Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa is a serious eating disorder and mental health condition that involves much more than dieting or wanting to lose weight. Individuals with anorexia often experience an intense fear of gaining weight, significant restriction of food intake, and a distorted perception of their body shape or size. Even when someone is medically underweight, they may still feel “too big” or struggle to recognize the seriousness of their condition.
Common Features of Anorexia Nervosa
Restricting food intake or avoiding meals
Intense fear of gaining weight
Persistent thoughts about food, weight, or body image
Distorted body image or difficulty recognizing low body weight
Excessive exercise or rigid food-related rules
Anxiety around eating or eating in front of others
Social withdrawal and increased isolation
Types of Anorexia Nervosa
Restricting Type: Weight loss occurs primarily through food restriction, fasting, or excessive exercise.
Binge-Eating/Purging Type: Episodes of binge eating or purging behaviors such as self-induced vomiting or misuse of laxatives may also occur.
Physical and Emotional Effects
Anorexia can impact nearly every system in the body and may lead to:
Fatigue, dizziness, or feeling cold frequently
Slow heart rate and low blood pressure
Difficulty concentrating
Anxiety, depression, or irritability
Increased isolation or emotional distress
Disruption in relationships, work, school, and daily functioning
Anorexia Nervosa most commonly develops during adolescence or young adulthood, though it can affect people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. It is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition, but recovery is possible with compassionate, evidence-based treatment and support.
Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT-E)
Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT-E) is a specialized, evidence-based treatment developed specifically for eating disorders, including Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder (BED), Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders (OSFED), and Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). CBT-E is considered one of the leading psychological treatments for eating disorders and focuses on addressing the thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and patterns that maintain disordered eating.
CBT-E helps individuals develop a healthier and more flexible relationship with food, eating, body image, and self-worth. Treatment often targets restrictive eating, binge eating, purging behaviors, compulsive exercise, body checking, food rules, perfectionism, and intense concerns related to weight and shape. CBT-E also helps individuals understand how eating disorder symptoms may be connected to anxiety, low self-esteem, emotional avoidance, trauma, or difficulty coping with distress.
Treatment is collaborative, structured, and individualized to each person’s unique needs and goals. Individuals learn practical coping skills, build regular eating patterns, challenge eating disorder thoughts, reduce avoidance behaviors, and improve emotional regulation and overall functioning. CBT-E can be effective for adolescents and adults across a wide range of eating disorder presentations and levels of severity.
Ricardo Despradel, LMHC-D provides affirming, evidence-based CBT-E treatment for eating disorders through virtual therapy services for individuals in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Treatment is grounded in compassion, collaboration, and culturally responsive care to support long-term recovery and improved quality of life.
