Book Online Counselling and Treatment for Orthorexia

A Quick Overview

Do you look at each morsel as a series of numbers and daily percentages? Do you take those numbers as a reflection of your character and self-worth? Do you step on the weighing scale first thing in the morning, every morning? Does being slightly overweight change your whole diet plan? Does it mean extra hours in the gym to get back on track?

This extreme obsession with healthy eating and diet is classified as an eating disorder called orthorexia nervosa. People suffering from this pay compulsive attention to every grain they put in their bodies. Every calorie, micro, and macronutrient is measured before consumption.

Being aware of the nutritional quality of the food you eat isn't necessarily a bad thing. But when these fixations start taking a toll on your body, leeching at your mental health, and challenging your relationships, that's when these obsessions become diseases.

Major Causes

What causes orthorexia is still unknown. Often, it starts with a normal plan to eat healthily and get fit. Over time it becomes extreme and develops into a disorder.

Certain environmental factors like being looked down upon in your social circle and targeting a perceived ideal image can cause it. Low self-esteem could also be a reason.

Common Signs

Signs may vary from person to person. Most of them have their basis in the perceived notion of health. You don't need to have all the following symptoms to be orthorexic. They are:

• Uncontrollable urge to check the ingredient list and nutritional labels
• Anxiety over food preparation, quality, and freshness
• Concern about the effect on the health from different ingredients
• Avoiding entire food groups and ingredients. For example - no carbs, sugar, dairy, gluten, etc.
• Inability to eat anything that is not considered healthy or pure
• Relating personal worth with food and intake
• Extensive research on food
• Rigged meal planning for perfection
• Avoiding eating outside and even food prepared by other family members
• Carrying premade meals at social events
• Showing unnecessary concern about other's diet and health
• Getting anxious and distressed when healthy food isn't available
• Concerns over body image
• Following and idolizing health-based social media influencers
• Checking weight every day, sometimes even multiple times a day
• Distancing yourself from people who don't eat "healthy"
• Experiencing weight loss or malnutrition as a result of severe food restrictions
• An unhealthy fixation on curing disease with "clean eating"
• Experiencing extreme shame, anger, and irritability over foods eaten
• Mood swings about food options and choices
• Bouncing between a vicious cycle of self-love and guilt as you restrict your diet

Disruption in diet plans or even consuming one meal prepared by others can cause emotional distress and decrease self-worth.

Risk Factors

What causes Oothorexia is unknown but certain biological, psychological, and cultural factors can increase the risk of developing it. These are:

• Perfectionism
• High anxiety
• Higher-income and access to organic produce
• Weight bias or stigma
• Promotion of the idea of a clean eating lifestyle on social media
• Having a close relative with an eating disorder
• History of dieting or type 1 diabetes
• Dissatisfaction with your body
• A history of being bullied about weight or body shape during childhood
• Trauma that spans generations
• Working in the entertainment industry
• Need for control
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Healthcare workers, dieticians, or any profession that requires weight control and an "ideal" appearance

Complications and Health Problems

It shares a lot of physical consequences with anorexia as individuals suffering from these restrict their intake of food. They also avoid certain food groups. All this increases the chances of malnutrition. Along with this, they are at risk of the following health complications:

• Heart failure occurs because the body breaks tissues and muscles for fuel
• Low pulse rate and drop in blood pressure
• Gastroparesis or slowed digestion
• Hair fall-out and dry skin
• Reduced resting metabolic rate as the body tries to conserve energy
• Irregularities in menstruation
• Drop in sex hormone production
• Extreme and often irrational fear of unclean food
• Hunger pangs that disrupt sleep
• Hormonal imbalance
• Severe weight loss
• Fatigue and weakness
• Weakened immune system
• Anemia
• An uncontrollable feeling of guilt and shame can lead to depression

How to Deal With Your Symptoms

Orthorexia can be hard to identify as it can often be confused with health consciousness. Hence, one might not pay attention to even some of the most glaring symptoms. That is why the first step of the process is to acknowledge that you are suffering from an eating disorder. After identifying the issue, you should seek professional help. The recovery won't likely be quick. The following tips may help you cope with the symptoms as you continue with your treatment:

• Gradual Exposure: Slowly reintroduce yourself to all the food groups and nutrients you omitted from your diet. Take one food group at a time and do that in small measures.
• Relation Training: Breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, and related training can help you calm down. They will also help you in controlling your triggers.
• Seek help from family and friends: Reconnect with friends and go out with them for outings. People who are close to you love you for who you are. A kg over or less doesn't bother them. This will also help you accept yourself for who you are. You don't have to feel ashamed in front of them. Let them support you in your recovery.

Get Treatment From a Licensed Therapist Who’s Right For You

Treatment for any eating disorder requires a multidisciplinary approach. Consult a psychologist for an appropriate treatment plan. Your health, history with dieting, and other related complications will determine the treatment you need. The doctor will have you fill out ORTO-15 or ORTO-R, a questionnaire to identify the symptoms and behavior. They may also take Bratman Orthorexia Test to evaluate your beliefs about health and nutrition. All these tools are used for the diagnosis of othorexia.

You may need a dietitian to help you with a healthy and filling diet. Along with this, a couple of therapies are often recommended for a patient with an eating disorder. These may include cognitive-behavioral therapy, weight loss therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, etc.

Schedule a Virtual Psychotherapy Appointment with a Counsellor Today

Are you confused about whether your diet and obsessiveness about nutrition are healthy or not? Are you living a healthy lifestyle or harming your body?

Schedule an appointment with our providers to clear your doubts. It's better to start your treatment as soon as you identify the symptoms. The longer you persist with this, the more damage it will cause to your physical and mental well-being.

Book an appointment now!