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    girl sitting at a table looking like she is struggling with her food, misconceptions about eating disorders blog, counseling center at cinco ranch

    5 Common Misconceptions about Eating Disorders

    August 12, 2022

      By: Jessica Johns-Green, LPC Eating disorders are widespread. They are estimated to affect 30 Million Americans within their lifetime and roughly 900,000 Texas residents, according to Sage Recovery & Wellness. As Common as Eating Disorders Are, They Can Seem Difficult to Understand Even those suffering from eating disorders can feel confused about how to view […]

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    5 Common Misconceptions about Eating Disorders

    August 12, 2022
      By: Jessica Johns-Green, LPC

    Eating disorders are widespread. They are estimated to affect 30 Million Americans within their lifetime and roughly 900,000 Texas residents, according to Sage Recovery & Wellness.

    As Common as Eating Disorders Are, They Can Seem Difficult to Understand

    girl sitting at a table looking like she is struggling with her food, misconceptions about eating disorders blog, counseling center at cinco ranch

    Even those suffering from eating disorders can feel confused about how to view their difficulties. To further complicate matters, things that happen in our brains when we ignore our nutritional needs make it extremely difficult to see reality and the dangers eating disorders present. Genetics and personal differences play a role, as well. The human body has evolved ingenious ways to survive, even under dire starvation conditions. These survival abilities kick in to keep us alive but can make seeing the damage of an eating disorder difficult. When subjected to starvation, some bodies will show symptoms immediately; others will not. But that doesn’t mean that damage to internal organs, vital systems, and bone integrity is not happening. In all eating disorders, returning to standard eating patterns is essential for recovery, usually with the support of a doctor, dietitian, or a therapist experienced in eating disorders.

    5 Misconceptions About Eating Disorders:

    1. You Can Tell if Someone Has an Eating Disorder By How They Look

    We may believe that severe eating disorders look one way – thin, skeletal, sick. Many people struggle for a long time because most people around them, including well-meaning medical practitioners who do not specialize in eating disorders, don’t recognize the dangers. Any period of restrictive calorie intake will send the body into a conservation mode where the body will ‘steal’ nutrients from bones, cells, and muscles. In conservation mode, the brain lacks the glucose it needs to think clearly. But for some, this conservation mode will look like rapid weight loss. For others, they may hover at decreased weight but seem ‘normal.’ Our bodies can hold onto weight and not seem to lose much. Professionals with experience with eating disorders know the often missed signs and symptoms.

    2. Only Extremely Underweight People Need Treatment

    very thin girl bending over wearing a robe who may have an eating disorder, misconceptions about eating disorders blog, counseling center at cinco ranch

    While lower body weight individuals may face more significant risks, anyone restricting calories, purging, or eating erratically is a valid candidate for treatment. While some will require more intensive treatment settings, all these eating-disordered behaviors are taking a dangerous toll on the body. Mental health and relationships will also suffer. The sooner an eating disorder is addressed, the better.

    3. Complementing Appearance Will Help Someone to ‘Get Over’ the Eating Disorder

    Despite good intentions behind most compliments, people struggling with eating disorders don’t need them and usually don’t enjoy them. Telling someone they” ‘look better or healthier” can trigger worries over how much focus others place on physical appearance. This worry can drive the individual to be more concerned with appearance and manage by controlling their body and food intake. Additionally, many people with eating disorders describe incidents early in their condition when someone complimented weight loss (“You’ve lost weight”), spurring them further into a disordered eating pattern.

    4. If You Have a Regular Period/Menstrual Cycle, Your Eating Disorder is Not Severe

    As mentioned above, bodies will deal with the effects of starvation in different ways. Some people will lose their period soon after starting a restrictive diet. Others can keep having a cycle even at dangerously low body weights. Birth control pills are also a consideration as these can make the body bleed monthly, but that does not mean the body is healthy. Some people are even prescribed birth control pills by doctors trying to restart a lost period. Although there may be a monthly bleed, this is not a result of hormonal balance and is not a solution. The body has stopped menstruating to conserve valuable energy. The body is wise enough to sense that this time of starvation is not the best to raise a child. Restoring nutrition is the only way to bring the hormonal and reproductive system back online.

