“Normal” to Clinical Disturbances: Eating Issues, Body Image Problems, & Eating Disorders

It's felt like a plague, the amount of newly diagnosed Eating Disorders we are seeing now. This week VFEDers shared phrases they listen for in consultation rooms, indicating its appearance.   And we dug deep into diagnosis and assessment.

Alli Spotts-DeLazzer, VFED co founder and local author of MeaningFULL: 23 Life-Changing Stories of Conquering Dieting, Weight, & Body Image Issues (BUY IT!) joined us to help distinguish between various clinical and non-clinical Eating Disorders and body-image issues.

Throughout a series of vignettes we practiced DSM criteria and teased out common misunderstandings. For example, people at higher weights can develop Anorexia; and those who binge w/o compensatory behaviors have BED. A few attitudes or behaviors get classified as Other Specified/Unspecified Feeding and Eating Disorders (OSFED/USFED)- no longer NOS.

Alli shared great diagnostic tools from AED and NEDA, and her own personal tips to assess. Including symptoms in the room- such as apathy, irregular eating, feelings of ineffectiveness, exhilaration to low periods, and outbursts of anger. We looked at the SCOFF, ESP, and EAT-26 questionnaires. Asking just the 2 questions:  "Are you satisfied with your eating pattern?" and "Does your weight affect the way you feel about yourself?" can be the clues you need to broaden the search for an ED.

Finally, we looked at the many reasons we work together as outpatient "teams". Because full recovery IS possible, and it may take therapists AND dietitians AND MD's- plus more.

So join our VFED website and team up to do the work you love!