Orthorexia: The 'Clean' Eating Disorder
Watching what you eat and counting calories can be a safe way to lose weight and become a [...]
Understanding What Orthorexia Is
You might have heard of eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia, but chances are, you've rarely or never heard people talk about orthorexia. That's because the psychological term was only coined in 1998. As more and more people dive into the world of healthy eating, an increasing number of people are shifting their lifestyle from normal to obsessive.
In general, a person is thought to have orthorexia when they spend more than a handful of hours thinking about the foods they will eat on a given day. People with orthorexia also tend to be overly strict with their diets, condescending to all who don't abide by their healthy-eating rules, and guilty or even self-hating when they accidentally indulge in an fatty or caloric food.
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People who are diagnosed with orthorexia also tend to get a bit of an ego boost simply from sticking to their ridiculously strict diet. What they eat becomes a part of their personality, so much so that they enjoy the emotional feeling that comes with healthy food more than they enjoy how it tastes or feels to eat.
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Signs That a Person Is Developing Orthorexia
The sooner the symptoms of an eating disorder are recognized and treated, the less likely it is that the disorder will damage a patient's mind and body. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, the warning signs can be categorized into emotional or behavioral symptoms and physical symptoms.
Emotionally and behaviorally, people with orthorexia tend to be extremely controlling when it comes to what the eat. They aren't just strict about their diet; they're avid planners and calculators who spend hours a day considering what foods they should put in their bodies. To some extent, orthorexia mimics obsessive compulsive disorder in that people with the disorder simply cannot give up their control.
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Physically, orthorexia patients may appear malnourished. They tend to avoid any sort of fatty or caloric foods, which can give them a too-thin look. They are so fixated on what healthy foods they should be eating that they restrict their intake dangerously and label too many items as "harmful."
How to Get Help
Although eating disorders like orthorexia can be terrifying and uncontrollable, fortunately, they are treatable if you seek help from professionals. As soon as you begin to recognize the warning signs in yourself or in others, book a screening with a medical expert to determine what steps need to be taken to ensure safety. The sooner you ask for help, the sooner you can follow the road to recovery and actually start living a healthy life.
Call 800-931-2237 to reach the volunteer helpline at the National Eating Disorder Association. You can also text "NEDA" to 741741 in the event of an emergency. Your health is no joke, so no matter how concerned you are about your appearance or weight, take the necessary precautions to protect your future.
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