Eating Disorder Therapy for Athletes: Get Help in Rockville, Maryland or Virtually Throughout Maryland

By: Olivia Kline, EDC Administrative Assistant 
​Reviewed by Megan Samuels, LMSW on 7/15/24​

Athletes can be vulnerable to disordered eating and over-exercising, due to expectations about their athletic performance, maintaining rigid training schedules, and their nutritional intake. Student athletes are at higher risk for depression, social anxiety, and eating disorders compared to non-athletes. 1 out of 4 student athletes have eating disorders (Uriegas et al., 2021). 

Our therapists at The Eating Disorder Center, based in Rockville, MD love helping athletes with eating disorders to heal their relationship with food, their bodies, and ultimately themselves. We understand that being an athlete may feel like a crucial part of your identity. Healing your relationship to food and your body can enable you to get more enjoyment out of your sport.

There are pressures that athletes experience both on and off the field. On the field, there is the pressure to perform well, which is sometimes associated with pressure to have a lean or muscular body-type. In addition, there can be pressure to please coaches and other teammates, which might influence exercise behaviors and food intake. 

When athletes are not on the field, there is a societal expectation of how an athlete is “supposed to look.” This is a lot to juggle, on top of being a student and being in early adulthood, which is a transitional time in one’s life. Eating disorders and disordered eating can emerge when individuals are trying to fit the societal mold of an “athletic” appearance. It is important to note that body diversity exists and there is no one “look” to determine someone’s athletic ability. 

As part of healing, it’s important for athletes to look at any unhealthy pressures or messaging that may have come from being an athlete AND any positive values that came from being an athlete, to determine which messages to hold onto. 

Sometimes it can be difficult to determine if you or a loved one is struggling. Here are some of the warning signs to look for:

• Restricting food intake (eating small amounts or skipping food groups)
• Judging foods as “good” vs. “bad” or “healthy” vs. “unhealthy”
• Purging behavior: over-exercising, over-training, vomiting, or use of laxatives 
• Exercising when injured or physically ill 
• Feeling guilt or anxiety when taking a rest day from exercise — and/or restricting food intake on rest days.
• Experiencing dissatisfaction with body image, engaging in body comparison, or commenting about weight or size
• Exercising beyond scheduled trainings
• Suffering from other mental health symptoms such as anxiety, depression, mood swings, etc.
• Consuming energy drinks or supplements to combat fatigue from food restriction or over-exercise

It can be difficult to ask for help, but recovery is possible! There is a certain amount of strength it takes just to read this post, and, if you are, the Eating Disorder Center is here to help. We have clinicians on our team who specialize in treating athletes and college-aged students struggling with disordered eating and eating disorders.

Still feeling nervous or unsure if treatment is right for you? Reach out to our administrative team to get more information on what your options could be at the Eating Disorder Center. We can talk through options and help connect you with a therapist who may be the best fit for you! ​

Schedule a free 15 min consult for eating disorder therapy in MD, VA, DC, NY, FL, or recovery coaching worldwide.
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The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping 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, and California. We provide eating disorder and EMDR trauma therapy in Rockville, Maryland and virtually throughout Maryland. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com

References:

• Archer, S. (n.d.). Resources for Athletic Directors, coaches, & Trainers. UCSD Eating Disorders Center. Retrieved July 10, 2024, from http://eatingdisorders.ucsd.edu/resources/athletics-resources.html
• Taylor, Rachel E., "The Experiences of NCAA Student-Athletes With an Eating Disorder or Disordered Eating" (2020). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1850. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1850
• Thompson, R. (n.d.). Mind, Body and Sport: Eating disorders. NCAA.org - the official site of the NCAA. Retrieved July 10, 2024, from https://www.ncaa.org/sport-science-institute/mind-body-and-sport-eating-disorders
• Uriegas, N. A., Winkelmann, Z. K., Pritchett, K., & Torres-McGehee, T. M. (2021). Examining eating attitudes and behaviors in collegiate athletes, the association between orthorexia nervosa and eating disorders. Frontiers in Nutrition, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.763838