What You May Be Experiencing
Disordered eating can look different for everyone.
You may be struggling with binge eating, food restriction, emotional eating, frequent dieting, guilt after eating, or anxiety about food and your body. You may spend a lot of time thinking about calories, weight, exercise, or what you “should” and “shouldn’t” eat. Disordered eating often exists alongside anxiety, perfectionism, stress, low self-esteem, and body image concerns. You don't need a formal eating disorder diagnosis to seek support.
Disordered eating can affect anyone, regardless of gender, age, or body size. Men can experience the same struggles with food, exercise, body image, and self-worth, and may be less likely to recognize their experiences as something they can seek help for.
How Therapy Can Help
Disordered eating therapy is about more than food.
You may be struggling with your relationship with food, eating, or your body. Disordered eating can take many forms, including:
- Binge eating or feeling out of control around food
- Food restriction or rigid food rules
- Emotional eating or using food to cope with difficult emotions
- Frequent dieting or repeatedly starting over
- Guilt, shame, or anxiety after eating
- Constantly thinking about calories, weight, exercise, or body shape
- Feeling pressure about what you “should” and “shouldn’t” eat
- Body image concerns or comparing your body to others
Disordered eating often exists alongside anxiety, perfectionism, stress, low self-esteem, and other mental health concerns. You don't need a formal eating disorder diagnosis to seek support.
What You Might Notice
As you begin to make changes, you may notice less preoccupation with food, eating, and your body and more freedom in your everyday life. You may feel more comfortable eating without guilt, become better able to recognize and respond to your needs, and have more tools for managing stress and difficult emotions. Over time, therapy can help you move away from all-or-nothing thinking and self-criticism toward greater flexibility, self-compassion, and choice.
