Oliver-Pyatt Centers

Joint Commission - National Quality Approval

Anorexia Nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss. Anorexia Nervosa has four primary symptoms:
	Resistance to maintaining body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height Intense fear of weight gain or being “fat” even though underweight Disturbance in the experience of body weight or shape, undue influence of weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of low body weight Loss of menstrual periods in girls and women post-puberty
Bulimia Nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by a cycle of bingeing and compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting designed to undo or compensate for the effects of binge eating. Bulimia Nervosa has three primary symptoms:
	Regular intake of large amounts of food accompanied by a sense of loss of control over eating behavior Regular use of inappropriate compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting, laxative or diuretic abuse, fasting, and/or obsessive or compulsive exercise Extreme concern with body weight and shape
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is a type of eating disorder not otherwise specified and is characterized by recurrent binge eating without the regular use of compensatory measures to counter the binge eating. Binge Eating Disorder is characterized by:
	Frequent episodes of eating large quantities of food in short periods of time Feeling out of control over eating behavior Feeling ashamed or disgusted by the behavior There are also several behavioral indicators of BED including eating when not hungry and eating in secret
Material above is cited from the National Eating Disorders Association's website: www.NationalEatingDisorders.org Set a time to talk. Set aside time for a private, respectful meeting to discuss your concerns openly and honestly in a caring, supportive way. Make sure you will be somewhere away from other distractions. Communicate your concerns. Share your memories of specific times when you felt concerned about eating or exercising behaviors. Ask your loved one to explore these concerns with their doctor, counselor, nutritionist, or OPC team member. If you feel comfortable doing so, offer to accompany them to a session. Avoid conflicts or battles of will. If they refuse to acknowledge that there is a problem or any reason for you to be concerned, restate your feelings and the reasons for them. Leave yourself open and available as a supportive listener. Avoid placing shame, blame, or guilt. Do not use accusatory "you" statements such as, "You need to eat," or "You are acting irresponsibly." Instead, use "I" statements such as, "I'm concerned about you because you refuse to eat breakfast or lunch," or "It makes me afraid to hear you vomiting." Avoid giving simple solutions; for example, "If you'd just eat, everything would be fine." Express your continued support. Remind your loved one that you care and want them to be healthy and happy. To learn more, please visit our ED Resources page.