Examples Of Eating Disorders: Recognizing The Symptoms And Seeking Help

Eating disorders impact around five million people in the United States every year. Although the symptoms can differ depending on the individual and the condition they may be experiencing, certain warning signs can indicate that this type of disorder might be present. 

Being able to pinpoint general signs of eating disorders could empower you to seek help if you experience them. Here, we’ll explore examples of common eating disorders—such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder—and their key symptoms and discuss how to reach out for help for this type of illness.

The mental health impact of eating disorders

Eating disorders can significantly affect an individual's mental health and overall well-being. These conditions often involve a preoccupation with food, body weight, and body shape, which can lead to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. They often also affect emotional health, cognitive functioning, and social connections.

Individuals living with an eating disorder might find the tasks of daily life to be challenging due to their symptoms, which can affect both professional performance and personal relationships. The constant concern about food, weight, and body image can lead to trouble maintaining relationships and even social isolation. This isolation could intensify feelings of loneliness and depression, perpetuating a cycle of negative emotions and disordered eating behaviors.

Binge eating, vomiting, and other common eating disorder behaviors

While restrictive eating is a symptom commonly associated with this type of illness, it’s not the only one. Binge eating, purging, and excessive exercise are other common examples that we’ll examine here. That said, these are still just some of the many possible symptoms of eating disorders, and a person could still have an eating disorder without binge eating or vomiting. For a more complete list, you might explore these common warning signs of an eating disorder.

Binge eating

Binge eating is commonly associated with several eating disorders, including binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa. This behavior involves rapidly eating large amounts of food, typically accompanied by feelings of being out of control and emotional discomfort or distress.

Purging or vomiting

Vomiting is a compensatory behavior commonly associated with bulimia nervosa. Individuals may use self-induced vomiting as a way to purge after binge episodes in an attempt to control their weight.

Excessive exercise

Excessive exercise is another way individuals may attempt to compensate for binging episodes or for any food intake at all. This urge to compensate can lead to obsessive exercising behaviors that interfere with daily life and cause physical health problems.

Types of eating disorders and their key characteristics

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), there are eight different types of diagnosable eating disorders. Each one is characterized by specific features and symptoms. Here’s a brief overview of examples of eating disorders.

Anorexia nervosa

Individuals with anorexia nervosa usually experience a deep fear of weight gain and a distorted perception of their bodies. This condition often results in significant dietary restriction, causing severe weight loss and potential health complications.

Anorexia can cause individuals to obsess over calorie counting, exercise excessively, and frequently check their weight. This obsession can cause or reinforce a distorted body image, where they perceive themselves as overweight despite often being dangerously underweight.

Bulimia nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is characterized by a pattern of binge eating accompanied by compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, or misuse of laxatives. This binge-purge cycle can have severe physical and psychological consequences.

During binge episodes, individuals rapidly consume a large quantity of food, often having the sense of being out of control. This behavior is typically followed by feelings of guilt, shame, and anxiety, which may lead to purging in an attempt to counteract the binge.

Binge eating disorder

Binge eating disorder (BED) involves recurrent episodes of consuming large amounts of food in a short period of time, often associated with a sense of loss of control and emotional distress. Unlike with bulimia, individuals with BED do not engage in compensatory behaviors after binge episodes.

For those with BED, food often serves as a way to manage stress, trauma, or negative emotions. The temporary comfort from binge eating is usually overshadowed by subsequent feelings of guilt, shame, and self-reproach.

If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.

Less common types of eating disorders

While most people have heard of anorexia and bulimia, there are also less common types of eating disorders that it can be helpful to be aware of. For example, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is a condition in which individuals limit the amount or type of food eaten. Unlike with anorexia nervosa, individuals with ARFID do not have a distorted body image or extreme fear of gaining weight. Their food avoidance is often related to sensory sensitivities or fear of negative consequences from eating, such as choking. Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder can lead to significant nutritional deficiencies and the inability to maintain basic body function.

Selective eating disorder involves extreme picky eating, where individuals only consume a very limited variety of foods. As with ARFID, this condition can lead to significant nutritional deficiencies and interfere with daily functioning.

Feeding and eating disorder of infancy or early childhood (FED) is a condition that often develops in children under the age of six. It involves persistent eating disturbances, leading to impaired physical health and development.

Other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED) encompasses a spectrum of eating disorders that do not meet the full criteria for other recognized eating disorders but may still cause significant distress and impairment. Examples of other eating disorders in this category include atypical anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa with low frequency, and purging disorder. These conditions can be equally severe and have significant impacts on mental health, comparable to more widely recognized eating disorders.

