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Eating Disorders in the Elderly
The first published case of a late-onset eating disorder (at the age of 40) was in 1930 by John M. Berkman. In 1936, John A. Ryle published a case study of an eating disorder in a 59-year-old woman....
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What’s The Point of Bingeing and Purging? And Why Can’t You Just Stop?
I defended my MSc on Tuesday and I’m not going to lie: I was pretty symptomatic with bulimia in the days prior to my defence. As I explained to my boyfriend: the anxiety-reducing effects of purging...
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Nonpurging Bulimia Nervosa: Where Does It Fit?
When most people think of bulimia nervosa, they think of binge eating and self-induced vomiting. While that is not incorrect, it is not the full picture either. In the current edition of the...
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Family-Based Treatment for Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa: Hype or Hope?
When it comes to eating disorder treatment, few (if any) approaches are as divisive as Family-Based Treatment, also known as the Maudsley Method (I’ll use the terms interchangeably) . When I first...
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Factors Associated with Recovery from Anorexia Nervosa
Why do some people recover anorexia nervosa relatively quickly while others seem to struggle for years or decades? Does it depend on the person’s desire to get better? Their willpower? How much they...
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International Conference on Eating Disorders (ICED) 2013: Personal Reflections
The 2013 International Conference on Eating Disorders (ICED) ended on May 4th. I thought I’d reflect on the experience (short version: it was awesome and I’m so glad I went!). Please note, the...
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The Genetics of Thin-Ideal Internalization
The Tripartite Model of body image dissatisfaction postulates that three factors (peers, parents, and media) affect body image dissatisfaction and disordered eating through thin-ideal internalization...
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Is Anorexia Nervosa a Subtype of Body Dysmorphic Disorder?
Is anorexia nervosa a subtype of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)? Well, probably not, but don’t click the close button just yet. In this post, I’ll explore the relationship between anorexia nervosa and...
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Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Women with Bulimia Nervosa
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is 3-5 times more prevalent in individuals with bulimia nervosa (BN) than those without (Dansky et al., 1997). However, the relationship between PTSD and BN–in...
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Calorie Restriction, Anorexia Nervosa, and Memory Gaps
I have often heard anorexia nervosa sufferers complain of “memory gaps,” particularly during the times they were really sick. As if they weren’t really there. It can be scary and unnerving, to say...
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Comorbid PTSD and Eating Disorders: Can Treating One Improve The Other?
Women with bulimia nervosa are three times more likely to struggle with PTSD than women without eating disorders, according to a study by Dansky and colleagues (1997). In that study, 37% of...
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The Enigmatic Persistence of Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa was first described in the medical literature in 1689 by Richard Morton. It has been over 300 years since then and AN continues to be one of the deadliest psychiatric disorders. If...
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Why Banning Pro-Ana is a Bad Idea
Is banning content that is thought to “promote” eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa (pro-ana) a good idea? I want to put aside the question of whether the goal is even possible (I would argue...
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CCK and the “Hunger Trap” in Anorexia Nervosa (Why Gaining Weight is Hard)
Cholecystokinin (CCK) is a digestive hormone that stimulates fat and protein digestion, and promotes the feeling of satiety. CCK is released after food consumption to promote digestion (by releasing...
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The Benefits of Starving – Part II (Restricting Reduces Anxiety in Anorexia...
What is different about anorexia nervosa sufferers that, in contrast to most dieters, enables them to maintain a persistent calorie deficit? Although no one can truthfully claim they know the full...
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Emotion Fluctuations in Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa: A Rollercoaster or Not...
Restricting, bingeing, and purging are powerful ways to regulate emotional states. However, these behaviours probably play different roles in emotional regulation. Whereas restriction is hypothesized...
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Demystifying the Genetic and Environmental Influences on Disordered Eating
Genetics play an important role in the development of eating disorders and disordered eating behaviours. To date, many (over 30!) twin studies have been done and all but two found significant genetic...
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Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Bulimia Nervosa in the “Real World”: What’s...
Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is commonly described as the evidence-based treatment for bulimia nervosa. But do the findings from nearly perfectly crafted trials, with stringently followed...
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How you doin’? Differences in Psychological Well-being Between Anorexia,...
Good health is more than just the absence of illness; it is more than just the absence of dysfunction. Good health — that is, mental, social, and physical health — requires the presence of wellness,...
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The Sobering Reality (and the Silver Lining) of Treating Anorexia Nervosa in...
The challenges of treating anorexia nervosa are plenty; some of these challenges — like low prevalence rate and high treatment dropout rate — make conducting randomised controlled trials aimed at...
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