Our society carries around the stereotype that eating disorders only occur in women. In reality, eating disorders can impact anyone and unfortunately, male eating disorders often fly under the radar because we are so programmed to place disordered eating in the realm of the female. Eating disorders have a damaging effect on our minds and bodies and it’s imperative to speak up and seek help if you feel like you’re struggling with disordered eating. It’s equally important to remember that there is no specific “look” to an eating disorder. Even obsessive or plaguing thoughts about food can be overwhelming. If you or someone you love is experiencing any of the following common signs of eating disorders, it’s time to seek out professional help.
Feeling like you need to constantly “make up for” poor food choices.
If you’re beating yourself up, obsessively exercising, purging, or using extreme diets after a few days of overeating, this is a red flag. We all experience some levels of guilt around excessive food consumption or lack of exercise, when you find yourself obsessing about it, this points to a larger issue.
Practicing extremely rigid schedules or rituals around food.
It’s wonderful and advisable to have schedules and a healthy eating plan. However, just as life is constantly changing and filled with ups and downs, our food schedules are subject to the same shifts. If you feel like your whole world revolves around your eating structure and/or you feel a sense of extreme anxiety when you stray from this structure, it’s time to find increased peace around nurturing yourself.
Feelings of guilt, shame, and anxiety around food, as well as generally feeling like these thoughts are impacting your ability to thrive in your daily life.
Regardless of the presence of other symptoms, if you feel that your relationship with food and nutrition is impacting your ability to enjoy your life and be present on your recovery journey, you would benefit greatly from speaking to a professional about these thoughts.
There is absolutely no reason to feel shame around disordered eating. The more men who come out and speak about their hardships in this area, the easier it will be for the collective to accept disordered eating as a non-gendered issue.
Tree House Recovery of Orange County, California is a premier men’s addiction treatment facility that uses eight different modalities to help our men become the best versions of themselves they can be. We teach our men that every day of their journey is something to celebrate, and that recovery isn’t a sprint– it’s a marathon. To get started with Tree House Recovery, call us today at (855) 202-2138.