    5. If My Doctor Says My Blood Work is Fine, My Eating Disorder is Not That Bad

    A standard blood workup at your usual general practitioner can provide a false sense of security unless your doctor has eating disorder expertise. Doctors will not look for some things and may misinterpret other symptoms unless the physician knows how starvation and purging can show up in tests. One damaging effect of eating disorders that are often not checked and can be irreversible is the damage to bones. The body ‘steals’ nutrients from the bones and halts any repair to bone cells to conserve energy. Yet, many people, particularly boys and men with eating disorders, are routinely not screened and sent away from their doctor with the belief that they are fine.

    Reach Out For Help

    scrabble peieces that spell out eating anorexia bulemia disorders, misconceptions about eating disorders blog, counseling center at cinco ranch

    Eating disorders can be dangerous and potentially deadly. So, if you identify with any of these, reach out for help. It can feel overwhelming to begin to focus on the problem, and finding solutions can feel impossible; however, you are not alone in the journey. If you need help, talk to a supportive friend or doctor, or find a therapist. Therapy offers a place to deal with the emotional issues that drive these problems. Working with a therapist can help you find confidence in your ability to cope and have a healthy relationship with food. At the Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch, we are here to help. You deserve to feel empowered, not helpless.

    Eating Disorder Therapy in Katy, TX!

    If you are ready to take control of your eating disorder, the therapists at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch can help!

    To begin counseling in Katy, TX follow these three steps:

    • Contact our office to set up an appointment or to learn more about eating disorder therapy.
    • Meet with one of our eating disorder therapists.
    • Uncover ways to understand your body and nutritional needs.

    Other Therapy Services We Offer:

    Here at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch, we offer counseling services for people of all ages in areas including counseling for kids, counseling for young adults, teen counseling, couples counseling, eating disorder treatment, men’s issues, women’s issues, anxiety treatment, depression therapy, trauma counseling, family therapy, and group counseling. Our therapists strive to post blogs regularly. We provide helpful information on a variety of mental health topics. To learn more about our therapists and counseling services, please reach out to the Counseling Center today!

    Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 77494, anorexia, appearances, binging, bulemia, calories, Common Misconceptions, counseling, counseling center at cinco ranch, eating difficulty, eating disorder therapy, eating disorder treatment, eating disorders, eating problems, food disorder, fulshear texas, individual counseling, Katy Texas, menstrual cycle, overweight, purging, richmond texas, struggling with food, struggling with nutrition, underweight

    Woman holding a plate of cake

    Eating Disorders and Emotions

    February 5, 2020

    By: Jessica Johns-Green, LPC Unhealthy relationships with food and eating disorders are prevalent in our society. Mental health issues are also prevalent in our society with over 40 million adults diagnosed with anxiety every year. So have you ever wondered if you use food for comfort and to just deal? You’re driving home after a […]

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    Eating Disorders and Emotions

    February 5, 2020
    By: Jessica Johns-Green, LPC

    Unhealthy relationships with food and eating disorders are prevalent in our society. Mental health issues are also prevalent in our society with over 40 million adults diagnosed with anxiety every year. So have you ever wondered if you use food for comfort and to just deal?

    You’re driving home after a stressful day. On your way, you mull over the events of the day.  The things that made you worried or angry.  As you approach home, your mind becomes set on a big bowl of ice cream.  Maybe two bowls.  

    I’m stressed. I’ll have a bowl of ice cream. Maybe two.

     

    Using Food To Cope With Emotions

    Ever been there?  If so, this is typically a sign you are using food to cope with emotions. It makes you feel better to enjoy ice cream rather than think about the conflicts of the day. Ice cream reminds you of happy times, and for just a moment when you’re digging into your bowl, you forget. 

