Eating disorders, much like substance abuse, thrive on secrets. Purging, food rituals, and binging all are considered socially unacceptable by the sufferer and are kept away from most or all loved ones and friends. The amount of energy used to maintain those secrets is immense and helps create an emotional distance from others. Simply put, […]
Is it an eating disorder? A psycho-economic perspective
Hardly a day goes by without someone asking me if they or someone they love has an eating disorder. Usually they will rattle off a list of symptoms and want to know if that meets criteria for a diagnosis. It’s usually at this point that I bring up Sigmund Freud’s psycho-economic theory. This theory states that […]
How to approach someone you suspect of an eating disorder
It seems like most articles written about eating disorders deal with the warning signs to look for in a friend or loved one. However, just as important as recognizing the symptoms is how to express your concern. To best understand how to approach a person who may be suffering for anorexia, bulimia, or compulsive overeating, […]
An understanding of psychodynamic therapy
Before you spend the time and money and effort in therapy, you should know that not all therapy is alike and what works for one person may not be best for another. It is with that in mind that I want to explain how I view this process. I practice a psychodynamic view of psychology.