about food, weight, and body image
• Bingeing, restriction, or compensatory behaviors
• Mood, anxiety, trauma, and other mental health symptoms
• Medical history and medications
• Changes in weight and physical health
• The impact of symptoms on relationships, work, school, and daily functioning

Because eating disorders can have serious medical consequences, treatment may involve collaboration with a primary care provider, dietitian, therapist, or specialized eating-disorder treatment program when appropriate.

Treatment for Eating Disorders

Eating disorder treatment is individualized and often works best when mental and physical health are addressed together.

Treatment may include:

Psychotherapy

Evidence-based psychotherapy is an important component of eating disorder treatment. Depending on the specific eating disorder and individual needs, approaches may include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and other specialized therapies.

Therapy may address unhealthy eating patterns, body image concerns, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and thoughts or behaviors that maintain the eating disorder.

Psychiatric Medication Management

Medication may be appropriate for some individuals, particularly when an eating disorder occurs alongside depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, or other psychiatric conditions.

Medication decisions are individualized based on the person’s diagnosis, symptoms, medical history, nutritional status, current medications, and overall treatment needs.

Medication alone is generally not sufficient treatment for an eating disorder and may be most effective when integrated into a broader treatment plan.

Coordinated Care

Some eating disorders can cause serious medical complications, including electrolyte abnormalities, cardiovascular problems, dehydration, and nutritional deficiencies. Depending on the severity of symptoms, medical monitoring or a higher level of eating-disorder care may be necessary.

If symptoms are severe or there is a medical emergency, in-person medical evaluation should be obtained promptly.

Eating Disorder Care at Solidbase Behavioral Health

At Solidbase Behavioral Health, we provide compassionate, evidence-based psychiatric care for children, adolescents, and adults ages 6 and older through secure and convenient telehealth appointments.

We provide comprehensive psychiatric evaluations, medication management, patient education, and individualized treatment planning for eating-related concerns and co-occurring mental health conditions, and we coordinate with your other providers when a broader treatment team is appropriate.

We believe in treating the person behind the diagnosis. Our goal is to understand your experiences, symptoms, strengths, and treatment goals, and to create a safe and supportive environment where you feel heard and respected.

Recovery is possible, and you do not have to face an eating disorder alone.

Schedule an appointment with Solidbase Behavioral Health to receive a comprehensive evaluation and explore personalized treatment options.