What causes eating disorders?

Risk factors for developing eating disorders

There are certain risk factors that may increase the likelihood of a person developing an eating disorder. Some of these include:

• Genetic predisposition
• Psychological factors like low self-esteem or perfectionism
• Sociocultural influences, including media pressure and cultural ideals of thinness
• Traumatic experiences or significant life changes
• Certain personality traits, such as impulsivity or anxiety
• Family history of eating disorders or other mental health conditions
• A history of dieting and weight loss attempts

The presence of one or more risk factors doesn't necessarily mean an individual will develop an eating disorder. Likewise, someone without apparent risk factors may still develop an eating disorder.

The role of dieting and restricting certain foods in eating disorders

Food is fundamental to our survival. However, for individuals with eating disorders, food can be a source of great distress and conflict. Avoidance and restriction of food are common in some eating disorders. As a result of these illnesses, individuals may develop an intense fear of or disgust towards certain foods.

Avoidance of certain foods and excessive dietary restrictions

In anorexia nervosa, food is often an individual’s primary source of control. As they gain a sense of control over their food intake, thoughts and emotions surrounding food can become more rigid and obsessive. This behavior can lead to severe self-imposed dietary restrictions with little flexibility.

Similarly, people with ARFID may avoid entire categories of foods due to sensory sensitivities or fear of adverse consequences such as choking or vomiting. Their avoidance may result in inadequate dietary intake and nutritional deficiencies.

Emotional coping mechanisms related to food

Eating disorders often include the use of food as a method of managing complex emotions or stress. For example, episodes of binge eating often follow intense emotional experiences involving anxiety, sadness, or anger. By consuming large amounts of food, individuals may temporarily numb their emotional distress.

In contrast, people with anorexia nervosa or ARFID may use restrictive eating to cope with negative feelings. The sense of control over what they eat can provide a temporary sense of relief from stress or anxiety.

The relationship between weight anxiety and eating disorders

Many eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, are heavily influenced by body image. Those affected frequently have an altered view of their body shape and size, which can prompt disordered eating behaviors. It’s also possible for dieting behaviors to contribute to the development of an eating disorder.

How a focus on weight loss or thinness can contribute to eating disorders

Cultural ideals and societal pressures regarding beauty and health can foster negative body image, raising the risk of eating disorders. Media images of "ideal" body types and an “ideal” weight can influence personal body views, resulting in unhealthy efforts toward weight loss or altering appearance. These pressures are often particularly present and impactful during adolescence and young adulthood, which are typical onset periods for eating disorders.

Supporting recovery and improved mental health

Recovery from an eating disorder is usually an ongoing journey. By cultivating a strong support network and developing healthy ways to cope, individuals with eating disorders may learn to more effectively handle life’s challenges and manage stress without engaging in disordered eating patterns. If you’re experiencing symptoms of disordered eating, it’s recommended that you meet with a mental health care provider as soon as possible.

Building a strong support network

A solid support network can aid in a person’s recovery from an eating disorder. A support network often consists of family, friends, healthcare practitioners, and support groups, all of which can provide crucial emotional support and practical help. Having a strong support system can help individuals navigate challenges, celebrate successes, and maintain motivation during their recovery journey.

Ongoing strategies for maintaining mental health

Taking steps to maintain mental health after the initial phase of recovering from an eating disorder can be crucial to long-term success. This process usually involves ongoing effort and the implementation of various strategies. Some examples may include:

• Practicing self-compassion and challenging negative self-talk
• Engaging in regular self-care activities
• Developing healthier coping mechanisms for stress and difficult emotions
• Maintaining balanced eating behaviors
• Regularly checking in with mental health professionals and doctors or dieticians 
• Staying connected with supportive individuals
• Engaging in activities that promote body acceptance and positive self-image

The role of therapy in long-term recovery

Some form of talk therapy is usually a key component of recovering from an eating disorder and preventing relapse over the longer term. However, engaging in long-term treatment in person isn’t feasible for everyone. That’s why online therapy is often recommended for this type of support. 

With a platform like BetterHelp, you can get matched and meet with a licensed therapist from the comfort of home. That means you don't have to commute to and from regular in-person appointments, and the cost of virtual sessions is often lower than in-office visits as well.

Findings from various studies highlight the potential of online therapy for treating eating disorders. Research findings suggest participation in digital therapeutic interventions for eating disorders may result in significant symptom reduction in some cases.