osfed
treatment for osfed
At Galen Hope, we offer treatment customized to individuals struggling with OSFED (Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder). Let us guide you or a loved one on the path to recovery with a consultation today.
what is osfed?
OSFED (Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder) is an eating disorder in which individuals may have symptoms of anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder, but the symptoms do not fit neatly into one diagnostic category. This diagnosis is often used with individuals who appear to have every symptom of anorexia nervosa but are not at a low enough weight to fully meet the diagnostic criteria. They experience every symptom and can be just as impaired as someone whose body does get extremely low weight.
what is the meaning of an osfed diagnosis?
OSFED is surprisingly common, affecting people of all genders and ages. This is an area of bias in our medical system and in our diagnostic criteria. For males and those who live in larger bodies, their body may not get down to a weight that is considered medically dangerous though often it is quite dangerous. When considering how severe an eating disorder actually is, one must compare the individual to themselves and not a BMI chart. Rapid weight loss achieved by unhealthy and obsessive restriction can lead to medical consequences and extreme psychological distress.
While the specifics vary, OSFED can cause serious health problems and deserves professional attention. If you suspect you or someone you know might have OSFED, seeking help from a therapist, registered dietitian, or doctor is crucial for recovery.
how to identify osfed symptoms
Individuals with OSFED typically have extremely disordered eating habits, distorted body image, an intense fear of gaining weight, and self-esteem tied to their shape or weight. Although they do not meet the full criteria for a diagnosis of anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder, OSFED is just as serious as other eating disorders, and the psychological and medical consequences can be severe. One must always consider functional impairment.
If the rules related to food or eating are preventing the person from living a flexible and spontaneous life, if others find eating with them to be stressful, or if they totally preoccupied with thoughts about food, body, or weight to the point that it interferes with their quality of life, this is a disorder. If the individual feels that they have lost control of their symptoms or their behaviors related to food, body, or weight, this is a disorder. How this disorder present varies from person to person.
In some cases, it matches the diagnostic criteria for a particular eating disorder and, in others, it presents in a more unique way but, nonetheless, is clearly a disorder.