Body Image

What are body image issues, eating disorders, and body dysmorphia?

Body image refers to how you see, feel, and think about your appearance. When negative perceptions become overwhelming, they can contribute to or coexist with conditions like eating disorders and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).

• Eating disorders are mental health conditions involving unhealthy relationships with food, weight, or body image.
• Body dysmorphia involves obsessive focus on perceived flaws or imperfections in appearance — often minor or invisible to others.

Without treatment, these concerns can cause significant emotional distress, physical health complications, and disruptions to daily life.

At Doran, the team provides compassionate, evidence-based care to address both the emotional and behavioral aspects of body image concerns.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms vary depending on the condition, but may include:

• Intense dissatisfaction with appearance or body shape
• Distorted body image or obsessive focus on “flaws”
• Food restriction, bingeing, or avoiding entire food groups
• Shame, guilt, or anxiety around eating or appearance
• Excessive mirror-checking or mirror avoidance
• Compulsive exercising after meals
• Laxative misuse or forced vomiting
• Avoiding social situations involving food
• Mood swings, irritability, or fatigue
• Physical effects such as dizziness, fainting, or hair loss

Risk factors include stress, trauma, family history, anxiety, depression, and major life changes.

What are the different types of eating disorders?

• Anorexia nervosa – Restricting calories and maintaining a distorted body image with intense fear of weight gain.
• Bulimia nervosa – Episodes of bingeing followed by purging through vomiting, laxatives, or excessive exercise.
• Binge eating disorder – Consuming large quantities of food quickly, often followed by guilt or shame.
• Avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) – Limiting food intake, unrelated to body image concerns.
• Rumination disorder – Re-chewing, re-swallowing, or spitting out previously swallowed food.
• Pica – Eating non-food items like dirt, chalk, or paint.

How are these conditions treated?

The Doran team develops personalized treatment plans tailored to each individual’s needs, which may include:

• Psychotherapy — Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), narrative therapy, and internal family systems (IFS)
• Body image counseling and mindfulness-based therapy
• Medication management and nutritional support
• Individual, group, couples, and family therapy
• EMDR and REBT therapy for trauma and emotional processing
• Psychedelic integration or ketamine therapy, when appropriate

For severe or life-threatening cases, inpatient treatment may be recommended.

If you’re struggling with body image concerns, eating disorders, or body dysmorphia, you’re not alone — help is available. Schedule an in-person or telehealth evaluation at Doran today by calling the office or booking online.