Orthorexia
Has your desire to “eat healthy” become an obsession?
In today’s health-focused world, the desire to eat a “healthy” or “pure” diet is frequently viewed as a positive or valued approach to food. But for some people, “eating healthy” can become a rigid or excessive focus on food that becomes compulsive.
Orthorexia, which is not yet a formal DSM 5 diagnosis, is considered to be an Obsessive Compulsive spectrum disorder which is oftentimes misunderstood – and misdiagnosed – as a Feeding and Eating Disorder, given symptoms that mimic those of anorexia including:
- A rigid approach to food
- An obsession with eating only “healthy” or “clean” food
- An excessive focus on ingredients, labels, nutrients, etc.
- Weight loss associated with limited or narrow food choices
- Avoidance of eating out
- Avoidance of eating foods cooked by others
- Affects overall nutritional, social and emotional well-being
While Anorexia Nervosa is focused on monitoring your food intake with the goal of weight loss, Orthorexia is monitoring your food intake with the goal of being “healthy.” or “pure.” Instead of being excessively focused on food as it relates to ingestion of calories, those who struggle with Orthorexia are focused on food as it relates to ingestion of pesticides, preservatives, antibiotics, excessive sugar or cancer-causing agents.
It is not uncommon for individuals with Orthorexia to be mistakenly diagnosed with Anorexia. Therefore, if you or a loved one is experiencing weight loss associated with a limited or narrow diet, please consult an eating disorder specialist who can evaluate your eating habits with the goal of accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment recommendations.
The treatment of Orthorexia is different than the treatment of Anorexia, and is likely to include the following treatment components:
- Comprehensive evaluation by an eating disorder specialist for accurate diagnosis
- Medication psychiatric evaluation to treat Obsessive Compulsive qualities
- Individual therapy, typically utilizing Cognitive Behavioral approach
- Nutrition therapy
It is absolutely possible to FULLY recover from Orthorexia, when accurately diagnosed and comprehensively treated.
If your approach to food has become wrought with anxiety and/or your world has become smaller because of an increasingly rigid approach to food, let our eating disorder specialists help you once again attain freedom from food!
Our specialists are here to help.
For more information on Orthorexia, watch Dr. Julie’s “Healthy from the Inside-Out” segment on Good Morning:
