By: Jennifer Rollin, LCSW-C, Therapist & Founder of The Eating Disorder Center It is very common for individuals with eating disorders to present to therapy with a co-occurring mental health diagnosis. Eating disorders frequently do not come ‘alone.’ Some of the common co-occurring issues that we see individuals with eating disorders also struggling with include anxiety disorders, OCD, PTSD, and mood disorders. The Eating Disorder Center specializes in therapy for children, teens, and adults with eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, OSFED, ARFID, orthorexia, and compulsive exercise. We also have therapists who specialize in eating disorders co-occurring with trauma, OCD, and mood disorders. The Link Between Eating Disorders and Depression When we’re depressed, it’s as though we are looking at the world through a pair of dark sunglasses. Everything can appear bleak. We may think there is something wrong with ourselves and with our lives more generally, and it seems like we will always feel this way. This view can quickly lead us to feel self-critical and hopeless about the future. Yet, when depressed, we often do not even realize that we are wearing these “sunglasses.” Rather, we think that this is just our new reality. What happens in depression can also happen when struggling with an eating disorder. In an eating disorder, we are also wearing tinted “glasses” that distort and color the ways we see ourselves and the world around us. This distortion may cause us to hyperfixate on our food and body appearance. For individuals diagnosed with an eating disorder and depression, the depression can also make eating disorder recovery challenging. Depression can cause changes in appetite. Depression can also rob people of their motivation and ability to see the positive things in their lives, by coloring everything through a negative lens. This decreased motivation and joy can impact eating disorder recovery by reducing the drive for eating disorder recovery as well as for basic self-care activities like eating and showering. While eating disorders are not choices, they can sometimes be in part a way for individuals to subconsciously cope with underlying issues, such as depression, trauma, or low self-worth. Depression, for example, may feel ‘out of control.” An eating disorder may sometimes help provide a sense of control for some people during difficult times, even if it is a false sense of control. Through specialized therapy for an eating disorder and depression, we can learn skills and coping tools to feel more in control of our lives and to help us remove the “glasses” that are affecting our emotions and outlook. Additionally, in therapy, we can work through underlying issues that may be contributing to the eating disorder and depression. Getting treatment for depression and an eating disorder is crucial. Experiencing a depressive episode can feel traumatic. Similarly, the experience of having an eating disorder can also be traumatic. Trauma, in this context, is broadly defined as anything that causes nervous system dysregulation. If you have been there, you know what I’m talking about. Both disorders can cause someone to feel like a shell of their former selves. Sometimes, those who have experienced trauma subconsciously use eating disorder behaviors to try to regulate their nervous systems. Trauma and eating disorders are linked. EMDR therapy can help both with an eating disorder and trauma, as it promotes nervous system regulation. It can lead to rapid and significant improvement in symptoms of an eating disorder and trauma. Eating Disorders and Bipolar Disorder Bipolar is associated with episodes of mania (bipolar 1) or hypomania (which can be seen in bipolar 1 and bipolar 2). However, for many individuals, bipolar disorder also involves episodes of depression. So, the link between depression and eating disorders, as mentioned previously, will likely ring true for those with bipolar disorder and depressive episodes. During episodes of mania, inhibitions are often lowered. For those struggling with an eating disorder and bipolar, mania might lead to more eating disorder behaviors. Additionally, episodes of mania and hypomania can impact appetite. Furthermore, folks with mania may experience feeling too “wired” and distracted to remember to eat — which of course is not helpful for eating disorder recovery. With bipolar, the experience of being on a roller coaster of mood episodes — and the way this can impact an individual’s life overall — can be traumatic, anxiety-provoking, and feel very out of control. If someone’s experience of bipolar disorder has led to hospitalization, this can also be traumatic. As mentioned previously, there is a link between trauma and eating disorders. Thus, for some individuals, eating disorder behaviors may subconsciously feel like a way to try to cope with bipolar. There Is Hope For Recovery From An Eating Disorder and Better Management of Mood Episodes! Full recovery from an eating disorder is possible. Eating disorders are highly treatable, and specialized therapy is key. It’s also important to find a therapist who specializes in any co-occurring issues that you might be struggling with, such as depression. Very few therapists specialize in bipolar disorder, much less in the intersection of mood disorders and eating disorders. However, at The Eating Disorder Center, we have some therapists who truly specialize in both, and we would love to help you to reclaim your life! Schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation to explore how eating disorder therapy or recovery coaching can help you to find freedom. 🌟 Available in MD, VA, DC, PA, NY, FL, and CA for eating disorder therapy 🌍 Offering recovery coaching worldwide The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping children, teens, and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, Pennsylvania, and California. We provide eating disorder and EMDR trauma therapy in Rockville, Maryland and virtually throughout Maryland and Virginia. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com
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By: Jennifer Rollin, LCSW-C, Therapist & Founder of The Eating Disorder Center Body changes in pregnancy can be tough for some folks. This may be especially true for those who are in recovery from an eating disorder. However, due to our culture which is rife with anti-fat bias and diet talk, anyone can struggle. The following are some tips from an eating disorder therapist, who has also personally experienced pregnancy and is a mom to a toddler and a newborn. 1. Advocate for blind weight checks at the doctor. Now, it’s important to note that some doctors may not make this easy. However, it is your right as a patient to ask for blind weights and to stand on the scale backwards during your doctors appointments. Often they will include the weight in the patient portal, so it’s helpful to develop a plan for how you will cope with this. You can also ask your therapist to write you a note if you feel scared about asking your doctor about blind weights. Myself and my team of therapists at The Eating Disorder Center are always happy to advocate for our clients. 2. Buy clothing that fits your current body and that is comfortable. I totally get it, spending money on maternity clothes is not always something that is do-able or feels like something you want to invest in. However, “buy nothing groups” on Facebook can be one way to get free maternity clothing. Also websites like Poshmark or Thredup are affordable options for used clothing to fit your changing body. Personally, I invested in one nice pair of maternity leggings with a very stretchy maternity waistband to wear throughout my pregnancy and rocked a lot of larger t-shirts. I also purchased a few inexpensive maternity dresses. If you are wearing clothing that is too tight, it’s only going to serve to make you feel uncomfortable in your body. It’s so important to get clothing that fits and that you feel good in. Doing a maternity photoshoot can also feel empowering for some! I loved mine with Wild Honey Photography in Edgewater, MD. 3. Remind yourself that your body is your child’s first home-how amazing is that. I’m going to get emotional thinking about it and it’s important to remember that your body is your child’s first home. Your body is serving the amazing purpose of growing your baby and this is something to celebrate. Your worth is not found in the appearance of your body or your clothing size. You are inherently worthy. Your body is doing an important job right now of growing your future child. When your brain is ruminating on your body size or body changes, remind yourself of the amazing things that your body is doing in growing this child. Think about how you can practice kindness and compassion towards your body, even if you don't feel great about its appearance. Now, a note here. As someone who previously experienced two back to back miscarriages before giving birth to my son–it’s important to be kind to yourself and your body if you have previously experienced pregnancy loss. It is not your fault. And you deserve compassion and support. Pregnancy loss can be devastating and it’s healthy and ok to take time and space to grieve. 4. Seek out a therapist who specializes in body image and pregnancy. Seeing a specializing therapist for body image and pregnancy can truly be a game-changer. General therapists typically don’t get much training in either topic. You deserve as much support as possible during your pregnancy journey. You don’t have to struggle with negative body image in pregnancy alone and without support. Myself and my team of therapists at The Eating Disorder Center offer therapy for body image struggles and eating disorders in pregnancy. We also work in collaboration with other perinatal specialists in our care of clients. The Bottom Line Pregnancy can be tough on many fronts–from body image struggles for some, to nausea, food aversions, fatigue, and other physical and emotional symptoms. You deserve to be kind to yourself and your body throughout this process. It’s important to note that you do not have to love the appearance of your body to practice kindness and compassion towards it. Your body is doing the amazing thing of growing your child and keeping you alive, it deserves your kindness. Schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation to explore how eating disorder therapy or recovery coaching can help you to find freedom. 🌟 Available in MD, VA, DC, PA, NY, FL, and CA for eating disorder therapy 🌍 Offering recovery coaching worldwide The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping children, teens, and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, Pennsylvania, and California. We provide eating disorder and EMDR trauma therapy in Rockville, Maryland and virtually throughout Maryland and Virginia. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com
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The Eating Disorder CenterWe are a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center in Rockville, Maryland.
We also provide eating disorder recovery coaching to people worldwide via Zoom. Click here to book your free 15 minute phone consultation! Phone: 301-246-6856 Email: [email protected] Archives
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