Assessing Your Eating Behaviors: How to Self-Screen For Signs of Disordered Eating and Eating Disorders

Thrive • February 1, 2022

By Eating Disorder Program Clinical Lead and Therapist Mollie Pierce, MA, LCPC, NCC

DISORDERED EATING BEHAVIORS

Due to the prevalence of diet culture , it’s more common than not for individuals to possess eating patterns that aren’t exactly healthy. The eating disorder treatment community refers to unhealthy eating habits as “disordered eating behaviors.” Disordered eating behaviors are any that prevent you from nourishing your body adequately, consistently, and with a wide variety of foods.

They can include:

A preoccupation with food, weight, or body image
Avoiding social situations involving food
Deriving a sense of self-worth from body shape or size
Engaging in fasting, purging, or exercise to “counteract” the effects of eating “bad foods”
Engaging in rigid food rituals or exercise routines
Experiencing anxiety around certain foods
Feeling a loss of control when eating
Feeling guilty or ashamed about eating
Frequent dieting
Obsessive calorie counting
Practicing certain rules around food or eating

Almost everyone possesses some degree of disordered eating behaviors. Sometimes, disordered eating patterns can be remedied by simply gaining more insight into the dangers of diet culture and alternative eating approaches that involve intuition and mindfulness.

EATING DISORDERS

Depending on their severity, disordered eating habits can be extremely dangerous and may lead to or be predictive of an eating disorder. Generally, eating disorders cause severe mental, emotional, or physical distress and drastically limit individuals’ ability to function normally in their school, work, and social spheres.

Types of eating disorders include:

Anorexia nervosa : Characterized by inadequate caloric intake, intense fear of gaining weight, preoccupation with weight or shape, deriving a sense of self-worth from weight or shape, or persistent lack of recognition of the seriousness of low body weight.
Bulimia nervosa : Characterized by episodes of bingeing followed by purging, fasting, or exercising excessively.
Binge eating disorder (BED) : Characterized by episodes of overeating and feeling a loss of control while eating.
Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder (OSFED ): A category that encompasses significant eating disorders that don’t meet the criteria for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or BED.

Eating disorders can be deadly. Because eating disorders involve many disordered eating behaviors, only mental or medical health practitioners can determine whether an individual is struggling with an eating disorder. If your eating habits are impeding your daily life, we encourage you to seek clinical support .

15 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF ABOUT YOUR EATING BEHAVIORS

To gain more insight into your eating behaviors and assess whether there is cause for concern, you can ask yourself the questions below.

Do you often find yourself thinking about food?
Do you often find yourself thinking about your body?
Do you ever avoid social situations because you’re worried about how you look?
Do you ever avoid social situations because you’re worried about eating in front of other people?
Do you avoid going to restaurants out of fear of eating “unhealthy” food?
Do you often compare your body size to other people’s body sizes?
Do you often compare the amount you’re eating to the amount others are eating?
Do you experience a sense of guilt or shame after eating?
Do you avoid specific nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, sugars, etc.?
Are you afraid of gaining weight?
Do you ever experience a sense of losing control when eating?
Do you ever eat to the point where you feel physically sick?
Do you have “food rules” that you follow, such as no eating after 8:00 pm?
Do you ever make yourself throw up after eating?
Do you feel compelled to exercise even when you’re sick or injured?

Answering yes to any of the questions may be a sign that you’re struggling with disordered eating habits or potentially an eating disorder.

If you suspect this is the case, there are many resources available to help you establish a healthy, balanced, and confident relationship with food, your body, and your mind. You can always reach out to Thrive for support. Additionally, you can contact the National Eating Disorders Association Helpline .

THRIVE’S EATING DISORDER TREATMENT WORKS TO HEAL YOUR MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT

Eating disorders are complicated conditions that involve the mind, emotions, body, and behaviors. Through individualized care plans that can include psychiatric and nursing care, intuitive eating counseling, nutrition therapy, and mindful movement, Thrive’s healing community helps foster recovery from eating disorders in a holistic way that encompasses clients’ mental, physical, and emotional health. Contact us to learn more about how Thrive can help you heal your relationship with food and your body and rediscover your inner strength.

About the Author

Mollie Pierce, MA, LCPC, NCC — Eating Disorder Program Clinical Lead and Therapist

After earning a degree in clinical mental health counseling at Gonzaga University and spending nearly a decade in Spokane, Washington, Mollie Pierce returned to her hometown of Reno where she joined Thrive Wellness. Navigating her mental health challenges throughout her teenage years inspired her to dedicate her career to helping others process their pain while nurturing their growth and fostering their healing. She believes mental health is equally as essential as physical health and is committed to providing a safe space for those struggling to feel seen, heard, and supported in ways they may not experience elsewhere.

As a therapist at Thrive Wellness Reno, Mollie specializes in treating those recovering from eating disorders and related mental health conditions. When working with patients, Mollie applies a narrative therapy approach and incorporates modalities such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) among others. She is especially passionate about supporting and empowering members of the LGBTQ+ community and promoting equality, kindness, and compassion for all.

The post Assessing Your Eating Behaviors: How to Self-Screen For Signs of Disordered Eating and Eating Disorders first appeared on Thrive Wellness.

