A Journey Through Eating Disorders Support & Recovery

When you or a loved one are struggling with an eating disorder, the last thing you want to do is navigate the convoluted world of health insurance. But unfortunately, confirming coverage is often necessary to get the care you need. The good news is that by understanding the landscape of insurance for eating disorder treatment, you can make the process…

What is the difference between disordered eating and eating disorders? Disordered eating includes behaviors like skipping meals, dieting, and moralizing food, which are often normalized in society but create a chaotic relationship with food. These behaviors can also snowball into full-blown eating disorders, which are serious and complex mental health disorders. For that reason, early recognition and intervention is critical.…

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that, unfortunately, don’t go away on their own. While it’s always possible to recover from an eating disorder, specialized treatment is often needed to overcome these illnesses. Thankfully, technology has expanded not only the types of treatment that can be made available but how, when, and where that treatment can be administered. What…

What is ARFID? Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is an eating disorder characterized by food avoidance or restriction that results in nutritional deficiencies and interferes with daily functioning. As with anorexia nervosa, ARFID can lead to significant weight loss or a failure to gain weight. It does not include concerns about body weight and shape, however. Instead, ARFID primarily manifests…

For many years, I didn’t know if the destruction I had inflicted on my body in the form of bulimia nervosa would ruin my chances of getting pregnant one day. I had been diagnosed with PCOS and infertility. Then, on Mother’s Day weekend in 2023, I took a pregnancy test and found out I was pregnant. I was filled with…

What is Body Dysmorphic Disorder? Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is defined as a mental health condition in which a person is preoccupied with one or more perceived defects or flaws in their physical appearance that are not noticeable or appear minor to others. These perceived flaws can cause significant distress and can lead to impaired social, occupational, and other areas…

Weight stigma affects all of us, including young children who can experience this in the form of name-calling, cyberbullying, and physical harm. To support kids, parents first need to address their own biases about weight and body size, then speak positively about food to help children develop a positive relationship with food and their bodies. Normalize body diversity by discussing…

Stereotypes based on weight, shape, and size run rampant in our modern society and help inform weight stigma, a dangerous attitude that can lead to very real mental, physical, and emotional complications. Events like Weight Stigma Awareness Week work to help people understand the truth about weight, shape, size, and inherent worth, and can help someone let go of these…

September is recognized as National Suicide Prevention Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about suicide and fostering open dialogue on a subject that can be challenging to discuss. This month is an opportunity to engage in and encourage conversations about the importance of mental health, suicide prevention, and the need for comprehensive support. Discussions about suicide prevention often center…

Lauren Gerber says she always considered herself to be a fairly obsessive person. But she never identified as someone with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a mental illness characterized by uncontrollable and recurring thoughts (obsessions), repetitive behaviors (compulsions), or both. She was also never formally diagnosed with the condition—until 15 years after she’d recovered from her eating disorder. Her story is unique,…