Eating disorders
Disordered eating patterns and body image, assessed with medical safety prioritized alongside psychological and nutritional care.
What it is
Conditions involving disordered eating patterns and body image, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating patterns, requiring careful multidisciplinary assessment because of the medical risk that can accompany them.
Common symptoms & concerns
- Disordered eating patterns present with limited medical or functional impact
- More frequent restrictive, binge, or purging behaviours with measurable impact on weight, physical health, or daily functioning
- Significant medical instability (e.g. marked weight change, electrolyte or cardiac risk) requiring urgent medical monitoring alongside psychological care
Assessment & care
Assessment approach
Assessment is multidisciplinary from the start, covering medical status, psychological presentation, and nutritional pattern together before a plan is set.
In-scope care
In-scope care includes specialised psychotherapy, medical monitoring, and nutrition counselling, coordinated with the Body Image & Appearance-related Mental Health pathway and body-image-focused CBT where indicated. Medical monitoring keeps the patient safe while psychotherapy and nutrition counselling work in parallel on the behavioural and physiological drivers — medical safety takes priority over pace of psychological progress.
Treatments used
Related questions
No. Eating disorders involve disordered eating patterns and body image that can carry significant psychological and medical risk regardless of a person's current weight; assessment looks at behaviour, medical status, and psychological presentation together.
Yes, for many presentations. Disordered eating can carry medical risk such as electrolyte or cardiac complications, so medical monitoring runs alongside psychological care rather than being optional.
Yes, care is coordinated with the Body Image and Appearance-related Mental Health pathway where relevant, since the two frequently overlap.