Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are serious but treatable conditions that affect both physical health and emotional well-being. They can involve extreme concern with body weight or shape, restrictive eating, or episodes of overeating followed by guilt or compensation behaviors.
At The Medical Group of New Jersey, our psychiatrists provide safe, evidence-based care for conditions including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. Treatment focuses on medical stabilization, restoring healthy eating patterns, and healing the relationship with food and body image.
Symptom Onset & Initial Evaluation
Eating disorders often begin during adolescence or young adulthood but can affect anyone. Symptoms may include:
- Restricting food or skipping meals
- Binge eating followed by guilt or self-criticism
- Vomiting, laxative use, or excessive exercise after eating
- Fear of gaining weight despite being underweight
- Constant preoccupation with food, calories, or body image
- Feeling out of control when eating
During your first visit, your psychiatrist will review your eating habits, emotional triggers, medical history, and physical symptoms. If needed, lab tests or vital signs may be checked to ensure medical safety before starting treatment.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is based on clinical evaluation and DSM-5 criteria. Common types include:
- Anorexia Nervosa: Severe food restriction leading to low body weight and intense fear of gaining weight.
- Bulimia Nervosa: Repeated binge-eating episodes followed by compensatory behaviors like vomiting or over-exercising.
- Binge-Eating Disorder: Recurring binge episodes without purging, often linked to emotional distress.
Your psychiatrist may collaborate with dietitians, therapists, and primary care providers to form a multidisciplinary team for complete support.
Treatment
Effective treatment for eating disorders involves both medical stabilization and psychological recovery. At The Medical Group of New Jersey, care is personalized and may include:
- Medical Monitoring: Ensuring safety by checking heart rate, electrolytes, and overall nutrition—especially in patients with significant weight loss or dehydration.
- Therapy: Evidence-based approaches like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT-E), family-based therapy (FBT), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) help patients challenge distorted thoughts about food and body image.
- Medication: When indicated, antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications can reduce obsessional thoughts and stabilize mood.
- Nutritional Rehabilitation: Collaboration with registered dietitians to rebuild balanced eating patterns and restore healthy metabolism.
- Collaborative Care: Integration with Primary Care for physical health, and Psychology & Counseling Services for ongoing therapy and emotional support.
With consistent treatment, many individuals experience improved mood, better body awareness, and a renewed sense of control and confidence.
Ongoing Management & Follow-Up
Long-term recovery focuses on maintaining stable nutrition, preventing relapse, and strengthening self-image. Regular follow-up visits help monitor both physical and emotional progress.
Family involvement is often encouraged, especially for adolescents, to support recovery at home and reinforce healthy habits. Continued therapy and dietitian visits help sustain progress over time.