206f Eating Disorders

W. Keith Sutton, Psy.D.

Symptoms of Eating Disorders:

Anorexia:

  • Underweight (85% of normal weight)
  • Denial that being underweight is a problem or saying something like "It's not serious that I'm this size"
  • No menstrual periods or missed periods

Bulimia:

  • Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat
  • Upon self-evaluation, person feels a distorted sense of body's size or attributes
  • Control of one's eating habits through fasting, diuretics (diet pills), or starvation
  • Periods of binge eating followed by self-induced vomiting
  • Periods of binge eating followed by guilty feelings and/or a restricted diet
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders can be scary for both the person with the eating disorder and their family.  They are one of the most dangerous problems as they can lead to death in some cases.  Many women and men have issues with their body image and may struggle with their weight, but when severe restriction of eating occurs or binging and purging cycles develop, it can become a crisis.  Some may realize the struggle they're having, while others may not think there is anything wrong with them.  Time is of the essence with eating disorder since the longer they are maintained, the harder they are to treat.

Fortunately, there are effective treatments to help overcome eating disorders.  I am trained in Maudsley Method: Family Based Therapy, which is a first line treatment for anorexia in adolescents.  I also utilize cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as well as dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) to treating body issue and bulimia.  If you are an adult, an adolescent, or a parent concerned with a child or loved one, remember, there is hope and also remember that eating disorders are serious issues that can have lifelong consequences.

To schedule a free phone consultation, please email me at drkeith@drkeithsutton.com
or call me at (415) 686-9544. 
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