An eating disorder always starts with a period of nutritional restriction.
It could be restriction caused by dieting, illness, surgery, depression or anxiety.
I have had several patients who shared that their ED started after they lost their appetite during COVID.
When the brain is starved, it changes the way it thinks, and that’s when the eating disorder thoughts begin.
When the brain notices that food is lacking, it starts thinking obsessively about food, which is one of the most common and challenging eating disorder symptoms.
That’s why it’s been proven that dieting increases risk of developing an eating disorder.
But not everyone who diets develops an eating disorder.
There are some people who have a higher risk of developing an ED, due to predispositions like family history, trauma, or certain personality traits.
When you look at this diagram, what do you think?
How does it resonate with you?
Does this diagram tell the story of how you developed your ED?
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