While most of us have heard of common eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, another similar condition that has been around for decades is only just now beginning to gain recognition, and it can be as destructive as its more well-known counterparts. While it has yet to be included in the DSM-IV (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual used by mental health practitioners to diagnose mental health issues), orthorexia was coined by physician Steven Bratman back in 1979. And as the world we live in becomes one that is more and more obsessed with searching for the “right” type of diet, this type of condition becomes more commonly found amongst those who suffer.
How does orthorexia differ from anorexia and bulimia?
Unlike anorexia nervosa, where the sufferer wants to eat as little as possible, and bulimia nervosa, where the sufferer binges and purges their food in order to prevent gaining weight, with orthorexia those suffering become obsessed with what they believe to be (but what may not be) “healthy eating”.
According to Emmy Gilmour, Clinical Director at London-based eating disorder recovery clinic The Recover Clinic, “Orthorexia is when a way of eating shifts from being a choice and temporary measure to becoming part of who you are and how you live”.
In the past this condition has been confused with both anorexia nervosa and bulimia, seen as just a slightly different version of the two. But while all three are characterized by an obsession with food, it is the nuances of orthorexia that set it apart. Take for instance, a run of the mill vegan or gluten-free diet. The eater in question does need a certain amount of diligence and focus to be sure that the food they ingest is in keeping with their lifestyle diet of choice. But when it comes to orthorexia, that diligence and focus takes a dangerous turn and becomes a fixation on the purity and so-called properness of the food itself. This fixation allows them to assert authority and power in an area of their lives that they have complete control over, unlike, potentially, many other areas of life.
The line between being mindful of what you eat and being obsessed with it, to one’s own detriment, is a very thin one indeed, and one that can make recognition of orthorexia difficult. Like with other obsessive conditions, those who suffer from orthorexia often isolate themselves in order to make space for the planning and preparing of meals. They may avoid eating out or eating with others, avoiding the temptation by bringing their own food everywhere they go. Orthorexic eating has even been described as being “like a religion” where “it becomes a position and not a preference”. So while there is nothing wrong with trying to eat “clean”, the extreme side of the single-mindedness involved with healthy eating can potentially come full circle to a very dangerous place.
What is the treatment for orthorexia?
It is important to get treatment for orthorexia as one would for any other type of obsessive condition and/or eating disorder. Specialist centers can help those who can no longer help themselves but are ready to make a change.
