The potential pitfalls of ultra-healthy eating; a glimpse into the darkness of Orthorexia
It all starts out with a seemingly benign desire to be ‘healthy’, cut out food dyes, pay more attention to multisyllabic food ingredients that look suspicious, and lessen the consumption of seed oils. Sometimes, though, those behaviors take a sharp turn down a dangerous road.
When someone starts to eliminate an entire food group or has a second thought when asked to grab a cup of coffee with friends due to fear, these are signs that “healthy eating” has spilled over into identity, linking one’s value and morality with what they consume; truly believing, “You are what you eat”.
If you’re reading the news or listening to podcasts these days, some topics keep creeping up, specifically those around dieting, weight loss, health, and wellness. This shouldn’t be a surprise as many Americans are trying to make sense of what to eat, where to purchase food if they are getting enough vitamins and minerals, and how to protect themselves from chronic illness.
Despite this, America is still viewed as “less healthy” compared to similar countries; “The United States is among the wealthiest nations in the world, but it is far from the healthiest. Although life expectancy and survival rates in the United States have improved dramatically over the past century, Americans live shorter lives and experience more injuries and illnesses than people in other high-income countries”
What is Orthorexia?
For some people, the rigid thought processes related to food and eating, such as the dichotomy that there are only healthy or unhealthy foods, can lead to a belief system that puts food and wellness as the main driver of identity. Striving to be healthy becomes a part of one’s personality and can dictate decisions and lead to an obsession with health at all costs.
Orthorexia, a term derived from the Greek words for “correct appetite” or “correct eating,” is the specific word used by some practitioners to describe this state of being. The term is synonymous with a laser focus on eating in a specifically healthy way, which can interfere with one’s activities of daily living. For some people, this might manifest by someone refusing to go out to dinner so they can stay home and consume foods that feel safer or more comfortable and to avoid potentially eating food that is deemed “less healthy”.
This error in thought can also encourage people to not trust how food is prepared outside of their home or without following specific food rules, for example, not eating at a restaurant due to the fear of the use of vegetable oils or other fats. For others, orthorexia is a way for them to eliminate entire food groups, which can lead to malnourishment or a depletion of necessary vitamins and minerals derived from foods.
The idea that certain types of foods are better than others or are pure can also negatively impact one’s mental health, for example, encouraging thought disturbances, excessive anxiety, depression, and intense shame. Some have coupled the term with the phrase “righteous eating” and posit that people who are orthorexic put themselves morally above others due to their eating habits and behaviors.
Is Orthorexia an Eating Disorder?
Though the label has become more commonly used in recent years, orthorexia is not an official diagnosis or specified eating disorder, which can create some barriers to receiving treatment, especially for anyone using insurance. When identified early and with a mental health professional who is knowledgeable about feeding and eating issues, orthorexia can typically be treated with solid outpatient care.
Treatment for orthorexia is most often a combination of psychoeducation as well as cognitive behavioral therapy with a licensed therapist, nutrition education with a dietitian, and when necessary, psychopharmacological intervention with a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner.
Sometimes, a more focused and concentrated program, specifically an intensive outpatient program that specializes in feeding and eating disorders is also helpful as it provides peer support through group interventions, coached meals, and nutrition education.
Lift Wellness Group and LiftWell offer all of these services and can even tailor treatment to the needs of a specific case to make the most impact and help people live a life free from the intrusive thoughts and rules around food and wellness. Whether it is labeled as “Orthorexia” or someone who happens to struggle with other obsessive or rigid thoughts about food, LiftWell is here and able to help; there is hope for making changes.
