Eating Disorders

Restoration Counseling Can Help You 

Are you consumed with thoughts about maintaining the “perfect body” and terrified of gaining weight? Is food a method through which you seek comfort, despite concerns about weight gain and other health-related issues? If you responded yes to any of these questions, you might have an eating disorder. Restoration Counseling can help you take charge of your life, enhance your self-esteem, and restore your physical, psychological, and spiritual health through Christian eating disorder counseling.

A person’s eating disorder symptoms are not the only things that need to be addressed when working towards recovery. Individuals suffering from disordered eating must identify the patterns, thoughts, behaviors, and emotions behind their eating disorder in addition to stopping dieting, restricting, binge eating, and purging.

What is an Eating Disorder?

Eating disorders are severe, often fatal illnesses characterized by disturbed eating behaviors and related thoughts and feelings. The idea that eating disorders are a lifestyle choice is a popular misconception. Individuals who are preoccupied with food, body weight, and shape may have an eating disorder. Common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. 

Anorexia Nervosa

People with anorexia nervosa avoid food, severely restrict food, or eat very small quantities of certain foods, even when they are dangerously underweight. They may weigh themselves repeatedly as well. Despite their dangerously low weight, they may see themselves as being overweight. Signs that may indicate this disorder include:

• Bone Weakness
• Anemia
• Brittle fingernails, hair
• Lanugo
• Constipation
• Low blood pressure
• Respiratory depression
• Heart damage
• Brain damage
• Organ failure
• Low internal body temperature
• Lethargy
• Infertility

Bulimia Nervosa

A person with bulimia nervosa consumes an excessive amount of food then behaves in a way that neutralizes the consequences of doing so. These individuals may purge after a binge-eat, take purgatives or diuretics excessively, fast excessively, exercise excessively, or engage in a combination of these activities. With bulimia nervosa, people may be underweight, at a healthy weight, or obese. Symptoms of bulimia nervosa include: 

• Chronic sore throat
• Swollen salivary glands
• Weak tooth enamel
• Tooth decay
• Acid reflux or other gastrointestinal problems
• Intestinal issues from laxative abuse
• Dehydration
• Electrolyte imbalance

Binge Eating Disorder

People with binge-eating disorder and consume abnormally large amounts of food. Unlike bulimia nervosa, individuals with binge-eating disorder do not purge, overwork, or fast following episodes of binge-eating. As a result, people with binge-eating disorder are frequently overweight or obese. Binge-eating disorder is the most common eating disorder in the U.S. Symptoms include:

• Eating large amounts of food in a short amount of time
• Eating when not hungry
• Eating quickly
• Eating until uncomfortably full
• Eating in isolation
• Feeling ashamed about your eating
• Frequently dieting without weight loss

Treatment for Disordered Eating

Eating disorders can result from a variety of factors. For some, being bullied or feeling pressure to conform to society’s standards causes eating disorders. For others, eating is a way to distract themselves or feel more in control of their lives. At Restoration Counseling, we strive to provide healing to anyone seeking it. In addition to Christian counseling that helps you deal with your issues, you may find hope in Christ and find healing by giving your burdens to Him.

Rather than treating the brain and body, Christian counseling offers a holistic approach to eating disorder treatment. While other, secular methods are limited to healing the brain and body, Christian counseling goes a crucial step further by seeking Christ for spiritual healing and growth. With this technique, you may find long-term solutions even when traditional methods have failed.

You may overcome your eating disorder with help from Restoration Counseling. Working together, we may develop a Christ-based counseling approach that is customized to your unique set of issues and symptoms. We offer a variety of counseling approaches to help you overcome your eating disorder:

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Eating disorders can be treated using Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, an innovative form of counseling. CBT primarily focuses on altering your negative self-image, how you describe yourself, and maladaptive behavior. You are given tools to help you understand and alter your thoughts, refocus them, and embrace healthier behaviors to replace unhealthy ones through CBT.

Counseling for Depression

Some individuals who have eating disorders develop depression, and those with an existing eating disorder may become depressed as a result of the disorder. You can learn to manage your depression through Christian counseling for depression.

Family Counseling

Family therapy can help you gain more knowledge about eating disorders and how they negatively affect your relationships with family members, as well as giving your family members the insight they need to better understand your condition. During the course of overcoming your condition, your family will also receive advice on how to support you.

When to Seek Help from an Eating Disorder Counselor

Are you wondering if you require treatment for an eating disorder? Ask yourself these questions and give an honest answer. Do you control your food, or does your food control you? If you were required to stop following a certain diet tomorrow and listen to your body, would you be overwhelmed with sorrow and shame? Would anxiety overwhelm you to the point of distress? 

If you restrict food intake, purge, or binge eat, you need to seek help for your eating disorder. There are many reasons why someone might develop an eating disorder, and there are also many reasons why someone might continue to behave in this way, but whether it’s an eating disorder or not, these behaviors are damaging and can result in serious functional impairment or even death in severe cases.

Reach Out For Help Today

We want to assist you in finding peace with the Lord as you seek His help in handling your burdens. Our guidance and support will assist you in starting your recovery journey. If you or a loved one is suffering from an eating disorder and is in need of counseling services, the professionals at Restoration Counseling are here to help. Through our faith-based approach, we work with all individuals to restore their health and relationship with the Lord. Contact us today to learn about eating disorder counseling or any of the other services we provide.