*updated January 2024
I had the opportunity to speak at a local high school with a panel of specialists on eating disorders. I was impressed with the large crowd of students who voluntarily showed up on their lunch break to hear about eating disorders. This was a topic that these high school students cared about. I guess it is not surprising considering that some estimates show nearly 11% of high school students have been diagnosed with an eating disorder (www.anad.org).
During the question and answer portion of the presentation, several students asked how they could know if they have an eating disorder. I think it is pretty safe to assume that nearly everyone in the room struggles with their weight and body image, and may have tried dieting to control those factors, but how can they know if they have a full-blown, this-feels-out-of-control, I-need-to-get-help type of eating disorder?
Take an eating disorder assessment
There is a great eating disorder assessment you can take online to quickly help you determine if you might be at risk of an eating disorder. It is kind of like one of those Cosmo quizzes, "Is He the One???," only it will help you figure out if you have a diagnosable eating disorder.
This video may also answer some of your questions about what are eating disorders. It includes information about the different types of eating disorders as well as what are the criteria for each type of eating disorder. There is also a lot of helpful information on our Houston Eating Disorder Treatment service page.
If you think there is any chance you might have an eating disorder, take the assessment, and then contact an eating disorder specialist. We have Houston eating disorder therapists who are trained to help you. The sooner you get help, the more likely it is that you can beat the disorder. I recommend you work with someone who is a specialist in this area because it is a very unique and complicated type of treatment. You will get the best results from a specialist.
Ready to get help for your eating disorder?
If you need help dealing with knowing or managing if you have an eating disorder we have counselors who can meet with you. If you would like to talk to a Houston therapist, we would love to help you feel relief today. You can contact us online to schedule an appointment or call 713-565-0922 to ask any questions you have about how we can be of help to you. We also have a lot of resources on our website. You don't have to go through this alone. We are in this together.
OTHER THERAPY SERVICES WE OFFER IN HOUSTON, TX
In addition to Eating Disorder Counseling, we have other mental health services that we offer at our Houston, TX counseling office. Our services are available for adults, children, and teens. For individuals we offer Anxiety Treatment, School and College Counseling, Couples Therapy and Marriage Counseling, Perinatal and Postpartum Treatment, and Infertility Counseling. As well as Trauma Therapy, PTSD Treatment, EMDR Therapy, Autism Therapy, and LGBTQ+ Counseling. Our caring therapists also offer Family Therapy, Parenting Counseling, Career Counseling, and LPC Supervision. All of these services are also available through Online Counseling throughout Texas.