Disordered Eating

A serious, complex, mental health issue.

An eating disorder affects your emotional and physical health. If you have an eating disorder, you’ll develop an unhealthy relationship with food, your weight or your appearance.
Eating disorders are caused by several complex factors including genetics, brain biology, personality, cultural and social ideals and mental health issues. Anorexia, Bulimia and Binge Eating Disorder are all common types of eating disorders. It’s important to remember that Eating Disorders are treatable. If they go untreated, they can develop into life-threatening problems.

Types of eating disorders

There are different types of eating disorders, all of which we care for at Palm Tree Clinic. You may have more than one type of eating disorder at the same time.

Anorexia Nervosa means you restrict food and calories, sometimes to the point of starving yourself. You can have anorexia at any body size. It is characterized by an obsessive desire to lose weight and a refusal to eat healthy amounts of food for your body type and activity level.

Bulimia Nervosa means you binge eat or think you have eaten large amounts of food in a short time. Afterward, you may force yourself to purge by vomiting, using laxatives or exercising excessively.

Binge Eating Disorder means a loss of control over your eating. You eat, or think you have eaten, a large amount of food in a short space of time. Unlike Bulimia you don't purge instead you might feel uncomfortably full and may struggle with shame, regret, guilt, or depression.