Eating disorders are serious, complex mental health conditions that affect individuals of all genders, ages, races, body sizes, and backgrounds. In Texas, the need for specialized and inclusive eating disorder treatment is growing, especially as awareness grows regarding the wide range of disordered eating behaviors and their connection to trauma, identity, and mental health.
Austin Center for Eating Disorders (ACED) is committed to providing evidence-based, compassionate care for individuals struggling with eating disorders in person in Austin and virtually across Texas.
What Are Eating Disorders?
Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions characterized by persistent disturbances in eating behavior and related thoughts and emotions. Eating disorders can significantly impair physical health, emotional well-being, and day-to-day functioning. They often co-occur with other mental health diagnoses such as anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and trauma-related disorders.
Despite common stereotypes, eating disorders are not a choice, a phase, or simply a matter of willpower. They are serious illnesses with high risks for medical complications and mortality—second only to opioid use disorder in terms of fatality rates among psychiatric diagnoses (Arcelus et al., 2011).
Types of Eating Disorders
There are several types of eating disorders, each with unique features. The most common diagnoses include:
1. Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is characterized by:
Restriction of food intake leading to significantly low body weight
Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat
Distorted body image or denial of the seriousness of low weight
It may involve restrictive behaviors only (restricting subtype) or also include episodes of binge eating and/or purging (binge-eating/purging subtype). Medical risks include electrolyte imbalances, bradycardia, amenorrhea, bone loss, and heart complications.
2. Bulimia Nervosa
Individuals with bulimia nervosa engage in recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, laxative misuse, fasting, or excessive exercise. Key features include:
A sense of loss of control during binges
Self-evaluation that is unduly influenced by body shape and weight
Symptoms that occur at least once a week for three months
Unlike anorexia, those with bulimia may be within or above a typical weight range, which can delay diagnosis and treatment.
3. Binge Eating Disorder (BED)
BED is the most common eating disorder in the United States. It involves:
Eating large quantities of food in a discrete period, often rapidly and to the point of discomfort
Feeling a lack of control during binge episodes
Marked distress about binge eating, without compensatory behaviors
BED can lead to significant emotional distress, shame, and co-occurring health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and depression.
4. Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
ARFID is a lesser-known but increasingly recognized diagnosis, especially in children and adolescents. It involves:
Restriction of food intake due to sensory sensitivity, fear of choking or vomiting, or low interest in eating
Significant nutritional deficiencies, weight loss, or reliance on nutritional supplements
No body image concerns like those seen in anorexia or bulimia
5. Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED)
OSFED is a catch-all category for individuals who meet some but not all criteria for the above disorders. Common subtypes include:
Orthorexia
Atypical anorexia nervosa (all criteria for anorexia are met except low weight, which is extremely common)
Purging disorder
Night eating syndrome
Anorexia Athletica
Despite often being dismissed as “less severe,” OSFED can be just as serious and require the same level of clinical attention.
Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms
Eating disorders often develop gradually and can be difficult to detect, especially when individuals appear outwardly “healthy.” Some warning signs to look for include:
Physical Symptoms:
Significant weight fluctuations (up or down)
Fatigue, dizziness, or fainting
Gastrointestinal complaints
Cold intolerance
Dry skin or hair loss
Menstrual irregularities
Insomnia or hypersomnia
Behavioral Signs:
Ritualistic or rigid eating habits
Avoiding meals or social events involving food
Obsessive focus on calorie counting, “clean” eating, or weight loss
Frequent trips to the bathroom after meals
Excessive exercise
Extreme picky eating or shrinking “safe” foods
Emotional and Psychological Indicators:
Low self-esteem related to body image
Mood swings or irritability
Anxiety or depression
Perfectionism or high levels of self-criticism
If you or a loved one is showing signs of an eating disorder, early intervention is critical. In general, the sooner treatment begins, the better the outcomes.
Causes and Risk Factors
Eating disorders have no single cause. They are influenced by a combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors, including:
Genetics: Family history of eating disorders or mental illness can increase risk.
Trauma: Many individuals with eating disorders have a history of trauma, including abuse, neglect, or chronic medical issues.
Dieting History: Chronic dieting and weight cycling are significant predictors of disordered eating.
Sociocultural Pressures: Exposure to thin ideals, fatphobia, and appearance-based value systems can foster disordered behaviors.
Marginalized Identities: LGBTQ+ individuals, people in larger bodies, and BIPOC populations often face additional risk due to systemic oppression, stigma, and lack of access to care.
The ACED clinicians provide affirming care that recognizes that identity, oppression, and lived experience impact eating behavior and recovery.
Eating Disorder Treatment in Texas
Effective eating disorder treatment requires a multidisciplinary and individualized approach. In Texas, treatment options include:
1. Outpatient Therapy - this is ACED
Ideal for individuals who are medically stable, and who have mild to moderate symptoms and can maintain daily functioning. This level of care is excellent for people who can’t leave their lives and still want to pursue treatment. Services may include:
Individual psychotherapy (e.g., CBT, DBT, ACT, trauma-informed therapy)
Nutrition counseling with a specialized registered dietitian
Psychiatry collaboration for medication management
Clients come to sessions in office or virtually and then go home or right back into their lives
2. Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP)
IOP offers more support than traditional outpatient care, like a day program, with multiple therapy sessions per day, multiple times a week. This may include group therapy, meal support, and family involvement.
3. Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP)
PHPs offer structured daily programming while allowing clients to return home at night. They’re ideal for those needing more containment but not 24/7 supervision.
4. Residential and Inpatient Treatment
These levels of care provide 24/7 support and medical oversight. Residential care focuses on therapeutic intervention, while inpatient care addresses acute medical stabilization.
The ACED Team
Austin Center for Eating Disorders specializes in outpatient treatment (specialized theapy and nutrition therapy) and can provide intensive support services tailored to your individual needs for clients who are medically stable. This level of care is great for folks who are ready to get treatment, but who do not want or cannot abandon their lives temporarily to do so. We work closely with trusted higher levels of care across Texas to ensure continuity and collaboration when needed.
Located in the heart of Central Texas, Austin Center for Eating Disorders offers trauma-informed, HAES®-aligned, inclusive treatment for individuals of all identities and backgrounds.
Our services are:
Affirming and identity-sensitive
Grounded in evidence-based practices
Delivered by a multidisciplinary team of experts
Focused on sustainable full recovery and long-term healing
It doesn’t matter if you’re newly seeking help or continuing your recovery journey, the ACED clinicians are here to support you with compassion and clinical excellence.
Getting Help for an Eating Disorder in Texas
If you or someone you love is struggling with disordered eating, don’t wait. Reach out for support. Eating disorders are treatable, and recovery is possible with the right care.
📍 Serving clients throughout Texas via telehealth and in-person in Austin
📞 Contact us at AustinCenterForEatingDisorders.com or via email to schedule a consultation or learn more.
References
Arcelus, J., Mitchell, A. J., Wales, J., & Nielsen, S. (2011). Mortality rates in patients with anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders: A meta-analysis of 36 studies. Archives of General Psychiatry, 68(7), 724–731. https://doi.org/10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.74
Legal disclaimer: The ACED team is comprised of mental health professionals licensed to practice in the state of Texas. Reading our blog does not create a therapist-client relationship between us. Our blog is designed for informational purposes only, and is not intended as a substitute for professional care. The contents of this blog should not be used to diagnose or treat illness of any kind, and before you rely on any information presented here you should consult with a trusted healthcare professional. If you are currently experiencing a mental health emergency please call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.