Eating Disorders

What is an eating disorder?

• Eating disorders are complex mental health conditions that can affect anyone at any time and can impact on every aspect of a person's functioning. 
• Eating disorders can have a widespread impact on thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and cause serious and potentially life-threatening changes to eating habits.
• Eating disorders often result in physical changes in the body that can put your life and health at risk.

Eating disorders start in the mind and there are many complex emotional and psychological symptoms that influence eating behaviours. It can be very difficult to explain your eating disorder to others and often difficult for them to understand.

Help for eating disorders   

There is help available for people struggling with eating disorders. The first port of call should be to see your GP/Counsellor who can advise of next steps.

Other support networks include:

• (opens in a new window)AddictiveEatersAnonymous.org
• (opens in a new window)BodyWhys.ie 
• (opens in a new window)SpunOut.ie
• (opens in a new window)Jigsaw.ie

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia Nervosa is typically characterised by:

• Repeated episodes of binge eating
• Preoccupation with food
• A sense of a lack of control over eating during the episode  - feeling that you cannot stop eating or control how much one is eaten or what you eat
• Inappropriate compensatory behaviours aimed at preventing weight gain/controlling body weight - these include self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives or diuretics, fasting suppressants or excessive exercising
• Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight

More information is available through (opens in a new window)BodyWhys.ie

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa is typically characterised by:

• A persistent restriction of food leading to a person becoming significantly underweight (for what is expected for their age, sex, developmental stage, and physical health).
• For diagnosis, there must also be an intense fear of gaining weight or a persistent behaviour that interferes with weight gain, despite low weight.
• Disturbance in the way one’s body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body shape and weight on self-evaluation or persistent lack of recognition of the seriousness of the current body weight.

More information is available on (opens in a new window)BodyWhys.ie

Binge Eating Disorder (BED)

• BED is a recognised eating disorder in which a person develops a pattern of binge eating which they can rely on as a coping mechanism.
• The person feels compelled to continue with the disordered eating, i.e. binge eating, as a way of coping with emotional turmoil.
• It must be recognised that as with the other eating disorders, a person diagnosed with binge eating disorder cannot be treated by diet alone and that all the eating disorders are serious mental disorders which require timely and appropriate treatment and support.

• Repeated episodes of binge eating
• A sense of a lack of control over eating during the episode - a feeling that you cannot stop eating or control what or how much is being eaten

More information is available on (opens in a new window)BodyWhys.ie

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)

In ARFID, the person is not eating a wholesome or well-rounded diet due to the complications of ARFID, as it forces them to have a very limited interaction with food.

• A person may feel unable to eat with other people. They may prefer to avoid new foods (food neophobia) with intense textures, tastes or smells, opting instead to stay with foods they know well. This can make trying new foods challenging. Others may not feel hungry often, or feel full quickly.
• Avoidance, once established, can become longstanding and hard to change. The more a person avoids eating, the scarier it becomes.
• Underlying biological factors such as a flavour preferences are partly genetic and can influence food choice.

There are three primary components to ARFID:

• Avoidance of food due to the sensory characteristics (food aversions, extreme picky eating)
• A lack of interest in eating or food (food avoidance, low food responsivity)
• Worries about the consequences of eating (phobia affecting food intake, fear of choking)

People with ASD and those who are neurodivergent may experience ARFID.

More information is available on (opens in a new window)BodyWhys.ie