     

    When life feels unmanageable, we often use food as a tool to distract us, or soothe us, or sometimes even both.

    Food and emotion are linked; however, not always in a negative way. People in every culture use food to celebrate, be near loved ones, feel comfort and mark big occasions.  But for many people, the relationship with food can be difficult, and even destructive.  Destructive relationships with food can often lead to eating disorders.

    How Do I Know If I Have An Eating Disorder or An Unhealthy Relationship With Food?

    It can be challenging to identify eating disorders and other types of problematic food behaviors because they take many shapes. Some examples include under-eating, overeating, or a combination of both.  And often, these kinds of problems can start with good intentions.  It may be as innocent as a bowl of ice cream. However, if the bowl of ice cream is to deal with anxiety, then over time you may gain weight. Eventually, you begin to feel helpless about your struggles with eating and anxiety.  

    Maybe if I just ignore my emotions and eat the ice cream I will feel better.

     

    Eating Behaviors That Can Be An Area of Concern

    Problematic eating habits can lead to mood and health problems. Although not all problematic eating habits will lead to an eating disorder, you can gain a better understanding of the types of areas of concern.

    • Being rigidly restrictive with food and extremely focused on weight/appearance to the point where either your health or other areas of life suffer greatly. In more severe cases, this is known as anorexia nervosa. A disorder characterized by dangerously low calorie intake and anxiety about eating food and your body size and shape.
    • Overeating that becomes a regular occurrence, and is often driven by emotions, such as worry, sadness, loneliness.  At it’s most severe, binge eating disorder is characterized by eating large amounts of food and feeling out of control of the eating.  
    • Habitually trying to ‘make up’ for eating too much in some way.  If you are stuck in a repeating loop of overeating and over dieting, it’s not just your health that suffers, it’s your mood, too.  Excessive workouts, heavily restricting calories, laxative use after overeating are all signs to take a look at your relationship with food.  Bulimia is a disorder characterized by a cycle of binging (excessive overeating) and purging (vomiting, laxative use, obsessive exercise), as well as, negative body image issues.
    • Excessive anxiety about eating the ‘right’ food/healthy food. Eating healthy is great and essential for your mood.  However, for some people, it can start to feel out of control.  Choosing what to eat can feel overwhelming or leave no room for flexibility.  Although not a recognized disorder, some practitioners are referring to cases of Orthorexia, a condition where health food choices become an obsession and a source of anxiety.

    Reach Out For Help   Woman sitting at table

    Eating disorders can be dangerous and potentially deadly. So, if you identify with any of these, reach out for help. It can feel overwhelming to begin to focus on the problem and finding solutions can feel impossible; however, you are not alone in the journey.  If you need help, talk to a supportive friend, speak to your doctor or find a therapist.  Therapy offers a place to deal with the emotional issues that drive these problems.  Working with a therapist can help you to find confidence in your ability to cope and have a healthy relationship with food.  At the Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch, we are here to help.  You deserve to feel empowered, not helpless.   

    Please contact our office to discuss your therapy needs or arrange an initial consultation with Jessica.

     

    Other Services Offered at Cinco Ranch Counseling

    Here at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch in Katy, TX, our compassionate therapists work individually with each client to provide a safe place where clients feel respected and can begin their journey towards healing. Our counseling services include counseling for anxiety,  counseling for depression, trauma counseling, family counseling, counseling for kids, counseling for teens, counseling for young adults, couples counseling, and group counseling. Our therapists strive to regularly post blogs with helpful information on a variety of mental health topics. To learn more about our therapists and our counseling services, please reach out to the Center today!

     

     

     

    Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: anorexia, bulimia, eating disorders, emotional eating



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    info@cincoranchcounseling.com

    23236 Kingsplace Drive
    Katy, TX 77494

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