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When Mealtimes Become Battlegrounds: How ARFID Impacts Families

August 21, 2025

When Emma was 8, her parents noticed her food choices shrinking. At first, they assumed it was just picky eating — “She’ll outgrow it,” friends said. But by 10, Emma would only eat crackers, cheese, and chicken nuggets. Family dinners became nightly struggles, her growth slowed, and she skipped birthday parties to avoid “strange food.” Her parents felt powerless, her brother grew frustrated, and outings dwindled. What began as food avoidance soon reshaped the rhythm of the entire household. When children avoid food, most parents expect it’s a passing stage. But when restriction deepens, shrinks to only a few “safe foods,” and begins affecting growth or health, families suddenly find themselves in unfamiliar territory. This is often where Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) emerges — with effects that extend far beyond the plate. As providers, we need to be attuned to these patterns. It’s tempting to dismiss them as “no big deal,” yet for many families, they are life-altering. Sadly, Emma’s story is not unusual. Mealtimes as Battlegrounds Families living with ARFID often describe mealtimes as emotionally charged, exhausting, and unpredictable. What should be a chance to connect around the table can feel more like a negotiation or even a standoff. Parents wrestle with whether to push their child to try a new food or give in to the same “safe foods” again and again to avoid tears, gagging, or complete meltdowns. This ongoing tension can make mealtimes dreaded rather than cherished. Siblings, too, are affected. Some may feel resentful when family meals are limited to what only one child will tolerate. Others may act out in response to the constant attention the child with ARFID receives. Over time, the dinner table shifts from a place of nourishment and bonding into a stage for conflict, anxiety, and guilt — a pattern that can erode family cohesion and resilience. Social Isolation and Missed Experiences ARFID impacts more than what happens at home; it influences how families engage with the world around them. Everyday events — birthday parties, school lunches, vacations, even extended family dinners — become sources of stress. Parents may pack special foods to avoid confrontation or, in many cases, decline invitations altogether to protect their child from embarrassment or overwhelm. This avoidance can lead to an unintended consequence: isolation. Families miss out on milestones, friendships, and traditions because of the unpredictability surrounding food. The child may feel left out or ashamed, while parents grieve the loss of “normal” family experiences. This social withdrawal can compound the anxiety already present in ARFID and deepen its impact across generations. Emotional Toll on Parents The emotional strain on parents navigating ARFID is significant. Many describe living in a constant state of worry — Will my child get enough nutrients? Will they ever grow out of this? Am I doing something wrong? This worry often spirals into guilt and self-blame, particularly when outside voices dismiss the disorder as mere “picky eating.” In addition, the pressure to “fix” mealtimes can strain marital relationships, creating disagreements over discipline, feeding strategies, or medical decisions. Parents may also feel emotionally depleted, pouring all their energy into managing one child’s needs while inadvertently neglecting themselves or their other children. Without support, this chronic stress can lead to burnout, depression, and disconnection within the family system. The Role of Providers For clinicians, ARFID must be viewed not only as an individual diagnosis but as a family-wide challenge. Effective care requires attention to both the clinical symptoms and the family dynamics that shape recovery. Parent Support: Educating caregivers that ARFID is not their fault, offering psychoeducation, and helping them reframe mealtime struggles as part of the disorder — not a parenting failure. Family-Based Interventions: Coaching families in structured meal support, communication strategies, and gradual exposure work so parents don’t feel powerless. Holistic Care: Involving therapists, dietitians, occupational therapists, and medical providers ensures that the family does not shoulder the weight of treatment alone. When families are validated, supported, and given practical tools, the entire household can begin to heal. Treatment is not only about expanding a child’s food repertoire but also about restoring peace, resilience, and connection at home. Moving Forward ARFID may begin with one individual, but its ripple effects are felt across the entire family system. By addressing both the psychological and relational dimensions, providers can help transform mealtimes from a source of conflict into an opportunity for healing and connection. For those who want to go deeper, we invite you to join our upcoming training on ARFID , where we will explore practical strategies for supporting both clients and their families.

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Is It OCD or an Eating Disorder? What Parents Need to Know

July 17, 2025

As a parent, noticing alarming behaviors around food or routines in your child can raise some important questions. You might be asking yourself, “Is this an eating disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or something else entirely?” Understanding the signs and differences between these disorders is key to getting your child effective, timely treatment. In this blog, we’ll break down the overlap between OCD and eating disorders, what signs to watch for, and how to get professional help. If you're a parent wondering “Is my child’s eating disorder actually OCD?” or “OCD vs eating disorder in teens,” know that you’re not alone and you’re in the right place to find specialized care for your child. What Is OCD? Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition where unwanted thoughts (obsessions) cause anxiety, leading to repetitive behaviors (compulsions) intended to ease that anxiety. OCD can be focused on any subject. Common obsessions include contamination, perfectionism, scrupulosity, and harm, but sometimes, the content of obsessions can be focused on food, body image, or weight. What Is an Eating Disorder? Eating disorders , like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) involve disturbed eating behaviors and intense concerns about body weight or shape. These conditions go beyond dieting or “picky eating” and can become life-threatening without professional intervention. The Overlap: Why It Can Be Confusing OCD and eating disorders often share similar symptoms : Ritualistic eating (e.g., needing to eat foods in a certain order or at a certain time) Rigid rules about food (like only eating certain food groups or certain amounts of food) Excessive checking (like weighing food or body or repeated checking of expiration dates or thorough cooking) Avoidance behaviors ( like avoiding carbs, fats, or other food groups or avoiding places or objects that can trigger obsessions) Distress when routines are disrupted (either around mealtimes or exercise routines) So, How Can You Tell the Difference? Use the following chart to compare and contrast symptoms of OCD and eating disorders.