Innovative Psychiatry
These articles about eating disorders are provided to improve public perception and to dispel stigma. In addition, information about symptoms and treatment of these disorders helps pave the path to a happier, more rewarding, life.
Eating disorders are not the result of a lack of personal discipline. Studies of twins, for example, have shown there are genetic factors influencing the development of some eating disorders. Furthermore, studies have also demonstrated social and cultural influences, along with psychological, and other biological factors, that play a role. These are profoundly complex disorders with intertwined causes. The treatment can be complex, as well.
The various types of eating disorders manifest with a variety of symptoms, but most have some things in common. For instance, most involve a harsh restriction of food intake, inappropriate binge eating and expulsion through vomiting, as well as overly rigorous exercise. But not all. Pica, specifically, involves eating non-food items.
Anorexia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa
Binge Eating Disorder
Rumination Disorder
Avoidant or Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
Rumination Disorder
Pica
And there are a few others, such as purging disorder, night eating syndrome, and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS).
Treatment
Eating disorders treatment has always been complicated, as mentioned. These disorders ravage the mind and the body of the sufferer. Treatment can involve a complex and thorough process of nutritional counseling and psychotherapy. In addition, because of the physical and metabolic breakdown that you suffer, treatment requires medical monitoring, and close psychiatric monitoring and evaluation.
Sometimes in-patient recovery centers are required to help make the necessary changes in the way you see food…and the way you see yourself.
However, in recent times, the most groundbreaking research and discoveries have revealed that more and more eating disorders are triggered by an energy crisis in the brain, combined with environmental and social circumstances.
The use of a ketogenic diet designed by a registered dietitian/nutritionist, and the supervision by a metabolic psychiatrist, is proving to be more effective and sustainable than previous treatments.
Our program, Touchpoints 180™ was created to provide the needed therapeutic support to help you achieve success, relief from symptoms, and a satisfying life of peace and balance.
As you read these articles about eating disorders, we hope you’ll be encouraged with hope that recovery is not only possible, but achievable.
Lexie drank the rest of her diet Coke, and belched as she dropped the bottle in the recycle bin. She was full. Not really satisfied, but who knew why? She’d been watching a streaming comedy series on her big screen, and had called out for food delivery. She started with a double cheeseburger with seasoned […]
We’ve talked before about our work with Caroline to help her recover from anorexia nervosa, and the subsequent pilot study with 5 women who had suffered from anorexia for many years. In both cases, we used a combination of a nutritional intervention that created therapeutic nutritional ketosis without weight loss and IV ketamine infusions to […]
Halley put on her makeup and looked in the mirror. She abhorred her round face and the fat on her chest and arms. She quietly resolved that she’d swim more laps tomorrow, because the 30 laps she swam daily just wasn’t improving her appearance. It was hard, so hard, to go out in public because […]