Eating Disorders

Bulimia and Binge Eating Disorder

Do you struggle with your relationship with food? Does your child or adolescent? You are certainly not alone. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, between 1.1% and 4.6% of females and 0.1% to 0.5% of males will develop bulimia, and 3.5% of women and 2.0% of men had binge eating disorder during their lifetime.

Bullying and weight-shaming may begin in elementary school, driven by the sociocultural idealization of thinness. For example, 40-60% of elementary school girls (ages 6-12) are concerned about their weight or about becoming too fat, and this concern often endures throughout their life. And binge eating, purging, laxative abuse, and fasting for weight loss are nearly as common among males as they are among females.

Many individuals struggle to understand if their thoughts and behavior around food are “normal”. When it comes to eating disorders, there are some tell-tale signs that indicate it may be time to seek help.

Learn More About Our Services Today

Please call (301) 984-9791 during business hours, or complete the form below, and we will contact you. We look forward to listening to your concerns, and sharing information about how our doctors would address them.

IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING AN EMERGENCY PLEASE CALL 911 OR GO TO THE NEAREST EMERGENCY ROOM.

When you complete the form, we’ll aim to contact you by telephone within one business day to speak with you about our services and how we can help you or your loved one.

Wherever possible we will arrange to schedule your initial appointment within one business day of our first telephone call with you.

Consider the following signs and symptoms:

I hate myself for the way I look
I constantly compare myself to how other people look
Thinner people are happier
I am not good enough/lovable if I am not thin
I am constantly hungry
I eat alone, so nobody can see what I am eating
There is a void in myself that I try to fill with eating or by avoid eating
I am afraid of being out of control
I hate myself for being out of control
When bingeing or purging, I am not able to think about anything else
I swallow my feelings when I binge

Eating disorders come in all sizes and every weight, and one cannot diagnose an eating disorder based on how a person looks. If you or your loved one answered “yes” to one or more of these reflections, you may have an eating disorder—and it may be time to seek professional advice. Call 301.984.9791 to contact us, discuss your needs, and schedule an appointment.

Our Approach

Our psychiatrists evaluate and treat children, adolescents and adults suffering from bulimia or binge eating disorder. We begin treatment with a complete assessment of our client’s current functioning and relevant history. In particular, we focus on understanding eating behavior, body image concerns, exercise habits, family history, and any other important information which may help her develop a treatment plan. Some clients need a more psycho-educational and behavioral approach to therapy, which helps target symptoms surrounding disordered eating patterns. This focused style can also assist in promoting the client’s self-management of eating habits. Other clients may feel comfortable managing some of their symptoms and may want to spend more time in therapy understanding the meaning of food in their life and the underlying causes of the disordered eating. We will work with each client as a unique individual seeking therapy, and we will aim to tailor our therapeutic style to best meet each client’s needs.

What is an eating disorder?

Eating disorders (and disordered eating) are characterized by disrupted eating behavior and unhealthy thinking about food. These behaviors and attitudes can lead to both emotional and physical problems. Eating disorders can affect both males and females and can result in life-threatening consequences. If you or someone you love is experiencing two or more of the following warning signs, we encourage you to call our office and set up an appointment immediately.

Restricting food intake
Noticing large fluctuations in weight
Dividing foods into “good” and “bad” categories
Eating large quantities of food in a single sitting
Eating only at certain times, certain places, or with certain people
Spending a disproportionate amount of time thinking about food
Feeling like eating is out of control
Needing to exercise in order to feel “normal”
Purging food

Learn More about Eating Disorder Treatments at Potomac Psychiatry

Call 301.984.9791 to speak to one of our experienced professionals. We look forward to meeting you.

Our offices are conveniently accessible from the following communities:

Maryland (MD):
Bethesda 20814 - Bethesda 20816 - Bethesda 20817 - Chevy Chase 20815 - Colesville 20904 - Cabin John 20815 - Glen Echo 20812 - Gaithersburg 20855 - Gaithersburg 20877- Gaithersburg 20878 - Gaithersburg 20879 - Garrett Park 20896 - Kensington 20895 - Montgomery Village 20886 - Olney 20830 - Olney 20832 - Potomac 20854 - Potomac 20859 - Rockville 20850 - Rockville 20852 - Rockville 20853 - Silver Spring 20903 - Silver Spring 20905 - Silver Spring 20906 - Silver Spring 20910 - Takoma Park 20912 - Wheaton 20902

Washington DC:
Crestwood 20011- North Capitol Hill 20002 - Cathedral Heights 20016 - American University Park 20016 - Columbia Heights 20010 - Mount Pleasant 20010 - Downtown 20036 - Dupont Circle 20009 - Logan Circle 20005- Adams Morgan 20009 - Chevy Chase 20015 - Georgetown 20007 - Cleveland Park 20008 - Foggy Bottom 20037 - Rock Creek Park - Woodley Park 20008 - Tenleytown 20016

Northern Virginia:
McLean 22101- McLean 22102 - McLean 22106 - Great Falls 22066 - Arlington 22201 - Arlington 22202 - Arlington 22203 - Arlington 22205 - Falls Church 22041 - Vienna 22181 - Alexandria 22314