Eating Disorder Descriptions

Bulimia: characterized by a cycle of uncontrollable consumption of large quantities of food followed by some form of purging, The purging may be self-induced vomiting, excessive use of laxatives or obsessive exercising. Feeling out of control may extend to other areas of their life, resulting in over-spending, chaotic relationships or alcohol/drug abuse.

Anorexia: characterized by an obsession with food and weight, yet they deny their hunger and starve themselves. The use of restriction may be extended to other parts of their life, resulting in limited social activities and friendships.

Compulsive Overeating: characterized by uncontrollable episodic or daily overeating, resulting in weight gain. The person may continually try different diets, but they usually end in frustration and failure.

Some of the issues that anorexics, bulimic and compulsive overeaters struggle with include: an inability to identify their needs and feelings, their fear that they will never get enough, their need for immediate gratification, and their shame over their neediness, greed and rage. What makes it so difficult is that these feelings are usually part of a split-off or hidden self.

The disruption in early relationships becomes expressed through the disruption in eating patterns. Whether it is not eating, binge eating or compulsive overeating, the person uses food rather than people to meet his/her needs, and to avoid the repetition of earlier feelings of shame, disappointment, frustration or abuse.