You cannot tell by looking at someone if they have anorexia because eating disorders don’t have a look. Struggling with anorexia or anorexia-like eating disorder behaviors is exhausting. It’s hard to know where to begin when food feels scary and overwhelming.
All you can think about is food and your body, and you are so tired of it. You can’t focus on other important roles or relationships in your life. On some level, you know that you are more than the food you eat and the appearance of your body. But, you have been restricting for so long you don’t know another way. These feelings are completely normal. You’re not alone. Also, you don’t have to keep ongoing while anorexia takes over your life. You deserve support through anorexia treatment in Seattle, WA.
Anorexia nervosa can affect:
Socializing with partner, friends, and family
Energy adequacy/levels
Dating
Intimacy
Joy in life
Eating socially
Common Signs and Symptoms of Anorexia Include:
Being preoccupied with your body’s weight, shape, and size. It’s always on your mind and stopping you from living a full life.
Experiencing feelings of hate, shame, guilt, blame, and self-consciousness about your body.
Avoiding social gatherings due to body/social isolation.
Body dissatisfaction causing feelings of sadness, low self-esteem, and disordered eating.
Using disordered behaviors to control your body size. These may include purging (all types), overexercising, and skipping meals and snacks.
Let’s Talk About “Atypical Anorexia”
The symbol of anorexia in mainstream media is usually a thin white cisgender woman. But, the reality is that anorexia can occur in all types of people in all types of bodies. The diagnostic criteria of anorexia rely on weight loss and low weight categories. As a result, these criteria can exclude many people and prevent them from seeking help.
Atypical anorexia describes anorexia nervosa in those who are not considered “underweight” (1). According to the National Eating Disorders Association, scientific research has failed to distinguish the medical and psychological outcomes of anorexia versus atypical anorexia (1). In short, atypical anorexia is a weight-stigmatizing category invented by the medical establishment.
You deserve help no matter what has happened to your weight. And, you do not need an eating disorder diagnosis to seek support.
Nutrition Counseling Can Help You Heal From Anorexia.
Nutrition counseling creates a space to explore. Here, you can learn how to overcome disordered eating in a judgment-free zone. It helps you develop compassion for yourself and curiosity around thoughts and behaviors. Which, can be beneficial in moving forward with anorexia treatment. Eating disorders can steal your life. So, taking the time for treatment can help you reclaim your way of being. A nutrition therapist can help you create a more pleasurable, liberating experience with food.
Common reasons someone comes to Bravespace Nutrition for anorexia treatment include:
Struggling with negative thoughts of body image, body size, and/or weight
Feeling sick and tired of managing weight/tired of relying on the scale for validation
Having difficulty breaking free from a restrictive eating pattern
Cutting out too many foods or food groups, having a growing list of safe foods or food rules
Feeling fatigued, low-energy, or burnout related to reduced or low food intake
Recurrence of anorexia behaviors after seeking past anorexia treatment
A Nutrition Therapist in Seattle, WA Can Help You Support You in Your Recovery.
Our dietitians know what it feels like to be stuck in anorexia nervosa and feel like you cannot escape it. We have met many individuals who were stuck in their eating disorders and unable to move forward. Our dietitian nutritionists are all trained to offer you anorexia treatment for outpatient support. This helps you to:
Better understand how your restrictive eating behaviors have been impacted by life experiences
Create personalized goals and practices to address your struggles with food and your body
Build self-compassion as you re-learn to nourish yourself and challenge the eating disorder
At Bravespace Nutrition, Anorexia Treatment in Seattle, WA Looks Like This:
Using a Health At Every Size approach to anorexia treatment. We will work to address eating disorder behaviors as opposed to weight changes. F
Define client progress by your improvements to your relationship with food and the decreased occurrence of eating disorder behaviors.
Unpack and explore restrictive thoughts and attitudes related to the eating disorder behaviors
Develop a nourishing and consistent pattern of eating
Use body image work alongside nutrition counseling to complement eating disorder recovery
Challenge food distortions, food fears, and food behaviors using brain and body-based techniques
Create a meal plan when appropriate to support energy needs
Explore and challenge exercise behaviors related to controlling body shape and size.
What is Holding You Back From Seeking Anorexia Treatment in Seattle, WA?
“I’m not sick enough to seek anorexia treatment.” - Unfortunately, cultural and societal representations of eating disorders normalize the idea that one has to hit “rock bottom” before starting anorexia treatment. This is a myth. If you have considered seeking anorexia treatment, you’d likely benefit from support. You may also experience stress or anxiety related to food or your body. That means you’d likely benefit from support as well. If thoughts around food or your body interfere with your life in any way, you’d likely benefit from support. Bottom line: ALL are worthy of support.
“I don’t have time for nutrition counseling.” - Yes nutrition support for anorexia nervosa does take an investment of time. But, your well-being is worth it. Working with an nutrition therapist to walk through the process helps you gain purpose and intention in your recovery journey. It also helps you learn tools to use if these thoughts or behaviors resurface in the future. We recognize that recovery is never a clean, linear process. It’s a time investment well worth your time in the short and long term. You don’t have to take on the challenge of recovery alone, and we’d be honored to support you along the way!
Get support from your peers in our body image support group
Here at Bravespace Nutrition, we believe a nourished life begins by stepping into a brave space. This is why we created the Body Image Badass Support Group. This is a body image support group for women ages 18+ that are in recovery from disordered eating, an eating disorder, or chronic dieting.
In this awesome group, you will work with other women and create a sense of self-worth that is not based on your body shape or weight. You will learn new tools that will help you appreciate the body you have. But the best part, you will be supported by your peers and a caring therapist along the way!
Begin Anorexia Treatment in Seattle, WA
Anorexia can feel like an endless battle against your own body. You deserve support to develop a love for the food you eat, and the body you have. The caring dietitians from our Seattle, WA-based counseling practice would be honored to help you to overcome your struggle. To start Anorexia treatment in Seattle, WA, please follow these simple steps:
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation by clicking the button below.
Meet with a caring dietitian.
Start your recovery journey, and improve your relationship with food!
Other Services Offered at Bravespace Nutrition
Anorexia treatment isn’t the only service offered at our Seattle, Wa-based therapy practice. Other services include support for body image, binge eating, intuitive eating, Bulimia treatment, and chronic dieting. We also offer a body image support group, and business coaching as well. For more information, please feel free to visit our blog, FAQ, or resources page!
*Please note, we do not provide inpatient or residential treatment. Nutrition counseling is not an appropriate avenue yet if the eating disorder impairs your daily functioning or if a healthcare provider has referred you to eating disorder treatment. We can support you in recovery through outpatient care. Click here to find treatment. Click here to contact the NEDA helpline
References: Anorexia Nervosa. National Eating Disorders Association. Accessed June 29, 2021.