Counseling & Psychological Services

Eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder, but individuals can experience distress from disordered eating behaviors that do not fit into any of these categories. Anorexia is a type of disordered eating in which there is an intense fear of weight gain, accompanied by an obsessive focus on food and a severe restriction of food intake, such that the individual loses up to 85% of his or her normal body weight. This is usually accompanied by loss of the menstrual cycle in women and can have severe health consequences. Bulimia is a type of disordered eating in which individuals are engaged in eating large amounts of food and then purge by way of vomiting, laxative use, or excessive exercise. Individuals with binge eating disorder usually eat large amounts food, but without the accompanying purging behaviors. Oftentimes, individuals feel out of control with disordered eating behaviors, and a cycle can develop where these behaviors become a coping response to environmental stressors or internal distresses. Further distress is created by the disordered eating behaviors, which is then dealt with by returning to familiar ways of coping (e.g., restricting food intake and purging). Individuals can feel hopeless, helpless, and fearful about change, but help is available.

Signs of Disordered Eating:

• Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even if one is underweight
• Self-view becoming unduly influenced by body weight or shape
• Obsession with food and calories, and obsessive restriction of food intake for periods of time
• Starvation (refusing to maintain body weight at or above a minimally-normal weight for age and height) and denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight.
• Binge eating (eating large amounts of food in one sitting)
• Purging behavior (e.g., self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas)
• Obsessive exercise (e.g., exercise takes precedence even when sick or when there are other important priorities)
• Drinking excessive amounts of coffee or tea, and/or smoking
• Eating rituals (i.e., cutting food into small pieces, counting)
• Excuses to avoid eating, eating secretively, and hiding food
• Taking a long time in the bathroom after eating
• Suddenly becoming vegan or vegetarian to avoid certain foods
• Wearing baggy clothes to hide weight loss and keep warm
• Fatigue, muscle weakness, fainting; complaints of being cold
• Perfectionist attitudes

Things You Can Do:

• Remind yourself of your strengths, talents, skills, things others like about you, etc.
• Call a friend who knows about your problem and have him/her just listen.
• Teach yourself a new hobby or start a new project.
• Get enough rest and treat yourself well.
• Expand positive relationships and reduce negative ones.
• Leave environments that trigger disordered eating, especially when you feel frustrated, under pressure, stressed, or bored.
• Take deep breaths, close your eyes, picture yourself in a field or on a beach or participate in other methods of relaxation like exercise, yoga, and meditation.
• Allow yourself not to be perfect. Forgive yourself for any perceived errors.

(Adapted from materials by the National Eating Disorders Organization)

Help is Available

It may benefit you to talk to someone at the Counseling Center. Stop by during our Initial Consultation hours Monday-Friday 8:30-11:00 a.m. & 1:00-4:00 p.m., or call (828) 262-3180. We can talk with you about your concerns. You may also learn more by checking our other links, or completing an online screening.

Crisis Services

If you or another AppState student is experiencing suicidal and/or homicidal thoughts or experiencing trauma in regard to a sexual assault, you may contact us after hours by calling the Counseling Center at (828) 262-3180 and select the option to speak with the counselor on call.