Eating Disorder nos was the reason for an e-mail I received the other day from a 15 year old girl who wanted help but didn’t want to tell her parents because it would hurt them. This young girl was fully aware of her problem and has been a sufferer for about a year. She didn’t leave her phone number wishing to correspond only by e-mail and has stated she is leery of professional treatment. I sent her some information on self help groups in her area and asked her to let me know if this helped.
Eating Disorder not otherwise specified is a disease that dose not fit neatly in any diagnostic manual. How many of you reading this have even heard of this type of eating disorder? The person suffering with EDNOS, as my young friend, can suffer with behaviors associated with Anorexia and Bulimic but not have all the symptoms of those sometimes fatal diseases. When all the symptoms are not present the physician, who depends on a diagnostic manual to make the diagnosis often misses the mark, further frustrating the patient.
The last 10 years has certainly seen an increase in public awareness concerning eating disorders. There is still much confusion concerning the array of diseases that fall under the umbrella of eating disorder. What there can not be any confusion about is the serious danger and physical complications when any combination of Anorexia, Bulimia, Compulsive Overeating and Binge-Eating Disorder present themselves. In order for someone that suffers with EDNOS to obtain eating disorder treatment they are forced to escalate their disease until all symptoms are present. Lets pray we don’t lose anyone before the diagnostic manuals include all types of eating disorder.