Diabulimia occurs when an individual misuses their insulin to avoid weight gain. This can, and often does, result in multiple medical complications and often requires medical attention.

Orthorexia falls under the "ED Not Otherwise Specified" diagnosis, and is a subset of anorexia nervosa. Individuals struggle with most of the issues around anorexia, but do not meet all of the qualifications.

Occurs when an individual meets certain criteria for weight restriction, and can vary in weight, but is typically below what is recommended for height and body type. Can occur with or without purging behaviors.

Bulimia occurs when an individual eats (at times from a binge), and then counteracts that food intake with behaviors that aim to cancel out the caloric intake.

Food neophobia occurs when an individual is afraid of trying new foods; their anxiety is intense and overwhelming.

Dual diagnosis means that an individual may have a co-occurring issue, such as alcohol or substance use or dependence, a personality issue, or other major mental health issue.

Geriatric care is typically specialized, due to the nature of the aging and, at times, physically ailing body. Some eating disorder programs are able to specialize in this type of care.

Oftentimes, eating disorders are accompanied by other complicating factors, such as anxiety disorders. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorders, Social Phobia/Anxiety are a few of the disorder that can also be treated with an eating disorder.

Individuals with a BMI (Body Mass Index) less than 13 requires more specialized attention, in order to help the body regain weight in the healthiest way possible. There are varying medical complications when regaining from a low weight, and it is most beneficial to have a specialized staff know how to manage this process.

Athletes oftentimes require a different focus and type of intervention, based on their physical demands from their sport. There are particular programs that are specially designed for individuals who need such intervention.

Issues may stem from family of origin, sexual abuse, physical abuse, verbal abuse, religious abuse, and other trauma-based circumstances.

Programs also focus on depressive symptoms that often co-occur with eating disorders.

For males with eating disorders

For those who are struggling with having an eating disorder while pregnant, these are specific resources for you.

Refeeding is required when the body has been highly compromised from poor nutrition. This is a highly specialized process and should be under a physician's care in a hospital, inpatient, or at times a residential setting.

This is for immediate crisis care when your eating disordered behavior becomes unmanageable and needs specialized intervention.

When an individual requires medical attention and stabilization due to electrolyte imbalance, heart issues, digestive issues, etc. This is usually for a minimum of 24 hours to whatever length of time is necessary for physical and medical stabilization. Can often occur in a medical hospital or an inpatient program.

A psychological assessment is used to help treat the individual, as well as the treatment team, during the process of treatment. This may involve gathering information on: intelligence, personality, memory, daily functioning, and the like. It may involve taking a number of questionnaires and/or doing testing with an evaluator.

As it sounds, this assessment helps to identify whether the individual has an eating disorder. Many inpatient and/or residential programs offer a free assessment to help determine the appropriate level of care for your needs.

A psychiatric assessment can help determine if medications may be appropriate for your treatment.

A Medical Assessment is the basic assessment of the patients medical status. This can include a general assessment of overall medical status, or specific areas (such as heart, liver, bone, etc)

An assessment to be conducted by a dietitian in order to provide you with a comprehensive screening of dietary and other medical needs (I.e., diabetes and nutrition, heart disease and nutrition).

An inpatient program is where an individual stays typically on a locked unit for a very brief stay. This can be for 1 day to up to a month. This type of program is intended for stabilization of symptoms and medical issues that are associated with a severe eating disorder.

Residential programs are typically for a longer than one month stay. Individuals usually stay for longer duration, from one month to three months or longer. This is not always a locked unit and can be in different types of living environments: hospital setting, home setting, in the country, and is where individuals stay with others in a dorm-like environment.

An intensive outpatient program, or IOP, is a multiple day, multiple service program to help provide more support for those in recovery than an outpatient program.

A therapist that conducts individual therapy, may be from once a week to daily.

A family therapist works with any parts of the family (whole, marital dyad, siblings, extended family, etc)

Group therapy involves different individuals (usually not related) into a group to discuss different topics. A partial listing of types of groups is below.

A psychiatrist primarily addresses medication issues with a client. At times, a psychiatrist may also conduct traditional therapy sessions.

Physicians that provide medical services, including: general medical care, cardiology, neurology, etc.

A dietitian works with you on food-based issues; they can help you with meal planning, the mental approach around food, exercise, and the balance between the two, and a host of other mental and behavioral services around healthy nutrition and exercise

Radically-Open DBT is helpful to those who struggle with emotional OVER-control (ie., talking in an open manner). It is helpful for those with behaviors consistent with: anorexia, OCD, long-term anxiety or depression. See http://www.radicallyopen.net/ for more information.

For those who love horses, this is a very powerful mode of treatment. It uses horses to help you understand many issues related to your eating disorder, such as but not limited to: priorities, control, & resistance.

DBT, or Dialectical Behavior Therapy, is an evidence-based approach extended group therapy program that helps create a variety of coping skills that the individual can use in a variety of settings.

CBT, or Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, is a type of therapy that involves understanding the connections between your thought process and your behavioral actions.

EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a highly specialized therapy specialized for those struggling with PTSD. You can read more on emdria.org.

ACT, or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, is another subtype of Behavioral Therapy that helps treat the "stuck" feeling that many people have between wanting to do well in therapy and struggling with old, negative beliefs and symptoms. Please see http://contextualscience.org/act for more information.

Experiential therapies involve using the whole body in making a connection between what a person is thinking and feeling. It brings a greater awareness of what is going on in the mind and body to the surface, where it can be dealt with in a more direct manner.

Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders - ANAD support groups are eating disorder specific and are free. They also have a helpline: 630-577.1330 is open Monday-Friday, 9:00 am-5:00 pm, Central Time

These groups are based on the 12 Steps, as applied to eating or emotionally-based disorders