Many people suffer from eating disorders. When left unchecked and not treated, they can cause severe health complications such as problems with growth and development, depression and anxiety, work and school issues, and they can even result in death in extreme cases.

Fortunately, Hypnotherapy and integrative treatment for eating disorders has proven effective for many clients and allowed them to lead a healthy and successful life.

What is an eating disorder? 

Eating disorders are a variety of serious psychological conditions that cause people to develop unhealthy eating habits, often fixating on food (whether overeating or restricting food) and/or maintaining a certain body weight or shape. People who suffer from an eating disorder often experience negative emotions which hinder their ability to function well in their life.

Typically, eating disorders develop during the adolescent or young adult years but people of any age can be affected by such a condition. 

Types of eating disorders

There are several types of eating disorders and it is important to diagnose the type of eating disorder you suffer from correctly in order to receive the proper treatment. Here are the most common forms of eating disorders:

• anorexia nervosa
• binge eating disorder
• bulimia nervosa
• rumination disorder
• pica
• avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)

• You can also suffer from less common or less-known eating disorders such as the following:

  • night eating syndrome
  • purging disorder
  • other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED)

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  Symptoms of eating disorders

  Most people who suffer from an eating disorder may not even notice the symptoms of it or think that it is okay to engage in unhealthy eating habits. However, this only exacerbates the problems and causes you to spiral down unhealthy eating patterns. Thus, it is important to notice the signs of unhealthy eating behaviour as early as possible.

  Here are the common symptoms of eating disorders:

  • excessive eating/binge-eating
  • eating in secret
  • adopting an overly restrictive diet
  • use of dietary supplements, herbal products, and laxatives for weight loss
  • skipping meals
  • frequent eating or repeatedly eating large quantities of high-fat or sugary food
  • leaving during meals to use the toilet
  • vomiting
  • over exercising 
  • expressing shame, guilt, depression, or disgust about eating habits

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  The causes of eating disorders

  Since eating disorders are an illness it is difficult to understand their exact causes. However, the most likely causes include psychological and emotional health problems, genetic factors, and biological factors such as changes in the brain chemicals. 

  People who have a family history of any kind of eating disorder or suffer from other mental health disorders are at an increased risk of developing an eating disorder. Uncontrolled dieting and starvation and too much stress can also increase the risk of you developing an eating disorder.

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  Treatment options for eating disorders

  My practice integrates many different therapy techniques to not only treat the symptomatic condition, but also the root cause. Emotional issues are processed using a combination of various techniques including; hypnotherapy, EMDR, NLP and Gestalt therapy and neuroscience programmes. This combination of therapies addresses the very root cause as well as enabling clients to learn to take back control of their eating issue . 

  For extreme cases, the patient may need to undergo partial, residential, or inpatient hospitalisation if significant BMI levels are low. If you or your loved ones need treatment for an eating disorder in Edgbaston, Birmingham, please do not delay, book an appointment with us today (online Zoom appointments available). 

  Stuart - 07825 599340 

  stuart@hypnotherapy4freedom.com

  www.hypnotherapy4freedom.com