There are three main eating disorders: binge eating disorder, bulimia, and anorexia (see definitions below). They can range from mild to moderate to severe.

Sometimes a person can struggle with different eating disorders at different periods of their life. Binge eaters may turn to bulimia, bulimics may develop anorexia, and 50% of anorexics become bulimic.

All eating disorders have in common that they are coping mechanisms and ways to manage stress.

Binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder characterized by overeating not out of physical hunger so much as emotional stress.

• Recurring binge episodes --  eating large amounts of food in a short period of time

• Feeling out of control with eating

• Gorging on high-calorie food

• Eating secretly or sneaking food

• Repeated attempts to lose weight

• Feeling depressed or guilty after binging

• Occurs at least 2 days a week for 6 months

Bulimia refers to a person who binges on food and then engaging in behaviors to get rid of the food they have eaten. 

• A feeling of lack of control over eating behavior

• Recurrent episodes of binge eating

• The person regularly engages in the following behavior to prevent weight gain:

• PURGING TYPE:

• Self-induced vomiting

• Laxatives

• Diuretics

• Enemas

• NON-PURGING TYPE:

• Fasting

• Excessive Exercise

• Spitting Out Food

• A minimum average of two binge episodes a week for at least 3 months

• Persistent over-concern with body shape and weight

Anorexia describes someone who willfully starves themself. In truth, anorexics are hungry and their illness is about the denial of this hunger. Anorexics believe the thinner they are, the more perfect they are, but they never feel thin enough.

• Refusal to maintain normal body weight

• Loss of 15% of original body weight

• Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat even though underweight

• Disturbance in the way one’s body, weight, size or shape is experienced

• In females, the absence of three consecutive menstrual cycles

Anorexia has the second highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness. Self-starvation can lead to severe medical complications which can lead to death.

Although body image distress is not an eating disorder, the pain of “feeling fat” often leads to people to seek out ways to lose weight that sets the cycle of an eating disorder in motion.

No one should have to suffer in silence. If you think you may have an eating disorder, please reach out to The Mindful Eating Project for an evaluation and help. You are not alone!

Submitted by Mary Anne Cohen

Director – The New York Center for Eating Disorders