Eating Disorders

About 9% of people in the United States develop an eating disorder during their lifetime. At Dreavita, an adult and adolescent mental health telehealth practice serving patients in Michigan, Massachusetts, California, Alaska, Washington, Colorado, and Florida, Andrea Piazza, MA, and the team diagnose and treat eating disorders to restore a healthy relationship with food. Schedule a telehealth evaluation by calling the office or booking an appointment online today. 

What are eating disorders?

Eating disorders are mental health conditions that affect thoughts and behaviors surrounding food. They negatively affect relationships with food and overall physical and mental well-being. Eating disorders can become life-threatening in some cases, but treatment with the Dreavita team can help you or a loved one overcome such disorders. 

What are the risk factors for an eating disorder?

Eating disorders affect people of all genders, ages, and ethnic backgrounds. Risk factors include:

• Family history of eating disorders
• Extreme or ongoing emotional distress
• Depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or other mental health concerns
• Past trauma
• Certain personality traits
• Peer pressure
• History of dieting
• Being bullied 

People struggling with an eating disorder may be within a normal weight range, overweight, or underweight. The exact cause of eating disorders isn’t fully understood. They may develop because of genetic, social, or other environmental factors. 

What are the common types of eating disorders?

Examples of eating disorders include:

Anorexia nervosa

People struggling with anorexia nervosa severely restrict calories because of a distorted self-image or extreme fear of gaining weight.

Bulimia nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is characterized by binge eating large amounts of food, followed by forced vomiting, laxatives, or strenuous exercise to avoid weight gain. People with bulimia are often within a normal weight range.

Binge-eating disorder

Individuals with binge-eating disorder lose control of their eating habits, binging on very large quantities of food without being able to stop. They're often overweight or obese.

Pica

Pica is an eating disorder in which individuals crave and eat non-food items — such as ice, paint chips, clay, laundry starch, dirt, or other unhealthy (even dangerous) substances. 

Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)

Individuals with ARFID limit the variety and the amount of food eaten due to fear of choking or vomiting, loss of interest in food, or disliking a food’s appearance, smell, or texture. People struggling with ARFID are often underweight.

How are eating disorders treated?

Your personalized eating disorder treatment may include:

• Nutritional counseling
• Kintsugi emotional wellness solutions
• Client-centered talk therapy
• Couples or family counseling
• Coaching
• Neurofeedback using Muse™ devices 
• Lifestyle changes
• Medications
• Art therapy
• Trauma-informed counseling
• Exposure therapy 
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), including trauma-focused CBT
• Sublingual ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP)
• Group therapy
• Inpatient program referrals 

Dreavita partners with Journey Clinical to offer fully remote KAP. The team provides an advanced therapeutic technology rental program where you can rent neurofeedback or similar devices. Dreavita also uses workbooks and worksheets to help you overcome an eating disorder. The team takes a holistic, integrative approach to mental health care.

Schedule a virtual eating disorders evaluation at Dreavita by phone or request one online today.