Urgent care providers see a spike in eating disorders during the pandemic

Thrive Wellness • March 2, 2022

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – Eating disorders are becoming more common with the pandemic now nearly two years old.

Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell, who is one of Saint Mary’s medical directors says some urgent care providers have seen a spike in eating disorders across all age groups, including teenage girls ages 12 to 17.

“The pandemic has really provided challenges because of the lack of control,” says Dr. Curry-Winchell. “You know, a piece I think people forget is the food shortage that was happening, which could cause a huge amount of anxiety, especially for someone who is having an eating disorder, if they have a specific type of food that they rely on.”

She says many teens are not showing up saying they have an eating disorder, but with symptoms caused by it.

“As you take time to really connect with the patient, you find out it’s not something such as a cough or cold,” said Dr. Curry-Winchell. “They’re actually seeking help for something else, such as an eating disorder or anxiety, or depression.”

The spike among this age group is no surprise for Amanda Elliot who struggled with anorexia when she was 17.

“A series of events spiraled this need for control,” said Elliot.

She says eating disorders thrive on comparison, which social media platforms have made easier.

“My coping mechanism was to focus on this idea of ‘healthy eating,’” said Elliot. “Oh, ‘I’ll get healthy,’ lots of exercise, lots of good eating and that developed almost overnight in an eating disorder.”

Elliot was discharged from treatment seven years ago and for a long time, including part of treatment, she didn’t know there was a problem.

“The really terrible part is that a lot of people agreed with me. There were people around me that were like, ‘Oh you’re so good with food, so healthy, look how thin you look, I wish I could be like you’, and inside I was literally and figuratively dying.”

Certified eating disorder specialist and founder of Thrive Wellness , Kat Geiger says this is very common.

“You can’t know that someone has an eating disorder by just looking at them,” said Geiger. “Only in a small percentage of cases, can you actually look at someone and know they’re struggling with an eating disorder.”

Losing and gaining significant amounts of weight are not the only signs of an eating disorder.

Others include disappearing shortly after eating or completely cutting out certain food groups like carbs.

“When the average person thinks about bulimia, they think of someone who loses calories through vomiting,” said Geiger. “But the reality is bulimia can be exercise bulimia, can be bulimia through laxatives, there are many different forms bulimia can take.”

Binge eating is one of the most common eating disorders. It is when you can eat large amounts of food in a short period of time.

“Typically these are foods that are considered “forbidden fruits,” said Geiger. “So binging on a chocolate cake in private. If you notice that large quantities of food are disappearing frequently from your pantry at night. You may have someone who’s struggling with an eating disorder.”

Geiger says one thing people can do to help prevent eating disorders is to stop moralizing food.

“Try to not think of food as good food, bad food, try to just talk about food very neutrally,” said Geiger. “Food is fuel, food is energy that I put in my body.”

Some of the most common disorders are anorexia , bulimia , and binge eating.

Geiger says typically when you ask someone why it is so important to change their image, the answer is usually to be loved and to feel like they belong.

“Treating people for eating disorders is about treating them on that deep level, not just the surface,” said Geiger.

If you or someone you know may be struggling with an eating disorder, you can say, “I love and I see you’re in pain, let’s find you help together or I’m here to help you when you’re ready.”

Thrive Wellness specializes in eating disorders. You can contact them by calling (775) 525-8103 or emailing Reno@thrivehere.com.

https://www.kolotv.com/2022/02/25/urgent-care-providers-see-spike-eating-disorders-during-pandemic/

The post Urgent care providers see a spike in eating disorders during the pandemic first appeared on Thrive Wellness.

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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.