Medical Social Work

Eating Disorders (personal or friend/roomate)

Eating disorders involve serious disturbances in eating behavior, and involve the extreme and unhealthy reduction of food intake or severe overeating followed by vomiting, as well as feelings of distress or extreme concern about body shape or weight. Eating disorders are not due to a failure of will or behavior; rather, they are real, treatable medical illnesses in which certain maladaptive patterns of eating take on a life of their own. The main types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. Eating disorders frequently co-occur with other psychiatric disorders such as depression, substance abuse, and anxiety disorders and can result in serious health complications including heart conditions and kidney failure.
We provide short term counseling for individuals struggling with an eating disorder, referrals to the Western Michigan University Eating Disorder Treatment Team and/or dieticians, as well as providing support and guidance for friends and roommates of an individual who has an eating disorder.

Helpful Links:
National Eating Disorders Association

National Institute of Mental Health
University Counseling & Testing Center

 

Sindecuse Health Center
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 5445 USA
(269) 387-3287 | (269) 387-3204 Fax
shc-webmail@wmich.edu