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Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are a group of mental illnesses that affect the way you feel about food, the way you feel about your body, and yourself. They lead to dangerous eating behaviours. The most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. Eating disorders can harm the heart, digestive system, bones, teeth, and mouth, and lead to other diseases, too. They often develop in the teen and young adult years, although they can develop at other ages too. 

An eating disorder is dangerous, but treatable. With help, you can return to healthier eating habits and even reverse the complications caused by the eating disorder.
 

What is normal?

Today’s culture has become image-obsessed, so many of us worry about putting on weight or wish we looked different. And, many of us turn to food when we’re feeling lonely, bored, or stressed. These are all pretty normal behaviours. But if your eating habits have been overtaken by a preoccupation with your body, body image, or weight, you may have an eating disorder.

 

What are common signs and symptoms?

Symptoms vary, depending on the type of eating disorder.

 

Anorexia nervosa

  • Feeling fat even if you’re underweight
  • Fixation on body image 
  • Harshly critical of appearance
  • Denial that you’re too thin
  • Dieting despite being thin
  • Dramatic weight loss 
  • Using diet pills, laxatives, or diuretics 
  • Throwing up after eating 
  • Compulsive exercising 
  • Obsession with calories, fat, and nutrition 
  • Pretending to eat or lying about eating 
  • Preoccupation with food
  • Strange or secretive food rituals 

 

Bulimia nervosa

  • Lack of control over eating
  • Secrecy around eating
  • Eating unusually large amounts of food
  • Disappearance of food
  • Alternating between overeating and fasting
  • Going to the bathroom after meals
  • Using laxatives, diuretics, or enemas
  • Smell of vomit
  • Excessive exercising
  • Calluses or scars on knuckles or hands from inducing vomiting
  • Discoloured teeth from exposure to stomach acid when throwing up
  • Frequent fluctuations in weight

 

Binge-eating disorder

  • Inability to stop eating or control what you eat
  • Rapidly eating large amounts of food
  • Eating even when you’re full
  • Hiding or stockpiling food to eat later in secret
  • Eating normally around others, but gorging when you’re alone
  • Eating continuously throughout the day, with no planned mealtimes
  • Feeling stress or tension that is only relieved by eating
  • Embarrassment over how much you’re eating
  • Never feeling satisfied, no matter how much you eat
  • Feeling guilty, disgusted, or depressed after overeating
  • Desperation to control weight and eating habits

 

Should I seek help?

An eating disorder can be difficult to manage or overcome by yourself. Eating disorders can virtually take over your life. If you're experiencing any of these problems, or if you think you may have an eating disorder, seek medical help.

Many people with eating disorders may not think they need treatment. If you're worried about a loved one, urge him or her to talk to a doctor. Even if your loved one isn't ready to acknowledge having an issue with food, you can open the door by expressing concern and a desire to listen.

Tools

Kids Help Phone

Kids Help Phone
This tool is not administered by Nova Scotia Health Authority. Tool Information may be incorrect and/or out of date. Confirm details with the tool provider.

Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7 e-mental health service offering free, confidential support to young people in English and French. Services include mental health tips and info, crisis support, professional counselling, quizzes, games and...

Visit Kids Help Phone

More Information:

Adults / Children / Youth

SMART Recovery - Self-Management And Recovery Training

SMART Recovery - Self-Management And Recovery Training
This tool is not administered by Nova Scotia Health Authority. Tool Information may be incorrect and/or out of date. Confirm details with the tool provider.

Self-Management And Recovery Training (SMART) is a global community of mutual-support groups. At meetings, participants help one another resolve problems with any addiction (to drugs or alcohol or to activities such as gambling or over-eating)...

Visit SMART Recovery - Self-Management And Recovery Training

More Information:

Adults / Seniors

Mental Health 101

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
This tool is not administered by Nova Scotia Health Authority. Tool Information may be incorrect and/or out of date. Confirm details with the tool provider.

Knowledge is power. This series of free online tutorials is a starting point for learning about mental health.​ You can come away with a greater understanding of the mental health concern you are interested in knowing more about. The tutorials can...

Visit Mental Health 101

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Adults / Seniors / Youth

Eating Disorders Online Peer Support

Eating Disorders Nova Scotia
This tool is not administered by Nova Scotia Health Authority. Tool Information may be incorrect and/or out of date. Confirm details with the tool provider.

A safe, pro-recovery space for people with eating disorders to connect, learn, and grow. There is no diagnosis or referral needed and our online peer support is accessible from any smart phone, tablet or computer with internet access.

Visit Eating Disorders Online Peer Support

More Information:

Eating Disorders
Adults / Youth

27 Program(s)

Access Wellness Nova Scotia

This service is not administered by Nova Scotia Health Authority. Service Information may be incorrect and/or out of date. Confirm details with the service provider.

Access Wellness is a free single-session supportive counselling service for individuals, couples or families. 

Sessions can be held over the phone, online with video, or in-person. People can speak with a qualified professional and learn strategies...

Adults / Seniors / Youth

IWK Mental Health and Addictions Program

IWK
This service is not administered by Nova Scotia Health Authority. Service Information may be incorrect and/or out of date. Confirm details with the service provider.

