Author: frivvy89

Brain scans of children ages 9-10 with a type of eating disorder that causes uncontrollable overeating showed differences in gray matter density compared to their unaffected peers, according to a USC-led study. Binge eating disorder, which affects about 3-5% of the U.S. population, is characterized by frequent episodes of eating large amounts of food and a sense of having no control over the behavior. The study’s findings suggest that abnormal development in the brain’s centers for reward and inhibition may play a role. The recently published study is available online in the journal Psychiatry Research. “In children with binge eating…

(Originally posted at USC News.) Brain scans of children ages 9-10 with a type of eating disorder that causes uncontrollable overeating showed differences in gray matter density compared to their unaffected peers, according to a USC-led study. Binge eating disorder, which affects about 3-5% of the U.S. population, is characterized by frequent episodes of eating large amounts of food and a sense of having no control over the behavior. The study’s findings suggest that abnormal development in the brain’s centers for reward and inhibition may play a role. The recently published study is available online in the journal Psychiatry Research. “In children…

Reading Time: 5 minutes When you hear the term eating disorder, there’s a good chance you’re either thinking of bulimia nervosa or binge-eating disorder. There’s probably a good reason for this; both are the most common among all of the eating disorder subtypes and are often depicted in television and the media However, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder aren’t the same; they’re actually very different. They have different underlying symptoms, affect different people, and show their own unique course. Therefore, it’s important to not conflate the two because it could do more harm than good.  This article will help you…

It is the deadly eating disorder that is notoriously hard to treat. A third of anorexia sufferers – characterised by restrictive eating and dramatic weight loss – relapse within five years.And it is on the rise, with a record 10,000 children and teenagers diagnosed between April and December last year, up by almost two-thirds since before the pandemic.While talking treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help patients cope with anxiety about food, doctors often fail to get patients over a fundamental hurdle – eating enough to gain weight.The longer that anorexia patients avoid eating certain foods, often out…

Reasons is committed to supporting and elevating Black voices year-round, particularly on topics related to mental health and eating disorders. Black History Month offers a timely opportunity to share some of the advocacy groups and thought leaders that inspire our team every day. Take a look at these resources to gain new perspectives and inspiration for prioritizing Black communities and Black healing. Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM) The Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM) proclaims, “Black History is Black Healing.” Our staff couldn’t agree more. BEAM is a national institution focused on training, movement building, and grant…

Propaganda and fake news are a bit of a Venn diagram where there is tremendous overlap but you can have propaganda that is not fake news and vice versa. An example of fake news that is not propaganda is when someone generates a fake story and/or image but their motivation is to troll or to gain notoriety and popularity—they are not trying to promote any point of view. An example of propaganda that is not fake news is the relaying of something that has actually occurred, but doing so in a flattering light—think pretty much every press release from any organization…

A child’s return from residential eating disorder treatment is both exciting and terrifying for a lot of parents. So today we’re going to hear from a parent whose child is returning from residential treatment. Like so many parents, she is afraid of what could happen and feels very, very stressed about it. I’ll talk through what she should do to prepare for a return from residential eating disorder treatment, and also how to take care of herself gently and lovingly through this time.The letterDear Ginny, My child is going to return home from almost two months of residential treatment for their eating…

If you have a child who has an eating disorder then you might have heard of the HAES approach to health and recovery. So what is HAES, and why is it so important to eating disorder recovery? I’ve done my best to distill this significant and nuanced concept to its most important points.What is the HAES approach?HAES, or Health at Every Size, promotes a weight-neutral approach to health. This is a critical departure from the dominant approach of our cultural, public health, and medical interventions when it comes to weight. The dominant culture says that weight gain is bad and weight…

When I was 14 years old I went to the doctors. I started my periods when I was 13. By the time I turned 14, they had stopped. So after about six months of not having had a period, my mum insisted that I go to see the doctor. My mum and I sat down in front of the doctor and explained what was happening with my periods. I was a competitive athlete and spent a lot of time training and competing and explained this to the doctor. My mum explained how she was concerned that my periods had stopped.…

As a parent of three young children and child psychologist, I am always trying to find different ways to teach children about their emotions and learn ways to be mindful and aware of their feelings and thoughts. This mindful awareness is one of the most important steps in learning emotion regulation. One of my favorite ways to teach these ideas is through children’s books. Below, I outline some of my favorite mindful storybooks that engage children (and parents!) in gaining insight into their emotional states and teaching helpful ways to regulate and use mindful practices in daily life. It is…