Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are characterized by severe disturbances in eating behavior. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder in which people intentionally starve themselves. This causes extreme and unhealthy weight loss. Other mental health problems, such as anxiety disorders or mood disorders, are commonly found in persons with anorexia.
Bulimia nervosa is characterized by repeated episodes of binge eating followed by purging (self-induced vomiting), misuse of laxatives, diuretics or other medications; fasting; or excessive exercise. People with binge eating disorder typically consume huge amounts of food to reduce stress and relieve anxiety.
Anorexia and bulimia are usually treated with a combination of individual therapy, family therapy, behavior modification and nutritional rehabilitation.
Simple obesity is also important to treat, especially given potential medical complications. There are often psychological factors that can make permanent weight control difficult to achieve.