Atypical Anorexia

Condition Basics

What is atypical anorexia?

Atypical anorexia is an eating disorder. As with anorexia nervosa, people with atypical anorexia have an intense fear of gaining weight. They severely limit their food intake. They have a false belief about how they look. But while people with atypical anorexia lose weight, their weight is in or above the normal range.

What are the symptoms?

People with atypical anorexia have an intense fear of gaining weight. They may have a false belief about how they look. They may not eat enough food to be healthy. But this disorder may be overlooked because they are at or above a normal weight.

How is atypical anorexia treated?

You may work with a doctor, a dietitian, and a counselor who treats eating disorders. Treatment can help you learn to eat more regularly and feel better about yourself. If your eating habits have seriously affected your health, you may need treatment in a hospital.

How can you care for yourself at home?

Here are some things you can do to take care of yourself during recovery from an eating disorder.

• Try to stick to your treatment plan. Go to any counseling sessions you have. If you can't go, or if you don't think the sessions are helping, talk to your counselor about it. And take any medicines you've been prescribed exactly as directed.
• Work on healthy eating habits. Listen to what your counselor and dietitian say about healthy eating. You can work with them to make a plan to eat a variety of healthy foods.
• Learn healthy ways to deal with stress. Managing stress is important in recovery. Find what works for you. You could try things like journaling, volunteering, reading, or meditating.
• Wear clothes that fit your body now, just as it is. When you look in the mirror, try to find things you like about yourself instead of focusing on what you don't like.
• Get support from others. This might be from caring family members or friends or an eating disorders support group.
• Take it easy on yourself. Focus on your good qualities. Don't blame yourself for your disorder. And remember that recovery takes time and that you can make progress one goal at a time.