The IWK Mental Health and  Addictions Program provides specialized care throughout the province for children and youth up until their 19th birthday within a patient and family...

Children / Youth

Canadian Mental Health Association - Colchester East Hants Branch

This service is not administered by Nova Scotia Health Authority. Service Information may be incorrect and/or out of date. Confirm details with the service provider.

The Canadian Mental Health Association, Colchester East Hants Branch provides public education, advocacy, and a resource center to support the resiliency and recovery of people...

Adults / Seniors

Canadian Mental Health Association - Halifax-Dartmouth Branch

This service is not administered by Nova Scotia Health Authority. Service Information may be incorrect and/or out of date. Confirm details with the service provider.

The Canadian Mental Health Association, Halifax-Dartmouth Branch works at the community level and facilitates access to the resources people require to maintain and improve...

Adults / Seniors

Canadian Mental Health Association - Nova Scotia Division

This service is not administered by Nova Scotia Health Authority. Service Information may be incorrect and/or out of date. Confirm details with the service provider.

Canadian Mental Health Associations in Nova Scotia are the oldest community-based mental health and addictions charitable organizations in the province, founded in 1908. The CMHA...

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Adults / Seniors

Healthy Minds Cooperative

This service is not administered by Nova Scotia Health Authority. Service Information may be incorrect and/or out of date. Confirm details with the service provider.

Healthy Minds Cooperative is an innovative mental health cooperative that provides a variety of peer-based services to people with lived experience of mental health issues and to...

Adults / Seniors

Eskasoni Mental Health

This service is not administered by Nova Scotia Health Authority. Service Information may be incorrect and/or out of date. Confirm details with the service provider.

Eskasoni Mental Health Services (EMHS) provides a wide range of services to the Mi’kmaq people of Eskasoni, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The Tui'kn Residential School Survivor Team...

Adults / Seniors / Youth
First Nations, Indigenous

Eating Disorders Of Nova Scotia (EDNS)

This service is not administered by Nova Scotia Health Authority. Service Information may be incorrect and/or out of date. Confirm details with the service provider.

Eating Disorders Nova Scotia (EDNS) is a community based organization that offers peer support for individuals with eating disorders, and for their families, friends and partners...

Eating Disorders
Adults / Seniors / Youth

Caregivers Nova Scotia

This service is not administered by Nova Scotia Health Authority. Service Information may be incorrect and/or out of date. Confirm details with the service provider.

Caregivers Nova Scotia provides free programs, services, information, and advocacy for family and friend caregivers. We are dedicated to providing recognition and practical assistance to friends and family giving care.

Adults / Seniors
Caregiver, Family

Kids Help Phone

This service is not administered by Nova Scotia Health Authority. Service Information may be incorrect and/or out of date. Confirm details with the service provider.

Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7, national support service. We offer professional counselling, information and referrals and volunteer-led, text-based support to young...

Children / Youth

211

211
This service is not administered by Nova Scotia Health Authority. Service Information may be incorrect and/or out of date. Confirm details with the service provider.

211 is a free, confidential information and referral service that can connect you to thousands of programs and services offered by local community groups, nonprofits and government departments across Nova Scotia, 24/7.

Adults / Children / Seniors / Youth

Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services - Mental Health Programs and Services

This service is not administered by Nova Scotia Health Authority. Service Information may be incorrect and/or out of date. Confirm details with the service provider.

Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS) is responsible for administering Non-Public Property (NPP) on behalf of the Chief of the Defence Staff and for delivering...

Adults / Seniors
Canadian Forces, RCMP

Veterans Affairs Canada Assistance Service

This service is not administered by Nova Scotia Health Authority. Service Information may be incorrect and/or out of date. Confirm details with the service provider.

Veterans Affairs provide targeted services and benefits to improve well-being including support and services related to your physical and mental health and wellness.The VAC...

Adults / Seniors
Canadian Forces, RCMP

Families Matter in Mental Health

This service is not administered by Nova Scotia Health Authority. Service Information may be incorrect and/or out of date. Confirm details with the service provider.

Families Matter in Mental Health is an 11-week education and support program for family or friends who are providing practical and/or emotional support to someone who has a...

Adults
Caregiver, Family

Health Psychology

Health Psychology offers psychological interventions for those with chronic and acute health conditions. The main focus is on the patient's mental and emotional reaction to an illness or their recovery from an illness.

Adults

Geriatric Psychiatry Outpatient Program

Seniors mental health services provide assessment, consultation and treatments to:

  • seniors aged 65 and older for a new onset of mental health challenges
  • individuals of any age...
Seniors

Adult Neurodevelopmental Stabilization Unit - Dual Diagnosis Program (Intellectual Disability in combination with Mental Illness)

The Adult Neurodevelopmental Stabilization Unit (ANSU) is an acute care unit that provides services for persons with intellectual disability and acute mental illness that cannot...

Adults

Inpatient Mental Health Services

Inpatient mental health services are available for those who cannot be safely assessed, diagnosed and stabilized in the community. 

Adults / Seniors

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