Eating Disorders

Course Summary

Eating disorders are serious illnesses that can become fatal. These disorders are associated with severe disturbances in thoughts, emotions, and preoccupations surrounding food, body weight, and physical appearance. There is often a misconception that eating disorders are a lifestyle choice rather than a serious illness. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating, and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder are among the most common eating disorders. Separating the person from the illness, called externalization, can be helpful by looking at the illness as the problem and the individual as the solution. Caring for someone with an eating disorder can be challenging but the more you know about eating disorders and truly understand eating disorders the easier it will be.